Melbourne tribute show

[Andrew (Darby)]

A Melbourne tribute show, My Leonard Cohen, is about to kick off here. The performer, Stewart D'Arrietta, is an Oz musician and longstanding Cohen fan, who is putting on this show following a friend's suggestion and then having been galvanized to do so after reading Sylvie Simmons' I'm Your Man biography.

The following links provide information about the show along with a recent interview with the performer and there are a couple of nicely lyrical and resonant comments in them:

http://chapeloffchapel.com.au/melbourne ... 6-14-july/

http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/ ... 2o8n0.html

I particularly like the bit about the show being "...a world all-engulfing – an emotional landscape universally understood not only by Cohen fans but far beyond – as the soundtrack to many millions of lives."

Apart from Cohen, he has also performed tributes to the Beatles and Tom Waits, with the latter tribute, 'Belly Of A Drunken Piano', taking the form of a 9 months show in New York, apparently to impressive reviews.

Cheers,
Andrew

[seadove]

galvanized?

Not copper bottomed?

[jarkko]

So you will be using Stewart D'Arrietta as a warm-up artist while waiting for the real thing?

[Junk]

Thanks Jarkko, for keeping our hopes alive!

[Andrew (Darby)]

galvanized?

Not copper bottomed?

seadove ...maybe not, but perhaps he needed to be when Tom Waits kicked his butt out of town (New York) with that "cease and desist (order)"!

Jarkko, I certainly hope that indeed proves to be the case, as Junk has also expressed I'm sure your "good will" vibes will do their bit.

Cheers,
Andrew

[jarkko]

Thanks Jarkko, for keeping our hopes alive!

***Sure. One cannot (and don't need to) be patient for ever! / Jarkko***

[scocoh]

Thanks Jarkko, for keeping our hopes alive!

***Sure. One cannot (and don't need to) be patient for ever! / Jarkko***

Thanks, Jarkko.

For the uninitiated, this is the Jarkko equivalent of hiring a brass band to march through the streets announcing the imminent arrival of LC and UH.

[B4real]

Thank you Andrew for your post ........ but I'm grateful mainly for the most encouraging response it gained

Could this I wrote in January possibly come true!..... and hey, if it's any earlier, no complaints here

By my estimation, the 2013 tour will reach us after they've finished in Europe, maybe here in November/early December. Let’s hope I’m right.

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=33358&p=322762&hil ... ia#p322834

[Andrew (Darby)]

B4real, yes, Jarkko's response is more than promising and I suspect your predicted dates may be close to the mark too.

Your flying roo is cute also!

Cheers,
Andrew

[Goldin]

My (and your) Leonard Cohen
15th September, 2013

My Leonard Cohen
Reviewed by: Jason Whyte on Tuesday 10 September 2013

Source: http://aussietheatre.com.au/reviews/leonard-cohen

Canadian Leonard Cohen started his creative output as a poet in the 1950s, has written books and has achieved particular fame and longevity as a singer and songwriter.

Stewart D’Arrietta in My Leonard Cohen

This is the kind of vague description I could write for many artists displaced by time to the outer limits of pop culture if I don’t have much of a personal connection with their work. Having awareness of a few Cohen songs and a hint of his mystique, I was very enthused by the prospect My Leonard Cohen, featuring Stewart D’Arrietta and a nine-piece band performing a selection of Cohen songs. D’Arrietta makes noticeable changes to Cohen’s arrangements, which he admitted incensed one man from a past audience. However, if you’re not opposed to performers tinkering with a characteristic style, My Leonard Cohen stands up as a concert where D’Arrietta’s gravelly vocals feature in some irrepressible flashes.

My Leonard Cohen’s first success was in prompting me to finally have a few runs through a whole Cohen album in advance. I was expecting further illumination by hearing about what Cohen’s works meant to D’Arrietta. In this regard the audience were offered a few offhand comments, for example, to introduce a song that D’Arrietta listened to extensively after a break-up. Given the show’s title, this superficiality is a bit odd. The experience for an audience – particularly those who’ve come only recently to Cohen – would have been enriched by the performer’s personal reflections on the songs.

The sound quality on opening night caused some disappointment, mostly in the first half of the performance. My CD listens were enough to show that Cohen made his lyrics front and centre in recordings and performances, often employing sparse arrangements. Having these lyrics struggle through a swampy mix was unfortunate. From a stylistic viewpoint, D’Arrietta’s denser arrangements meant that the contemplative mood of some tracks was denied the space to have an impact. It might be that D’Arrietta’s voice – a solid growl comparable to that of Tom Waits (another of his tribute acts) – lacks some of Cohen’s shading and suits some of the selections and arrangements better than others. In some songs, such as the up-tempo “Everybody Knows”, everything comes together brilliantly and D’Arrietta is a live-wire on keys driving through a litany of disaffections; picture Jimmy Durante in rock mode poised between indignation and resignation. Further positives of the performance were that D’Arrietta’s arrangements were delivered sharply by the band and his vocals were suitably supported and balanced by backing singer Sunny Amoreena.

Personal taste doesn’t diminish the value of My Leonard Cohen as a way past the “Hallelujah” covers to meet your Leonard Cohen.

[Goldin]

https://vimeo.com/62405204

LEONARD AND ME - Leonard Cohen in word and music -Performed by: Stewart D’arrietta and band.
Producers And Management : Zoltan Koteczky And Stewart D’arrietta
Performed By: Stewart D’arrietta And Band
Musical Director: Rex Goh
Piano And Vocals: Stewart D’arrietta
Electric Guitar: Rex Goh
Acoustic Guitar: Anthony ‘Baz’ Barrett
Violin: Stephanie Zarka
Piano Accordion: Michael Kluger
Bass: Tony Mitchell
Drums: Hamish Stuart
Backing Vocalists: Amanda Easton, Sunny Amoreena
Set And Lighting Designer: Anthony ‘Baz’ Barrett
Sound Engineer: Adam Burbery
Publicity And Media: Sonia Caeiro, Catfish Media
Filmed Live At Darling Point. Sydney Australia . Corporate Event For Catfish Media – 7 March 2013
Directed By: Ashley Frost
Production & Design: Theme Media
Producers And Management : Zoltan Koteczky And Stewart D’arrietta