Hallelujah Reclaimed

This past Saturday, QD and I headed to Canadia to see one of my all time idols, Leonard Cohen, play a concert in his native land. Throughout the weeks preceding the show I worked hard to keep my expectations in check...as the circumstances had conspired to build them to epic proportions... flying to another city to see an icon and personal hero play live for the first time, he himself having been absent from the stage for 15 years. Who knew what to expect from the 73 year old bard who had just spent several years in a monastary and was rumored to have come down from Mt. Baldy to go out on the road due to financial woes? Though deep down I had high hopes, I was resigned in the worst case to just being in the same room with LC for a couple of hours.

As it turned out, I needn't have worried, LC delivered majestically on every count during the nearly three hour performance. Leonard was in command and fully present at every moment. He was funny, sweet and unassumingly hip. He was gracious and eloquent throughout, offering humble thanks to his terrific band and appreciative audience after every song, taking off his fedora each time.



The nine-piece band was exceptional, playing the intricate arrangements in a full but relaxed way, while keeping the music at a volume that allowed the focus to be where where it should be...on that voice (in fine form), those lyrics, and their nuanced delivery.

The song selection was fully satisfying for the first two sets, with early favorites scattered among the greater bulk of mid-career songs from two albums in particular -I'm Your Man and The Future. A pair of songs each from Recent Songs and Various Positions too. Though newer songs like In My Secret Life and A Thousand Kisses Deep (recited as poetry) faired well in the set, I would have gladly traded others verging on maudlin( Boogie Street and That Don't Make It Junk) for a couple more nuggets like So Long Marianne, Famous Blue Raincoat or Tonight Will Be Fine.

The undeniable high point of the show was Hallelujah, which brought both Heather and I to tears and to our feet by the end of the first chorus. Another high point was Tower of Song, which LC played solo on a casio (like the record) to start the second set.

Rumor is that he's going to be on the road for quite a while and will most likely hit the states sometime after the Summer.

Heres the set list:

First Set

Dance Me To The End Of Love
The Future
Ain't No Cure For Love
Bird On The Wire
Everybody Knows
In My Secret Life
Who By Fire
Anthem

Second Set

Tower Of Song
Suzanne
Gypsy Wife
Boogie Street
Hallelujah
Democracy
I'm Your Man
A Thousand Kisses Deep (recitation)
Take This Waltz

First Encore

Waiting For The Miracle
First We Take Manhattan

Second Encore

That Don't Make It Junk
If It Be Your Will
Closing Time

Final Encore

I Tried to Leave You
Wither Thou Goest