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After a pretty good (for my definition) search of youtube I can not come up with a video of The Future. I really would love to have a copy of Leonard himself doing the White Man Dance if anyone knows where I can find it.

Spindrift wrote:To Mary B, I desperately hope that North American audiences do not take Lief's hint. I would hate to go to a Cohen concert and find that he was being drowned out by amateur singers.

I think that what Lief was referring to was the refrain in 'So Long Marianne' (not the whole concert ). LC seems to glow when the audiences (especially in Europe) sing that refrain

tammigirl,

Such an entertaining blog - thank you! Welcome to the forum!

Best regards,
Mary

Citizen_Kane wrote:

Also, has anyone noticed he changed the melody for everytime he sings the "you who wish to conquer pain"-line? (Where the chord progression is: C > E > Am > F). I like it! It's playing safe I guess, the 'new' melody he sings is more his lower vocal safe zone, whereas the original melody goes up.

And one final comment: though I agree with everyone that it's great to see that Avalanche has made its way back to the setlist (it ís my favourite Cohen song), I pity the fact that Leonard Cohen can probably not hold up his distinct strumming pattern for the full song anymore and just starts to strum away at several points in the song. It took me a bit by surprise and weakened the characteristic sound of the song imho.

Yes, I did notice the melody change: I thought that it changed the feel of the song. But Leonard seems to work on his songs in different versions so often, that I wouldn't presume at all that he was necessarily "playing it safe," although I think you're correct that the new melody is more comfortably within his vocal range. He could as easily have been performing a new-feel Avalanche, which I think is borne out by the addition of the violin, and the more percussive instrumentation in both the keyboard and guitar strumming pattern (I didn't interpret that at all as his inability to hold up the old strumming pattern).

I was very struck the other day when I listened to a recording of Dance Me To The End Of Love with Perla Batalla and Julie Christensen: the quality and feel of their voices were so profoundly different from Sharon Robinson and Hattie and Charley Webb's voices singing together. It's not that one is better than the other: they resonate differently, in the ear and in the heart. I think something similar is going on here with Avalanche.
Personally, I missed the intensity of the version he played in 2010, but this version has other things to offer.

sue7 wrote:I was very struck the other day when I listened to a recording of Dance Me To The End Of Love with Perla Batalla and Julie Christensen: the quality and feel of their voices were so profoundly different from Sharon Robinson and Hattie and Charley Webb's voices singing together. It's not that one is better than the other: they resonate differently, in the ear and in the heart. I think something similar is going on here with Avalanche.
Personally, I missed the intensity of the version he played in 2010, but this version has other things to offer.

Thanks for the reply. Different versions definitely "resonate differently, in the ear and in the heart". That's a great way to put it, and I agree. And I also missed the intensity of the version he played in the last tour.

It is one of those songs he does not play very often, but I have been fortunate to see/hear him play Avalanche three times! And the first time in Brussels 2008 was magical. If I recall correctly, the recording of Avalanche on the Songs From The Road cd/dvd is from the same year. Very intense indeed. To me, more intense than the one in Louisville.

After a few days to sink in, I'm still blown away.

Great report, MaryB. Must have been an incredible, different concert. Glad Roscoe is back and feeling well, though.

And..wonderful videos, wirebird. I now really want to hear "Anyhow" in a concert

Thank you!

I really loved the arrangement on Lover, Lover, Lover and the jaw Harp on Democracy.

MaryB wrote:

Spindrift wrote:To Mary B, I desperately hope that North American audiences do not take Lief's hint. I would hate to go to a Cohen concert and find that he was being drowned out by amateur singers.

I think that what Lief was referring to was the refrain in 'So Long Marianne' (not the whole concert ). LC seems to glow when the audiences (especially in Europe) sing that refrain

Thanks, Mary for clearing that up!

Every once in a while there is a concert that capture people's souls deeper than the usual (very deep) level. Louisville definitely qualifies.
Magic Powder/ Secret Sauce that makes it memorable long after it's gone.
Thanks all for the reviews, like Bev, I agree that they make following the tour from afar as close as one can feel to really being there.
Henry, thanks for your exceptional as always vids. I too cracked up at the Anyhow/ Cigarette at 80 tidbit

Roscoe's sound was greatly missed, and though it's not at all surprising the band's unified efforts to fill in for him seemed effortless and sounded incredible, now that I know, between Leif's blog and Dr. HGuy's interview with Mitch, how little time they had to pull it off - I'm in awe.
I was relieved to read the good Jewish doctors cleared him to return to stage in CT.
I found his note as moving as they come. A mirror of the uniqueness of this community.

So much looking forward to reports from NYC. Many friends who are there - have a blast.
-- Sharon

It isn`t over yet. Here are a couple of more videos from Louisville:

Going Home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A69FZn6m7bI

Closing Time (applause for Mitch) and Famous Blue Raincoat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDaTkn5mnFk

It It Be Your Will (The Webb Sisters)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRhgaH-kOe4

Save The Last Dance For Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrSE6tg7McI

Great videos. Thanks you so much for the great job!

Wirebird wrote:It isn`t over yet. Here are a couple of more videos from Louisville:

Going Home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A69FZn6m7bI

Closing Time (applause for Mitch) and Famous Blue Raincoat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDaTkn5mnFk

It It Be Your Will (The Webb Sisters)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRhgaH-kOe4

Save The Last Dance For Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrSE6tg7McI

Precious, precious vids.
Thank you Henry!
--Sharon

My wife and I traveled from Fredericton, NB Canada to see the show in Louisville. We were totally amazed by how good it was. Many, many thanks to Leonard, the band, and the crew. what a performance! I have seen Leonard twice before but had not seen him perform Alexandra Leaving, avalanche, or Famous Blue Raincoat. I guess I can die happy now.

Get well soon, Roscoe.

Steve

tammigirl wrote:After a pretty good (for my definition) search of youtube I can not come up with a video of The Future. I really would love to have a copy of Leonard himself doing the White Man Dance if anyone knows where I can find it.

Hi tammigirl, here you are! He does the dance moves twice, near the beginning and just before half way through. I just did a quick search and found it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6DOhtCaKLk
The Future (with white man dancing Dublin 14th June 2008 - video by our own IrishAL )

Plus you might want to check out the link below (I haven't) possibly some more videos there.

http://1heckofaguy.com/2009/02/04/accor ... s-dancing/

enjoy! .... and welcome to the forum