leonardcohenforum.com

This might have been asked before ...
It's very frustrating that Leonard's performance at Glastonbury was not shown, at the time, on BBC. The Daily Telegraph voted it no.1 in the top 100 Glastonbury performances so it must have been good
Is there ever going to be a chance to see it? Will the BBC be able to show it one day? Will there be a DVD?

Pete

I' m not sure if BBC filmed it at all. They knew that it cannot be aired at that time, so why to tape ? Those of us who were there, did you make any observations?

I wasn't there (unfortunately), but I'm sure they had those big screens next to the stage. So why not record it when you're filming it anyway? But I doubt it will ever be released officially... Why release this short set instead of a full length concert?

example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKoYU7oFgYw

Maarten

I was by the the TV anticipating the performance, only to learn from the BBC hosts that LC had refused permission for his set to be broadcast. They commented on how sad they were, as the performance (as we know) was outstanding. I think the reason was concerns over the quality, as there was no facility for a sound check. It is sad that there is no record of the performance - I feel it may have been pivotal in his resurgence, especially amongst the younger fans. Also, from time to time, they roll out the greatest sets from the festival over the years, and it belongs there. Finally, I believe the performance coincided with a stunning sun set.

I remember reading an article where it was said that Leonard didn't want broadcasting cameras around during the concert, because he felt it could interfere with his connection with the audience. The BBC people thought, at first, that Leonard was just being an "uppity artist" (or something like that), but when they witnessed the intense connection that existed between Leonard & his audience, they understood his thinking. It might have been a different concert, but I'm fairly sure the write-up I'm remembering was in reference to Glastonbury 2008.

Thanks for the responses. It's all very frustrating that the cameras were there but it probably hasn't been recorded for posterity. Oh well!

Temporarily brings back the frustration of that night over 8 years ago

The headlining acts are normally transmitted live on the BBC. It was a great surprise that Leonard's set , or at least some of it , wasn't. Glastonbury performances often have some ' special atmosphere' and it would have been good to try to capture this on film.

The BBC cameras are permanently in place to film the pyramid stage throughout the festival, were there during Leonard's set , and some were certainly used for the big screens . Thus , not sure of the validity of the notion he thought cameras would get in the way of audience connection .At the time I thought it had more to do with commercial issues , and maybe more a decision of Leonard's management than Leonard himself .Maybe with the plan to issue a live DVD and album from the tour they didn't want a competing show, professionally filmed by the BBC, potentially in bootleg circulation or just recorded by fans from the live transmission

So we have the magnificent Live in London from the same tour, recorded a few weeks after Glastonbury, and of course most of us would say the DVD manages to capture not just the excellent performance , but also the connection with the audience in the vast space of the London O2.

I think big the difference between filming Glastonbury and filming the London show was that an external agency i.e. the BBC, with no knowledge of Leonard's performance and sensibilities, would have been filming Glasto. The camera crews at the O2 were part of Leonard's vast entourage and he could trust them not to get in his way or distract him. A very different proposition.

I believe the decision to put the Live in London DVD out was only made after the event with all concerned delighted with how the night had gone.

Wendy

https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/ ... y-weekend/

BBC is going to rerun some classic sets to celebrate the missing 50th anniversary of Glastonbury.
Sadly there is no LC's 2008 set on the rebroadcast list.

I was there at the first row and the memory of Leonard jogging up to the stage is still vivid.