leonardcohenforum.com

The following post from Marie may have been lost, if it only could be seen in the Dublin concerts thread but it is I believe, something that all of us members on here should read. As a long time follower (see that, another term for "fan" ) of Leonard's I am only too pleased to see new members and especially at his concerts, I am absolutely delighted to see so many youngsters arriving to watch him in concert, without them all, no way would Leonard tour.

Anyway here is the post in question. Apologies go to you Marie but I felt this post needed a wider audience on the forum.

Many people joined this Forum in the month of March 2008 and many joined during the subsequent months. You came here for the presales, you partook of the presales, you got your tickets, you saw your concerts. Now that you have been feed, you wish to bar the doors to everyone else?

Most of us discovered Leonard Cohen by happenstance. There was no effort involved. We heard a song and by some grace, some personal need, our lives were changed. Most of us were just a pawn in the universe's grand scheme that put us in a certain spot at a certain time and opened our ears and our heart. How does something so random make people feel entitled? There is no documentation that anyone has to produce to prove they are worthy to be here. The only credential required is the desire to experience Leonard.

When Jarkko began this Forum a tour was an impossibility. Those of you who joined on or after March 2008 know nothing of the Forum that existed without the word "tour" in every post. But before 2008 there was a body of work, Leonard's poems and songs, that was and remains worthy of being experienced by everyone. It is sacrilege to me that after all these years, after dreaming for so long that Leonard would just get a tiny amount of attention from the mainstream, that now folks here would be talking about excluding the very people we hoped would come to Leonard. Do I long for the days when no one knew his name? Yeah, I do sometimes. Sometimes so many of you babbling "tour, tour, tour" as if Leonard is some kind of aging Justin Bieber gets on my nerves. But guess what, there never would have been a 2008-2010 World Tour if there weren't so many of you. And there wouldn't be a 2012 Old Ideas World Tour if there weren't even more of you. So, thank you to everyone who came to Leonard years ago or months ago. Thank you to all of you who came to Leonard yesterday. As far as WE are concerned, you are all welcome here. Thank you to those who will come to Leonard tomorrow and well into the future. You are the people we have been waiting for.

I did love the part about an aging Justin Bieber, I bet that really would make Leonard chuckle.

Amen

Thank you, Vicomte for re-posting of Marie's heartwarming message.

Many thanks to Jarkko, Marie and all our moderators for their hard work and big heart.

Jarmila,
with deep gratitude

Thank you for this site, for Marie's comments, for Vicomte to post them, and for LC who brought all of us together.

I commend Marie on this post, which does not once use the dreaded F** word!

WoW... I would have missed this altogether if it weren't for your rightly reposting it, Vicomte. Thank you.

Such beauty, eloquence, and truth in Marie's words... so wonderfully expressed, Marie.
You're spot-on right in all you've said.

As far as WE are concerned, you are all welcome here. Thank you to those who will come to Leonard tomorrow and well into the future. You are the people we have been waiting for.

You've deftly and heartwarmingly nailed the bottom-line message we want this Forum to represent. Jarkko has always felt this way... and Marie clearly does, too. Thanks, again, Vicomte, for spreading her invaluable words.

Your message could not possibly be improved upon, Marie... you've said it all and you've said it well.

Marie, your post articulates the essence of this online community. Thanks for enriching (and including) us.

XO

It is wonderful when there is a meeting of the minds about something so basic and vital to the future of our Cohen community. Thank you for your kind words of support and concurrence. Hopefully, a few of our 2012 newbies will go on to be substantial contributors and good friends.

Marie, just to say a big thank you for this very relevant comment. None of us on here are more than, or less than, a fan Leonard Cohen than any other member. I use the word 'fan' because that is what I am, what I have been, and what I will be for as long as I live. I see the word 'fan' decried on another thread but that's, as they say, another story.

Thank you, again.

Tony Crosbie wrote:Marie, just to say a big thank you for this very relevant comment. None of us on here are more than, or less than, a fan Leonard Cohen than any other member. I use the word 'fan' because that is what I am, what I have been, and what I will be for as long as I live. I see the word 'fan' decried on another thread but that's, as they say, another story.

Thank you, again.

Same here Tony. I'll use the dreaded F** word. That's the word in common use. Can't see what else we can use; 'follower', 'worshipper', 'deciple' - makes no odds.
I'll take the opportunity to thank Marie and Jarkko for all their hard work. And for their kindness to some of us 'new' fans; (Not new at all - just happened to find this Forum during LC's last tour) in helping us get tickets for some of the best concerts we have ever been to.
We are very lucky to be able to see Leonard Cohen at all, let alone have a chance to get a ticket before they go on general sale. I just hope all the moaning and bitching about the cost of the tickets, who gets the best seats, 'golden tickets' , and the locations stops. If you want to go - get a ticket and go. If you don't want to pay the going rate, then don't.

Well done Vicomte!

I just wanted to add for the so called "newbies", now that you have joined the forum and had bought tickets, don't be shy and don't hesitate to join the many meet-ups prepared before and after the concerts.
You will meet "twin souls" and have a lot of fun!


viewforum.php?f=61

It is wonderful when there is a meeting of the minds about something so basic and vital to the future of our Cohen community. Thank you for your kind words of support and concurrence. Hopefully, a few of our 2012 newbies will go on to be substantial contributors and good friends.

Once again, you've covered every aspect, every nuance; heartfelt and eloquently. I've watched you in other threads giving people directions and wishing them luck... kind of like standing calmly at various corners of busy intersections, as people come by frustrated, anxious, in a hurry... giving them the simple way on how to get there and wishing them well with a smile as they go. If you notice they're new, welcoming them to the neighbourhood, as well. Beautiful, Marie. Thanks to you and Jarkko for being there for them and for us. All of us remember being here for the first time. I hope, too, that they will join in and grow this Forum even larger and greater. Thanks to you [both], a number of them now know they're in a safe place. So basic, so vital.

As Beatriz has said, too, please don't be shy about attending the meet-ups. It's not at all necessary that you know a single person before you go. You will quickly become involved. Just say hi and introduce yourself.


~ Lizzy

A heartfelt thank you to Marie and Jarkko and all the moderators!
We were all new once to this forum and I for one can say my life has been enriched for it.
Seeing Leonard sing live again is such a gift to all of us and one I
especially look forward to experiencing
this year.
As Beatriz says try to come to a meet up. They are fun.
We are so lucky to get a seat at all these days before a concert is sold out
and if they are 'good' seats we are incredibly lucky and fortunate.

So thanks again to Marie and Jarkko for all that you do!
Leslie

THANK YOU Marie and Jarkko for that perfect post.

I am so grateful for all those who take the time to set up websites, to post youtube clips (I love 'Feels so Good' in all the variations I've heard - and I wouldn't even know it existed without those so generous in letting others know of their finds), to post on this site and to set up facebook pages - so that I can be kept informed and be able to share with others. I hadn't realised over the last 42 years I've been listening and reading to the words of Leonard that there were so many of us - all over the globe doing the same thing - in our own way.

Jarkko has been incredible in his commitment and I can't imagine how much time he has spent on this site alone.

Thank you so much to everyone - whether your contribution be as huge as Jarkkos or as small as mine.

I hope to see some of you in Ireland in September (or even in New Zealand later if the tour brings him to my part of the world).