A Sobering Uplifting AMEN, Leonard Cohen Los Angeles Concert Nov 5,12

February 4, 2013

When I made a final pass through all the memory cards from my last six concerts (Austin x2, Denver, LA, Seattle, Portland) I found my video of AMEN from the LA Nokia on November 5.  I certainly can understand my inefficiency following that concert. (see my earlier report, Wonderful Leonard Cohen Concert in Los Angeles at LA Nokia Live But A Difficult Evening 11.5.12 )

My new found video gave me a chance to think a little more about Leonard Cohen's sobering AMEN and my ambivalence about his magnificent song.

On the one hand, the words sound so horrific (the horror...I read as the Holocaust) and are difficult to absorb. But the poetry is magnificent. I always find meaning from his writing. But I can never verbalize what it is. I just feel it.

Similar to his Holocaust connected song "Dance Me To The End Of Love", LC again wraps a lovely waltz around AMEN's difficult poetry. And he performs it mostly upright. (Contrast this with Come Healing where he sings it mostly kneeling in "penitential prayer".)

His eyes are often open and looking upwards. His hands are mostly relaxed.

I found all of this made AMEN uplifting.

I liked the song when I first heard it on his newest album Old Ideas.  But I began to love the song more and more as the tour progressed.  So when I went to those six concerts, AMEN  was one of the songs I really looked forward to hearing.

And my wish was fulfilled.

Amen

Tell me again
When I’ve been to the river
And I’ve taken the edge off my thirst
Tell me again
We’re alone & I’m listening
I’m listening so hard that it hurts
Tell me again
When I’m clean and I’m sober
Tell me again
When I’ve seen through the horror
Tell me again
Tell me over and over
Tell me you want me then
Amen

Tell me again
When the victims are singing
And Laws of Remorse are restored
Tell me again
That you know what I’m thinking
But vengeance belongs to the lord
Tell me again…

Tell me again
When the day has been ransomed
& night has no right to begin
Try me again
When the angels are panting
And scratching the door to come in
Tell me again
When I’m clean and I’m sober
Tell me again…

Tell me again
When the filth of the butcher
Is washed in the blood of the lamb
Tell me again
When the rest of the culture
Has passed thru’ the Eye of the Camp
Tell me again…

Los Angeles AMEN Nov 5.12 - by Arlene Dick



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Lyrics from the Official Old Ideas Leonard Cohen website

Leonard Cohen Los Angeles Concert at the LA Nokia on Nov 5.12 - My Videos

November 7, 2012

Separate "will call" table just for us. YeeHaw.  LA Nokia did one thing right

MY CONCERT REPORT and VIDEO LINKS posted on the Leonard Cohen Forum 

Leonard Cohen put on the most outstanding show under such difficult concert conditions.
And like others have mentioned, I did notice his new arrangements. Keepin' it fresh.
Just gotta love that man even more after this show.

sonLeonard loved the concert and remarked, "That's LA concerts, They arrive late and leave early."
The baseball games here are referred to as "7 inning games" because so many people leave early to beat the traffic.

Celebrity spotting - My son spotted Tim Robbins in the lobby.

Here are some of my LA Nokia Leonard Cohen concert videos and clips - Nov 5,12
The shaky videos are because I was actually shaking. I was so upset and crying.
At one point I leaped out of my seat to ask the usher to move somewhere else. The lady behind me said she thought I was going to beat the usher with my cane. Ha, I never thought of that. sonLeonard was with me. I had to behave.

KID WITH A CRAZY DREAM (clip)
http://youtu.be/5nH_e38DqIU

DANCE ME TO THE END OF LOVE (repeat)

with LC's intro
http://youtu.be/PFs7aTHzZvs

GUESTS
One interesting thing happened on stage when LC started to strum his guitar intro to The Guests. He was in the dark for the first 30 sec. He turned to Roscoe and said, "We need some light". This was quite audible over the sound system. It took another 10 sec before his lighting came on.
http://youtu.be/VqdFTZzplBY

GOING HOME
http://youtu.be/MdsTtN2ahYA

ANYHOW
http://youtu.be/5MDX53OH2HY

HALLELUJAH (partial)
http://youtu.be/Gmla0Qz5QMI

WAITING FOR THE MIRACLE
http://youtu.be/zSnJA_-NtIA

EVERYBODY KNOWS
http://youtu.be/md_SZ51Hsd8

I'M YOUR MAN
http://youtu.be/XQ86O1nLf34

HEART WITH NO COMPANION
http://youtu.be/Or3a8svKmpI

---Arlene

source: Setlist.fm

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Please see my earlier concert report,  Wonderful Leonard Cohen Concert in Los Angeles at LA Nokia Live But A Difficult Evening 11.5.12

Wonderful Leonard Cohen Concert in Los Angeles at LA Nokia Live But A Difficult Evening 11.5.12

November 6, 2012

View from my seat - Leonard Cohen's opening song, "Dance Me To The End of Love"

I posted the following  Los Angeles concert report on the Leonard Cohen Forum

At 8 pm sharp, the show began.

Hundreds of people were still streaming in late.

Ushers were standing in the aisles while hundreds lined up on either side of them to find out where their seats were located.

For those like myself, these people blocked our view and although whispering, were still audible.

This was all visible from the stage.

The hustle and bustle to get to seats was still going on after two songs.

After two songs, LC stopped the show, asked to bring the house lights up so people could find their seats.

Sweetly made a joke, "I apologize for starting the show on time."

And added, now I can see your faces.

After a while he resumed the show.

But people kept streaming in late, it went on and on on and on....

To add to the latecomer chaos, people acted all evening as if they were at a sports game.

This is a very plush theatre, almost identical to Caesars Colosseum. Yet, there were comings and goings all night, movement that was clearly visible form the stage. There seemed to be people walking in the aisles all night, especially visible when the show;s lighting hit certain areas.

Of course if one person in the middle of a row wants to leave and re-enter, more of the row has to rise to let them pass.

At one point I was in tears, both for LC and for myself.

My son Leonard came with me for his first LC show ever and this was the spectacle he witnessed.

And if all this movement wasn't bad enough, as soon as Hallelujah was over, people began leaving causing more movement that never stopped.

I was at the 2009 show and I don't recall movement like this.

Then I remembered, I had a Pit seat in 2009, so I wouldn't have noticed

The movement all night was so bad I stopped trying to take videos.

I have zero complete videos. (Edit: I did get some videos after all, much to my delight).
Too bad, he sang "The Guests". I did try. I hope someone else grabbed it.(Edit: I did get that one)

As soon as I thought the coast was clear, people walked into the camera view.

I may upload the odd one for the record and /or do a compilation video when I return home from my next two concerts.

In spite of this chaos - Leonard Cohen put on a dynamic concert, "gave them everything he got", went far beyond what he had to.

He announced he would like to do the first song over. People cheered.

Even though people were leaving in droves, he announced he would keep singing to the edge of the curfew.

They still kept drifting out.

Finally, he held up the clock to show it was almost 11:45.

I was in tears by then. I was so rattled and so upset.

I will check my Sony stick for more details. But because of all the movement in my row, my handbag (where I hide the stick) was jostled several times so I may have nothing on it.

---Arlene

LA Times 1/4 page B/W 5.17.12

Leonard Cohen Cruising For Suits At "Opening Ceremony" Los Angeles

Fri, August 26, 2011 OC

Make It Snappy: A Dapper Leonard Cohen Stops by OCLA; We Swoon!

WOW.  Leonard Cohen looks so elegant, especially with a handsome Collar Pin evoking:

...a dandyish gangster...or...a properly dressed businessman of the 1920's

(OCLA) Opening Ceremony Los Angeles (click here)

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Photo source: Google Alerts

Leonard Cohen Dominates Los Angeles Times Arts & Books Section, Sept 26, 2010

From Sept 26, 2010   leonardcohenforum

Leonard Cohen dominates the Arts section of today's Los Angeles Times, with a huge full page ad for the Las Vegas concerts on page 3 and a smaller corner ad on top of page 1.

Ah, when I saw the front page of the Arts & Books section, I said to myself, "It just doesn't get any better than this".
 
And then when I saw the full page ad on page 3 (a collectible for me), I thought, aha, the philistines at the Bridge Club will not be able to roll their eyes anymore. Now I can tell them I am doing Honolulu*, Portland and two shows at Caesars in Las Vegas.

* since cancelled. I am now going to Oakland.

Detail at the bottom of the ad with info

for a concert in Hawaii, later cancelled.

Leonard Cohen Concert - Los Angeles Nokia Live, April 10, 2009

From April 11, 2009  leonardcohenforum

 APRIL 10 show
Disclaimer: I was so emotionally involved in the majesty of the Leonard Cohen concert, my memory may not be the greatest.

I found the Los Angeles show more dynamic than the one in San Diego – some changes and some surprises. LC seemed to be having more fun in LA.

I’m your man
And if you want another kind of love
(Doffing his hat, smiling widely, eyes twinkling)
I’ll wear an old man’s face for you

Tower of Song
Ah they don't let a woman kill you
Not in the tower of song
---chuckles, speaks---
but that doesn’t apply elsewhere

Ain’t No Cure for Love
‘broken church’

Waiting for the Miracle
Added, Not included in San Diego.

So wonderful to hear this in concert. Dino Soldo played yet another instrument, which looked like it might be a cors anglais. Did anyone else recognize it? A brass instrument with reeds, that looked similar to an oboe.

Hallelujah
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to TINSELTOWN to fool you

I didn’t think that choice for LA went over well.

Retained “It’s not Junk” from San Diego.

I can’t remember what was omitted at either venue. I know there was no "Sisters of Mercy" at either.

Only two full band intro’s and with some new wording.
Example:
Neil Larsen .... an accomplished musician in his own right.

Famous people
According to one security man, Jay Leno was there. Also, the taller of Penn and Teller.

Fan early entrance
It looked like anyone who came early was allowed in. In San Diego, only those declaring themselves “Fans” were let in early.

Texting
A guy next to me was doing that all night. Because I was floating on the ceiling, in no pain, it didn't bother me.

Set List: Los Angeles Nokia Theatre, April 10, 2009

First set: Dance Me to the End of Love / The Future / Ain’t No Cure for Love / Bird on a Wire / Everybody Knows / In My Secret Life / Who by Fire / Chelsea Hotel #2 / Waiting for the Miracle / Anthem

Second set: Tower of Song / Suzanne / The Gypsy’s Wife / The Partisan / Boogie Street / Hallelujah / I’m Your Man / Recitation w/N.L. (A Thousand Kisses Deep) / Take This Waltz

First encore: So Long, Marianne / First We Take Manhattan
Second encore: Famous Blue Raincoat / If It Be Your Will / Democracy
Third encore: That Don’t Make It Junk / Closing Time
Fourth encore: I Tried to Leave You / Whither Thou Goest

April 11 Set list thanks to Maarten Maasa

April 10 SOLD OUT - Poster thanks to Dr HGuy