Rafael Gayol Takes Photos of 11,00 FRIENDS at Leonard Cohen Concert, Bergen Koengen, Aug 28/12

August 30, 2012

2nd row (L) Ove & Grete Laastad
2nd row (R) Amund & Liv Fjose, Tone Andreassen, Ole Roar Ekestad

FRIENDS "R" Us

Rafael Gayol snaps photos "from the other side" when Leonard Cohen runs on stage and greets the crowd of 11,000 with:

Thank you so much FRIENDS

Thank you so much for coming

I've noticed Rafael taking these photos on stage before. He must have a great collection..

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How some FRIENDS behaved:

From an ongoing conversation on Facebook during real time media coverage of the Bergen concert (with permission):

 I was so irritated and upset to learn that (some) people keep talking during the concert.... so disturbing that a woman cried out Be quiet now, dammit! at the start of Partisan:

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Thanks to Norwegian FRIEND, Anne Riise for the media links.
Rafael Gayol and crowd photos: nrk.no
Individual FRIENDS: photo:  ba.no
2nd row (L) Ove & Grete Laastad
2nd row (R) Amund & Liv Fjose, Tone Andreassen, Ole Roar Ekestad

Leonard Cohen FRIENDS Out and About With the Band in Ghent

Rafael Bernardo Gayol and...lots of FRIENDS

(Front)  Elke Franz, Marco Dolfino, Frauke Goeschel, Will Lageveen, RAFAEL, Hans Kloss, Eija Arjatsalo, Meritxell Cardelus, Caren Gutschmidt

(Back) Wijbe Lageveen, Andrea Dolfino, Franz Henning, Beatriz Salles, Ann-Kristen Aschenbrenner, Jarkko Arjatsalo, Sinikka Hiljnen

August 19, 2012

"I found it heartwarming that he referred to us as friends and thanked us all night long"

Rafael Bernardo Gayol and FRIENDS

(clockwise) Eva Martonyi, Ingrid van Daele, Szilvia Szanto, "the Rafael group"

Roscoe Beck and FRIENDS

(clockwise) Gwen Langford, Eva Martonyi, Betty Vercauteren, Ingrid van Daele, Vlasta Podebradska, Luc Huybrechts & Betty Vercauteren

Sharon Robinson, Hattie & Charley Webb and FRIENDS

(L-R by row) Gwen Langford, Mandy MacLeod, Willy Lageveen,
Eva Martonyi, Hans Kloss, Ingrid Van Daele
Jill Hammond, Gwen Langford, Mandy MacLeod

Alex Bublitchi, Neil Larsen, Javier Mas, Mitch Watkins, Robert Kory and FRIENDS

(Top L-R) Eva & Alex Bublitchi - Alex & Henry - Gwen langford & Javier Mas
(c) Gwen and Neil Larsen
(Bottom L-R), Mitch Watkins & Gwen, Alex & Vlasta Podebradska, Robert Kory (LC manager) & Mandy

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For all your wonderful photos, a big thank you goes to: Gwen Langford, Eva Martonyi, Szilvia Szanto, Mandy MacLeod, Betty Vercauteren, Ingrid van Daele, Hans Kloss, Caren Gutschmidt, Wijbe Lageveen, Eija & Jarkko Arjatsalo

Special thanks to Wijbe and Willy Lageveen for the Rafael group photo and names.
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• My apologies for any typos  

Hanukkah Candles, Leonard Cohen, & Rafael Bernardo Gayol

December 20, 2011

Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah.  While preparing my Menorah (lovingly made years ago by my then young grandchildren) and organizing the Hanukkah candles, my thoughts went back one year ago to the two final concerts of the Leonard Cohen World Tour in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace, Colosseum.

As happened at every concert at the end of "Anthem", Leonard Cohen introduced each band member individually. For a while, Leonard had been doing an elaborate and hilarious intro of Rafael Bernardo Gayol (eg.Oakland here)

At both concerts, on December 10 and 11, Leonard included yet another imaginative description for Rafael, one we had never heard before.

The new description added:

...he converts to Judaism
but is excommunicated for lighting the Hanukkah candles in the wrong direction.

Yes, there is a correct order.  On each of the eight nights of Hanukkah, another candle is added and placed in the Menorah from right to left.  But when the candles are lit, the order is from left to right, starting with the newest candle first.


Cued to start at Leonard Cohen's introduction of Rafael Bernardo Gayol
 

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• Hanukkah, the "Fesival of Lights", is not mentioned in Jewish scripture. The story is related in the book of Maccabees.

• The candle sitting highest is called the "shamus" (sexton) and is kindled first then used to light all the other candles in "the right direction"

Meeting Leonard Cohen World Tour Band Members in 2009-2010

San Diego Concert Poster  
April 7, 2009

Copley Symphony Hall

I feel very fortunate to have enjoyed 16 incredible concerts of the World Tour in 2009 and 2010 and to have had the honour of meeting Leonard Cohen in person for the first time.

I also feel very lucky that I had opportunities to meet every wonderful member of the band, including the three back up singers.

The warm memories of meeting each of these very talented and remarkable individuals will last forever.

I started with the concert in San Diego on April 7, 2009 where I bought a site specific poster (seen above).  I started collecting autographs there at the early entry for Forum members.  After San Diego, I brought the poster to the rest of the concerts I attended in 2009.  In total, there are seven autographs on that poster.  The only two missing are Neil Larsen and Sharon Robinson.  I just never ran into them in 2009.  Ah, but I did in 2010.

Javier Mas, Dino Soldo

San Diego, April 7, 2009 
How I eventually received this photo (more)

Dino Soldo

Gothenburg, Aug 12, 2010
Dino and the red socks story (more)
 

Roscoe Beck
Nashville, Nov 5, 2009
Forum fans early entry (more)

Bob Metzger
Kansas City, Nov 9, 2009  
Forum fans early entry (more)
 

Rafael Bernardo Gayol

Gothenburg, Aug 12, 2009 
Rafael graciously helped with my red socks (more)
 

Hattie Webb, Charley Webb

Los Angeles, Jan 18, 2010
Hotel Cafe gig (more)

Hattie Webb

San Jose, Nov 13, 2009 
Before the final 2009 concert (more)

Neil Larsen

Las Vegas, Dec 11, 2010
Very gracious and well deserved accolades (more)

Sharon Robinson

Las Vegas, Dec 11, 2010

It was wonderful to see her back (more)

...and I can't resist adding a
candid shot by Albert Noonan.

Las Vegas, Dec 11, 2010

Oakland, Paramount Theatre Dec 5 & 6 - Two memorable Band Intros by Leonard Cohen

Rafael Bernardo Gayol trying not to crack up during LC's hilarious intro

From Jan 30, 2011 leonardcohenforum

One treat from the Oakland concerts was the good sightline for observing the Anthem band introductions of Rafael Bernardo Gayol and Neil Larsen. Even though I have had very good seats for most of the concerts I attended, I didn't always have an unobstructed view of Rafael and Neil while LC was doing their intros. This time it worked out nicely.

I had seen videos on YouTube and read concert reports about LC's hilariously clever introduction of Rafael. But, witnessing this in person was very special . I loved watching Rafael laughing and enjoying it thoroughly, seeing Rafael and LC "connect" and receiving a loud cheer from the audience.  Well deserved!

On the drums, like any great drummer,
a sculptor of silence, laying it down,
bringing it home, putting it to bed,
clipping its toenails,
tucking it in, kissing it goodnight,
smothering it with a pillow,
arrested and sent to prison,
recruited by the Aryan brotherhood,
disillusioned by the uneven quality of their tattoos,
converting to Judaism,
disillusioned once again,
spending his final days in a halfway house for broken vegetarians,
the prince, the priest, the poet of precision,
Rafael Bernardo Gayol



Neil Larsen enjoying LC's laudatory intro

I have always been impressed with Neil's musicianship and his enormous contribution to the band's success. He often provided a subtle background, almost a delicate duet with LC, and played a prominent role with the new songs. With his placement on a perch behind the band it was difficult for me to see him for most of the concert depending on where my seat was. Over the span of the tour, LC's introduction of Neil became more impressive. So I was delighted in Oakland to be able to watch Neil enjoying and appreciating LC's gracious and eloquent introduction.

On the keyboards,
a composer,
a teacher,
a model,
in his own right, a renowned bandleader,
a Grammy nominated artist and composer,
today's foremost exponent of the Hammond B-3 Organ,
a musician's musician,
the impeccable Neil Larsen

* Anthem *
cued to start at 8.10