Royce Hall, UCLA, Long Ago

[danf]

It was in Royce Hall on the UCLA campus. First, someone had a bottle of champagne on the stage and they were passing it around. Cohen took it and poured a bit on the windscreen of his mike. It did not appear to hurt the mike. But the extraordinary thing was when a crazy guy started yelling random incoherent things from the audience. Everyone tried to ignore him until he jumped up on stage, still spouting gibberish. The cops came to get him but Cohen waved them off, and then sat on the edge of the stage talking quietly to him, eventually holding hands with him. After a bit, Cohen went back to the mike and said, “Why doesn’t everyone come up here?” and so the stage filled with as many people as it would hold, and they went on with the concert.

I was there with my sister. We were towards the back, so we stayed in our seats.

Pretty special night, though.

I think that it was 1970, as there is some mention of him playing Royce Hall that year. That would also match with the phase of me playing Cohen in the house and my mom getting worried about me. It was sold out or near-sold out. I would guess 1500 - 2000 or so. The band was typical of one of his bands. I do remember that Michelle Phillips of the Mamas and Papas was one of the two female singers. There was a writeup in Rolling Stone about it, which also included a mention of his guitar being lost for a time during loadout, but then found in another case.

It was maybe about the time of Songs From a Room, but I am not sure. I don’t remember what he played other than it was very very good and typical of the style he played when I saw him in subsequent years.

I have seen Cohen every chance I have gotten. It’s just a magical experience. The last was the I’m Your Man tour, which I caught at the Schnitzer Hall in Portland. Of course I bought my tickets (here in Eugene) the minute that I heard, but then it was only about one third full. Cohen alluded to that but still played a great, long, generous set.

[danf]

One other stray memory of this night. "The Song of the French Partisan" was on the set list, and, in the middle, Cohen said that he did not really understand what the refrain was about, so he repeated, about 15 or so times, these lines:

The wind, the wind is blowing
Through the graves, the wind is blowing
Freedom soon will come.
And we'll come from these shadows. . . .

[MaryB]

danf,

LC speaking softly to the 'crazy man' is yet another testament to LC's inherent kindness. And then he follows up by inviting everyone on stage - what better way to make the 'crazy man' appear to be normal! How did you and your sister manage to stay in your seats 'towards the back'?

What an observant mother to have been worried about the music you were listening too .

For LC, a poet, to say that he didn't understand the refrain from 'The Partisan' is mind-boggling - maybe there IS hope for those of us who torture ourselves when trying to break down the meaning of certain lines or complete poems that LC brings to us.

It truly was a 'pretty special night'. Thank you so much for sharing this incredibly beautiful memory!

Best regards,
Mary

(P.S. Will you be attending any of the concerts on this tour?)

[danf]

Yes I got tickets for Seattle. . . .*smile*

[MaryB]

danf,
I'm sooooooooo glad for you! You may find out after the concert that it won't be enough .
Best regards,
Mary

[cedar1tree]

As I lay here wide awake listening and watching Leonard Cohen on PBS, I remember back to UCLA Royce Hall.
I was working there at the med center, and was taking a photography class. A class mate asked if I would like to got to a concert and of course I wanted to. I, at the time, did not know who Leonard Cohen was. I was enjoying the songs so so until he started singing Susanne. My heart leaped with recognization. I dont remember much more except I loved being there.

I am now almost 69 years old. It is amazing how fast the memory of that night came back. It is synchronistic that I am once more taking a photography class---DSLR. Times have changed but his music and poems linger and I am once more in my 20's.

[DrHGuy]

I posted the 1970 Leonard Cohen and The Army Royce Hall concert ad displayed below at Good Clean Wholesome Fun (http://goodcleanwholesomefun.com/post/6 ... cert-ad-at) yesterday and, with my stunningly impeccable timing, stumbled across this thread today.

lc-roycehall.jpg (24.13 KiB) Viewed 3567 times

I especially like the performance being styled as “a program of poetry and music for beautiful losers and saints of all ages,” in the expectation that those viewing the ad would be interested in Cohen’s poetry as well as his music and would recognize the allusions to his literary work.

OK, I also like the prices: $5.50, $4.75, $4.00, $3.25; Students $2.50. (One notes that, were the decimal point shifted a couple of spaces to the right, the ad could be used these days)

Allan
~AKA DrHGuy at Heck Of A Guy

[holydove]

Just discovered this thread today, & have to say: danf, if you are reading this, thank you sooo much for that incredible memory - of the concert, the champagne, & esp. of Leonard's response to the "shouting" member of the audience - so moving, & so telling of Leonard's amazingly kind & generous nature, & his ability to intimately connect with a person he's never met before - not to mention, his ability to alter a person's (troubled) state of mind - so beautiful!!

And DrH, thank you for the photo of the ad from UCLA - a very fascinating "relic" indeed!! (Can't imagine how you find these things!!) oh, & p.s.: just because I wrote to you twice in the past 20 minutes or so, don't worry - I'm not stalking you - just a little cosmic convergence here; although, the idea of following around someone who has had LC's arm around his shoulder, has looked into his eyes, and has LC's handwritten words inscribed in his book - well, it is a bit tempting!! (again, don't worry, just joking - hehehehe. . .)