leonardcohenforum.com

Posted: **Wed Jun 11, 2008 3:27 pm**

Great news on attendance Anne

Each show somehow better than the last?

I enjoyed the Saturday show the least of the three shows I attended because the audience was so horribly rude. Talking during songs, applauding in the middle of songs, constant flash photography, it lessens everyones concert experience. I don't believe yelling to the stage is a way to make personal contact, but I guess some people do. I wish they didn't.

Monday wasn't quite such a rowdy crowd and the music was amazing. Not only was Leonard fabulous, but the musicians he plays with just blow me away. I really loved it.

Posted: **Thu Jun 12, 2008 12:07 am**

[quote="Claw at your heart"]Here's an article by Andy Green that appeared in Rolling Stone. This writer just doesn't get Leonard Cohen. Or can't see beyond his own arrogance...

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/i ... n-toronto/[quote]

Claw, I took issue with much of this article too.

Especially this statement:
"when he showed up at his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction earlier this year he looked pretty meek and refused to perform."
First of all, he looked amazing and gave the best speech. Secondly, I don't think he "refused to perform." He was starting a World Tour a month later and was trying some keep some mystery as to what those performances would be like. I'm just guessing.

Also this:
"awkwardly squinting at the ground (presumably at a teleprompter)"
Uh, really??

Even this bugged me about Hallelujah:
"John Cale, Rufus Wainwright and (of course) Jeff Buckley all managed to eclipse the original, and tonight Cohen sang it like he was trying to reclaim it for himself."
From the looks of just some grainy YouTube videos, one can see that he not only tried to reclaim it, he did reclaim it. (and for the record, I never thought those guys eclipsed the original anyway)

Posted: **Thu Jun 12, 2008 12:51 am**

Firstly. what the hell is wrong with looking meek, using a teleprompter or squinting at the ground?

The article alternates back-and-forth between compliment, back-handed compliment, and pure insult. But mostly, since it's not entirely clear that the writer actually has it in for Leonard Cohen, I can only conclude Andy Green is just a piss-poor writer. Here's why -

"The band re-created the spooky atmosphere of his albums" - the spooky? atmosphere?!

“I’m Your Man” remains one of the horniest songs ever written — Huh?, just a poor choice of words maybe?; he continues - "though delivered with the class and wit only Cohen can bring" - Oh, a compliment?

"with nothing on my lips but Hallelujah" - lips? try tongue buddy, unless Green only listens to Bono's version.

"all managed to eclipse the original, " - his subjectivity is now absolute!

“Democracy” took on new meaning during the weekend Hillary Clinton suspended her campaign - no, that's what the song's original meaning is about, events like that - no new meaning occurred this weekend Andy.

"it was apparent that his deep baritone hadn’t deteriorated a bit since the 1993 tour." - back-handed compliment?

"like a master bank robber forced out of retirement for one last gigantic score" - pure insult - "Cohen poured everything he had into a stunning performance." - compliment.

"When it’s done he’ll probably return to Los Angeles with a dump truck full of money and never perform again." - insult - "Still, it’s a hell of a way to go out." - compliment

What is this guy's point ???????????

Posted: **Thu Jun 12, 2008 12:59 am**

Marie has posted a note to her speaking cohen site indicating that Joni Mitchell was in attendance for Monday's show

see it on the bottom of the page here:

http://www.webheights.net/speakingcohen ... #toronto12

Posted: **Thu Jun 12, 2008 2:11 am**

So, Leonard's Toronto dates were extended with the addition of the June 9th concert. My question is, might the Montreal dates also be extended? Reason i ask is that the "showtimetickets" website lists an additional (fourth) concert in Montreal on June 26th. But no tickets available. Is there an extra concert? If so, when do (did) tickets go on sale?

BTW, my wife flew from Calgary to Toronto for the Saturday night Cohen concert--June 7th.
She has every Cohen lyric memorized, and was blown away by the concert. She thinks that Leonard used different (new?) verses in "Thousand Kisses Deep," as compared to those in "Book of Longing." Anyone know if Leonard is still perfecting/changing that poem?

Thanks, everyone, for your postings, and your help.

kowtown (calgary) klaus

Posted: **Thu Jun 12, 2008 2:24 am**

showtime tickets site does show this -

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 7:30 PM Leonard Cohen Salle Wilfrid Pelletier - Place Des Arts
Montreal, Quebec
Tue, 24 Jun 2008 7:30 PM Leonard Cohen Salle Wilfrid Pelletier - Place Des Arts
Montreal, Quebec
Wed, 25 Jun 2008 7:30 PM Leonard Cohen Salle Wilfrid Pelletier - Place Des Arts
Montreal, Quebec
Thu, 26 Jun 2008 Leonard Cohen Salle Wilfrid Pelletier - Place Des Arts
Montreal, Quebec

but Place Des Arts site does not - in fact Salle Wilfred Pelletier is booked on the 26th for Miss Katie Melua.

Posted: **Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:10 am**

I have tickets for Miss Katie Melua concert in Salle Wilfrid Pelletier of Place des Arts on June 26th at 19:30.
I have been waiting for that for two years now.
http://www.montrealjazzfest.com/Fijm200 ... rche=melua
Anyone trying to attend someone else concert in the same venue at the same time will have to fight with me before.

Posted: **Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:47 am**

I did see that Joni Mitchell was in attendance on Monday's concert
and so was Adrian Clarkson.

Posted: **Thu Jun 12, 2008 9:06 am**

I did see that Joni Mitchell was in attendance on Monday's concert
and so was Adrian Clarkson.chris_b

Joni has good taste in music! I wish I had the opportunity to see her.

Posted: **Thu Jun 12, 2008 3:51 pm**

Just a note to the "old timers" on the board:

I'm still "John K."

He's "JohnK"

Blond Madonna pointed out that I may have an evil twin. It's more likely that I'm JohnK's evil twin. I wasn't in Toronto, I wasn't avoiding you. I loves ya!

I'm glad that both John's K's enjoyed their Ontario concerts! Despite the griping about the bizarro people in Hamilton, it was still the best concert I've ever been to.

Carry on ...

(the original) John K.

Posted: **Thu Jun 12, 2008 4:02 pm**

The original John K? So I'm the doppleganger?

Although I've often felt that my life is a David Lynch movie, this is a new one on me!

If it's possible to avoid confusion, I would gladly change my "handle" if I could learn how to do it: Possibly to "the OtherJohn" or the "NewImprovedJohn" perhaps?

Still waiting for a miracle,

JTK

Posted: **Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:43 pm**

Johnny, you don't want people to think you're me. Better they should think you're Young dr. Freud. Oi, I'm showing my age!

Posted: **Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:55 pm**

John K.:

Funny, I thought YOU were the father of modern medicine, and I was the most Reverent Freud.

JTK

Posted: **Thu Jun 12, 2008 6:12 pm**

"Enormous success" says the Italian newspaper OGGI in its report from Toronto (June 11 issue)
Thanks to Andrea for the clipping!

Posted: **Fri Jun 13, 2008 5:04 pm**

jarkko wrote:http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/440064

OPINION

Cohen pictures worth 1,000 angry words
Jun 10, 2008 04:30 AM
Malene Arpe
Pop Culture Columnist

I'm curious how many low-res cellphone photos of Leonard Cohen are enough. Thirty? 50? 100?

Judging from the people in front of me at Friday's concert at the Sony Centre, there obviously is no limit. I'm also curious how it is that someone would pay $250 for a ticket and then watch the entire show through a cellphone.

Last weekend's Cohen concert, the first of four Toronto shows, was one of those highlights-of-your-life type things. Star music critic Ben Rayner called it breathtaking. I will add that there was a lot of crying. From myself as well as from many grown men in the audience.

The show was moving and beautiful and more than anyone could have hoped for. Except for the constant lights from the bloody phones as photo after photo after photo was taken.

Believe me when I tell you that the man in the spotlight did not have any wardrobe changes. Nor did he perform any card tricks. Or dance. Or do handstands with monkeys. The first picture you took will closely resemble the last, you no-consideration-for-other-people idiots.

Next time you go to a show featuring someone truly great, try this: Sit your ass in your chair and just listen. Be. Enjoy. I know this may be difficult for you to understand, but it will all still have happened even if you don't obsessively photograph it. And if you don't leave with 100 grainy pictures of an old man wearing a hat, your evening – and not unimportanTly, mine – will have been better for it.

This is hilarious... and right on the money. My gripe, which I'm sure many share: the two women next to me in Moncton distractingly seat-danced and sang their way through most of the show. Listen, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself so much, and I'm glad you "LOVE HIM SO MUCH" as you kept proclaiming (we all do), but I came to give all my attention to a legend, not hear a squeaky, off-key voice in my ear or feel swaying arms bump into me a dozen times. And the whispered "1... 2... 3" followed by hollering in unison: "WE LOVE YOU LEONARD"? Did I somehow get transported to a Backstreet Boys show?

(One of the women eventually decided seat-dancing wasn't enough and that she just had to stand up and dance... possibly during Hallelujah? Well, when the usher told her to sit herself down, she was NOT pleased, and proceeded to gripe about it for the rest of the show. Seriously. Grow up.)

Look, if you're at a rock show in a bar or an arena, dancing and singing are to be expected. Most artists even encourage this behaviour by holding their mics out and asking the crowd to help out on well-known choruses. At the recent Blue Rodeo show here, Greg Keelor let the crowd sing the entire first verse of "Hasn't Hit Me Yet." At a Matthew Good show, if you're not bouncing along for "Hello Time Bomb," you're probably dead. But in a theatre, watching show such as Leonard Cohen's? Such behaviour is completely out of place and incredibly inconsiderate to the rest of the audience.

Sorry. Tangent.

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