leonardcohenforum.com

I never thought I'd see the day when Leonard's concerts were being promoted so heavily in provincial Australia: I'm in Cairns right now and have seen the fab adverts for his upcoming concert here on commercial TV and my sister has also reported the full page adverts in the Townsville Bulletin newspaper. As well as this, I've seen on-line adverts on commercial news web-sites.

There has been a mammoth shift in awareness and perception of Mr Cohen in this country. 30 years ago, even 20 years ago, if you were to mention his name, the response would typically be Leonard who?? At times and in certain locations or environments, it felt to me like I was some sort of "voice in the wilderness" speaking out in vain! It was usually only the university educated, folk music or counterculture types who had any awareness of him. Moreover, some of those who were aware of him and his music, were often enough disparagingly dismissive of it by typically making such comments as "oh yeah, music to slash wrists by"!

Now it seems he is on the radar screen of broader popular culture, particularly for younger people and on the whole is far more positively viewed by the current generation of 20 to 30 year olds. I think there is a lot more openness to his style of music and the honesty of his voice or message strikes more of an immediate chord with them, but that's just my passing and initial analysis concerning this change. Mind you, the advent of the Internet and contemporary communication modes are also a big contributor to awareness across the board, without a shadow of a doubt. His music being covered by so many artists and popularised by singers such as Jeff Buckley, along with its inclusion in so many movie soundtracks, have also clearly played a major role in this awareness change.

Cheers,
Andrew

Who would have thought, Australia and culture?
















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before I get banned again.
I was joking.
Australia has given us some great stuff. Men at Work and their chunder tune, Rolf Harris and Skippy.

Rodin, okay, but I would rather think of other examples... such as George Johnston (Leonard's one time friend on Hydra), Nick Cave and Geoffrey Rush!

I know there are others, but it's too late at night for them to spring to mind for me.

Cheers,
Andrew

Russel Crowe and Hugh Jackman


Interesting Sensation, Andrew. Here in Central Europe it seemed to work completely without advertising. If there was not this Forum, I wouldn't have noticed that Mr. Cohen was/is on Tour this Summer at all.
In Lucca, there have been many posters in town, but in Vienna I saw not a single one, not even at the location itself. But both Concerts seemed to be Sold out.

Anyway, enjoy your concert(s)!

Australian culture

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PfDro1UGUo

Hi Andrew,
You’ve probably seen my post last night from here:

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=22911#p335743
This quote from it is relevant to what you’re saying:

B4real wrote:EDIT: Ten minutes before the start of this movie Leonard's three Concerts in Queensland in November have just been advertised
It's so strange but so welcomed to see his face and the band on local TV here!

I nearly fell off my chair when I heard and then saw it!

General public ticket sales start tomorrow. As you know, we are fortunate in Queensland this time having three concerts and two of those inaugural – Cairns and Townsville......and I thought I was almost alone in tropical Queensland with a love of Leonard's lines

Btw – I received my ticket for Cairns a week ago. Front row centre I'll be half way through my quest by then!

MarthaG wrote:Anyway, enjoy your concert(s)!

....and thank you MarthaG....I most definitely will!!

Bev, it is indeed pretty incredible to see the coverage you mention on TV... there was apparently a full page advert in 'The Cairns Post' as well the other day.

I look forward to hearing your feedback from both the Cairns and Townsville concerts, when I see you in Adelaide - it will complement my three sisters' and a nephew's feedback (as Cohen novices), with two attending the Cairns concert and two the Townsville one.

Cheers,
Andrew

Rodin wrote:Australian culture

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PfDro1UGUo

That may be half amusing, in an cringe-worthy sort of way... but the good news is that we have come along way since those days!

It's a bit like looking at some of your Benny Hill stuff now.

Cheers,
Andrew

Benny Hill is my god.
I frequently invite young women to my garden, put the music at 78 and then chase them.

Later I eat them with fava beans.

Just got this google alert from across the pond in NZ and thought I'd add their link/quote to show that "Never thought I'd see the day..." when Leonard's lines from Anthem were used to describe a footy team's defence problems

Leonard Cohen once wrote that there is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in.

The Canadian poet was philosophising about life rather than rugby league when he wrote that line.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/902 ... till-wrong

Makes you think that a lot of people in New Zealand must be very aware of him now and his coming visit!

....and Andrew,
If you're going to Melbourne (and I think you are) I will see you there before Adelaide
Also, I would love to be sitting next to your sisters and nephew if only to see the look on their faces when they attend their first LC concert - it's almost worth the price of admission alone to witness that!

EDIT: Here's Frontier Touring's adv for Brisbane:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_pitApsdY8

The one I saw on SBS TV Saturday night had all three Qld cities listed.

Hey Bev, that was quite interesting and amusing about the rugby league commentator's reference to that 'Anthem' line. Actually, my brothers-in-law are big rugby league followers, so perhaps I should draw their attention to it.

Re catching up with you, indeed I will see you in Melbourne first, but mentioned Adelaide simply because your attendance and feedback about the NQ concerts (26 & 28 Nov) will only be after the Melbourne one (20 Nov).

Regarding my three sisters, two brothers-in-law and a nephew's first experience of Leonard, I do hope it is as enthralling as can be for them, though I think a few of them are going only out of curiosity (on account of my history of tripping around the world to see Leonard) and, from a personal sensibilities perspective, may not quite be able or ready to appreciate him as we here do...we'll see.

Cheers,
Andrew

Andrew (Darby) wrote:Re catching up with you, indeed I will see you in Melbourne first, but mentioned Adelaide simply because your attendance and feedback about the NQ concerts (26 & 28 Nov) will only be after the Melbourne one (20 Nov).

ah geez Andrew,
If I had correctly read what you said in the first place My excuse is that I'm going to so many concerts, I don't know when I'm coming and going!!

.... and that's six individuals you have introduced to LC ..... keep up the good work

LOVED this thread... thanks for bringing it up ~ bringing him with fanfaare to the conservatives ~ THAT is PROGRESS !!!

Hi Mirka, I enjoyed your musings about Leonard's recently found fame and can relate to that difficulty for Oz fans that you referred to, even though I was not part of the chat experience then.

Yes, it is likely we did meet at the Krakow Event and I did travel there from Melbourne, though I grew up in Cairns where I am visiting at present.

Cheers,
Andrew