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



-----------
Lyrics from the Official Old Ideas Leonard Cohen website

Leonard Cohen FRIENDS On The Go, Ghent To Brooklyn - Old Ideas World Tour 2012

January 20, 2013

Key Arena at Seatle Center Nov 9.12 (Facebook/Matthew Lamb)

"I want to express our gratitude to those, I don't want to call them fans, 

they are of a much deeper order than fans..."  

(Leonard Cohen, Las Vegas, Dec 10/10)

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

“He showed a gratitude that’s beyond belief at our attendance, 

thanking us, his “friends”, for the very warm reception”

"It is quite refreshing to see a living legend of the music world be appreciative of his fans, 

call them friends"

Slideshow Video - Dia

Over 200 photos of Leonard Cohen FRIENDS at meet-ups, out and about and in the audience enjoying thrilling concerts from Ghent to Brooklyn on the Old Ideas World Tour 2012.
 
Audio tracks are from my own videos:

(1)  JOAN OF ARC  - Debut on the World Tour (Portland Nov 11/12)
-and-
(2)  THERE AIN'T NO CURE FOR LOVE - First perfomance on the Old Ideas 2012 Tour (Seattle Nov 9/12)

THANK YOU to all the wonderful, generous and enthusiastic FRIENDS for sharing your photos.
Knowing many of the people in the shots made me feel like I was there myself. 

And thank you Tweeters for the great atmosphere shots.
I love audience shots. It gives me a heightened sense of the Leonard Cohen Community coming together to share a special concert experience, even for me from afar. 

Leonard Cohen FRIENDS - Ghent to Brooklyn 2012 - by Arlene Dick



-----------------------------------------------

• Re: The Seatle Key Arena official photo at the top -  If you look closely at the first row right, you may recognize a few familiar FRIENDS.
• The Dia also includes  a few audience shots by Joey Carenza, LC Tour Road manager and Leif Bodnarchuk, backline guitar tech.

"Somewhere among the hats...Leonard Cohen" Ottawa Concert Begins, Scotiabank Place Dec 7.12

December 7, 2012

"Somewhere among the hats... Leonard Cohen."

Trevor Battle

 

"Waiting for Leonard Cohen..its getting close to Closing Time"

 Tom Clark  CTV

"Nice surprise to see @CBCAdrianH introduce Leonard Cohen tonight! 
(well sort of see...)"

Kim Elliott

"2 min until Leonard Cohen takes the stage. So excited to see a CND icon!"

Kent Tubmna

"View from backstage at Leonard Cohen concert. 12 minutes before I am onstage"

Adrian Harewood, News Anchor at CBC News Ottawa 

"Just backstage here at the Leonard Cohen concert which I will be MCing starting in about 40 minutes. Scotiabank Place starting to fill up."

Adrian Harewood, News Anchor at CBC News Ottawa 

"3rd row seat to a Leonard Cohen performance - gonna be awesome. Way to many people with a 'Leonard Cohen' hat..."

Guy Podjarny 

--------------------------------

Photos from Twitter

Lift Off - Leonard Cohen Toronto Concert 2 at the Air Canada Centre Dec 5, 12

December 5, 2012

"Dance me to the end of love ... Leonard Cohen .. Aircanada center"

(Alessandro Cancian)

"Waiting for Leonard Cohen to take the stage, Oh My God"

(Danielle Joy) 

"Row 16 for Leonard Cohen"

(varoshifame)

Leonard Cohen - La Manic (Georges Dor cover) - Colisee Pepsi, Quebec City - 02-12-2012

December 5, 2012

Published on Dec 5, 2012 by Wirebirds (Henry Tengelsen)

Leonard Cohen performs La Manic for the second time ever at a concert, this time in Quebec City.

Background info: Leonard Cohen Performs Beloved French-Canadian Song "La Manic" by Georges Dor at Montreal Concert 2, Nov 29.12

Lift Off-Toronto Leonard Cohen Concert, Dec 4.12

December 4, 2012

Leonard cohen, 78, just ran on stage to begin show at ACC, 
dance me to the end of love 1st song 

(Jane Stevenson)

(Dara Skolnick, twitter)

Seeing Leonard Cohen!!! However, he is not on promptly at 8 as promised

He's our man! Leonard Cohen at the ACC

(marcyberg)

------------

Photos from twitter

"Awaiting Leonard Cohen" Toronto Concert Air Canada Centre Dec 4.12

December 4, 2012

CBC Radio 2 Tom Allen (l) will be 'welcoming' the audience' at Leonard Cohen concert - raise money for Daily Bread     
(Peter Akman CBC)

Waiting for Leonard Cohen
(Tony Chiapetta)

Everybody Knows - amazing night

(Jefferey Toole)

-------------------------
All photos from twitter

Leonard Cohen - La Manic (Georges Dor cover) - Centre Bell, Montreal - 29-11-2012 (World premiere)

December 4, 2012

Video by Wirebirds (Henry Tengelsen)

Published on Dec 4, 2012 by Wirebirds

For the first time ever Leonard Cohen sang "La Manic" at one of his concerts.
A translation of the lyrics into English can be found here:
http://lyricstranslate.com/en/la-manic-manic.html

Background info: Leonard Cohen Performs Beloved French-Canadian Song "La Manic" by Georges Dor at Montreal Concert 2, Nov 29.12

Lift Off - Leonard Cohen Quebec City Concert at Colisee Pepsi on December 2.12

December 2, 2012

 Léonard Cohen en pleine forme à Québec!  

Leonard Cohen in shape in Quebec!

David Belgue

 

 Ce soir, avec mon Papa! Spectacle de Leonard Cohen

Tonight with my Dad! Leonard Cohen show

Nowine Kate

En attente de Leonard Cohen 

Waiting for Leonard Cohen

Emilie Simard

Susan Campbell - host of the morning show on CBC Radio in Quebec City.

Sitting backstage with @susancbcquebec as she preps for her big stage debut! 

Opening up for Leonard Cohen

 Allison Van Rassel

-----------------------

Source of photos and captions - twitter

Translations - Google translate

First Time Leonard Cohen is Guitarless Singing "Darkness" - Montreal Concert 1, Nov 28.12

December 2, 2012

Montreal DARKNESS Nov 28,12 (screenshot)

When I watched the Montreal first concert video of DARKNESS (by leonardcohenvideo), I was astounded to see Leonard Cohen performing the song without his guitar.

I am so used to seeing him live in concerts and in videos playing his guitar. And I really enjoy watching him fingerpicking his way through the song.

I am very attached to this song because I had the good fortune to be at the historic concert in Nashville when he premiered Darkness three years ago on November 5, 2009.

It took place in a beautiful theatre with lots of Cohenites I met through the Leonard Cohen Forum and a first row seat -thanks to Jarkko Arjatsalo and the Forum pre-sale.

And I had the good fortune again to be at the third anniversary of the song premiere at the recent LA Nokia concert on Nov 5,12 (yes that concert).

(l) Darkness premiere, Nashville Nov 5, 2009                          (r) Darkness, Los Angeles Nov 5, 2012

Guitarless in Montreal

I thought LC looked awkward without his guitar which actually distracted me.

I kept wondering why did he abandon his guitar?

He didn't seem to have any choreography for presenting the song or to paraphrase from the Montreal Gazette review of the Nov 28 concert, he didn't use any of his three default moves...

From: Montreal Gazette review concert 1 by Bernard Perusse

Performing before 12,600 devoted fans at the Bell Centre Wednesday night, Montreal’s favourite son worked his three default moves – the crouch, the jaunty two-step and the full kneel in soulful supplication – with good-natured grace.

He did not acknowledge Mitch Watkins' exquisite brooding bluesy interpretations. He did not doff his hat.  He did not bow to him. 

Neil Larsen was also not recognized for his several brilliant solos.

Now that was very unusual for Leonard Cohen who graciously and respectfully recognizes solos many times during a concert.

Perhaps, this was a last minute decision?

Was this not rehearsed?

Or as a very good Cohenite friend suggested:...perhaps the notes for that particular song require him to move his thumb against the strings a certain way and it caused a blister.  Sometimes a banana is just a banana.

Whatever the reason, I missed watching LC fingerpicking his way through Darkness.

It will be interesting to see how DARKNESS is performed for the remainder of this leg of the Old Ideas World Tour and beyond.

Darkness -Montreal Nov 28 - by leonardcohenvideo



This is my last Darkness video live in concert.
Darkness - Bromfield (Denver) Nov 3 - by Arlene Dick




--------------------

LA Nokia concert (Nov 5,12) report  on the Leonard Cohen Forum
Nashville (Nov 5,12) premiere report here

Leonard Cohen - La Manic (reprise/cover Georges Dor) Montreal Nov 29.12

November 30, 2012

Published on Nov 30, 2012 by caro8680

Leonard Cohen - La Manic (reprise/cover Georges Dor)
Live in Montreal - Bell Center - Nov 29, 2012

Background info: Leonard Cohen Performs Beloved French-Canadian Song "La Manic" by Georges Dor at Montreal Concert 2, Nov 29.12

Leonard Cohen chante La Manic (Montréal) 29 novembre 2012

November 29, 2012

Published on Nov 29, 2012 by MrYvesma

Au Centre Bell de Montréal - le jeudi 20 novembre 2012, Leonard Cohen a fait plaisir au publique québécois en lui offrant une chanson du folklore québécois; La Manic de Georges Dor.

Background info: Leonard Cohen Performs Beloved French-Canadian Song "La Manic" by Georges Dor at Montreal Concert 2, Nov 29.12

Leonard Cohen Performs Beloved French-Canadian Song "La Manic" by Georges Dor at Montreal Concert 2, Nov 29.12

November 29, 2012

Tonight at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Leonard Cohen delighted the home crowd at his second concert with a cover of Georges Dor's La Manic, a beloved French-Canadian song.

I observed LC rehearsing this song with the band when Leslie Wener and I were at the Austin second concert soundcheck. I didn't recognize it at the time, but guessed he was readying it for Montreal and Quebec City.  My first reaction, wow, he's already memorized at least 50 songs for this tour and now he's memorized a very long song with French lyrics.  And he sang it with such ease at the soundcheck.  He certainly looked like he was enjoying every take "from the top".

Georges Dor (March 10, 1931 - July 24, 2001) (born Georges-Henri Dore) was a Québécois author, composer, playwright, singer, poet, translator, and theatrical producer and director.

Born in Drummondville, Dor undertook a career in radio as a disk jockey and news director. He worked for Radio-Canada, the national Canadian broadcaster, where he became a director for the Evening News. He wrote poems for many years, but in 1964 he was encouraged by friends to compete in an amateur singing competition. He began singing professionally in early 1965, and released his first album in 1966. One of the songs from this album, his composition "La Manic", whose lyrics were a love letter written by a construction worker on the Manicouagan power project, became the most successful record ever by a Quebec chansonnier.

He continued to perform as a singer until 1972, and to record until 1978. After that he worked mainly in the theatre and in television, producing and writing plays and téléromans. He also wrote two novels and published several collections of poetry, among other artistic and critical accomplishments

La Manic	The Manic (Lyrics translate)
Si tu savais comme on s'ennuie à la Manic	If only you knew how long the time is at Manic
Tu m'écrirais bien plus souvent à la Manicouagan	You'd write way more often, to the Manicouagan
Parfois je pense à toi si fort	Sometimes I think so hard about you
Je récrée ton âme et ton corps	That I recreate your soul and your body
Je te regarde et m'émerveille	I look at you and I am filled with wonder
Je me prolonge en toi	I throw myself into you
Comme le fleuve dans la mer	Just like the river into the sea
Et la fleur dans l'abeille	And the flower into the bee
Que deviennent quand j'suis pas là mon bel amour	My beautiful lover, what do your silken forehead
Ton front doux comme fine soie et tes yeux de velours	And your velvet eyes become, when I am not there
Te tournes-tu vers la côte nord	Do you turn towards the Côte-Nord
Pour voir un peu pour voir encore	To see a little, to see some more
Ma main qui te fait signe d'attendre	My hand signalling you to wait
Soir et matin je tends les bras	At twilight and at dawn, I reach out
Je te rejoins où que tu sois	I meet you wherever you may be
Et je te garde	And I keep you
Dis-moi c'qui s'passe à Trois-Rivières et à Québec	Tell me what's going on in Trois-Rivières and in Quebec City
Là où la vie a tant à faire et tout c'qu'on fait avec	Where there's so much to do, and eveything we do with it
Dis-moi c'qui s'passe à Montréal	Tell me what's going on in Montreal
Dans les rues sales et transversales	In the dirty side streets
Où tu es toujours la plus belle	Where you're always the more beautiful
Car la laideur ne t'atteint pas	Because ugliness can't get to you
Toi que j'aimerai jusqu'au trépas	You, who I'll love until I pass away
Mon éternelle	My eternal
Nous autres on fait les fanfarons à coeur de jour	We boast around all day long
Mais on est tous de bons larrons cloués à leurs amours	But we're all good guys faithful to their loves
Y'en a qui jouent de la guitare	Some play guitar
D'autres qui jouent d'l'accordéon	Others play accordion
Pour passer l'temps quand y'est trop long	To pass time, when the time is long
Mais moi je joue de mes amours	But me, I play of my love
Et je danse en disant ton nom	And I dance, saying your name
Tellement je t'aime	Because I love you so much
Si tu savais comme on s'ennuie à la Manic	If only you knew how long the time is at Manic
Tu m'écrirais bien plus souvent à la Manicouagan	You'd write way more often, to the Manicouagan
Si t'as pas grand chose à me dire	If you don't have much to tell me
Écris cent fois les mots «Je t'aime»	Write the words 'I love you' a hundred times
Ça fera le plus beau des poèmes	It will be the most beautiful of poems
Je le lirai cent fois	I'll read it a hundred times
Cent fois cent fois c'est pas beaucoup	A hundred times, a hundred times are not a lot
Pour ceux qui s'aiment	For those who are in love
Si tu savais comme on s'ennuie	If only you knew how long the time is
À la Manic	At Manic
Tu m'écrirais bien plus souvent	You'd write way more often
À la Manicouagan	To the Manicouagan

LC quoted from this song in his moving acceptance speech at the 2006 Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. The video clip is cued to start at that point. Be sure to watch his whole acceptance speech and have your tissues ready, especially when LC wipes away his own tears.




Here is a video of Georges Dor performing "La Manic"



Christine Long of CTV leaked the Montreal Nov 28 setlist prior to the concert with a spoiler alert, for shame.

"La Manic" was included in small letters towards the end of the concert. but was not performed at the first concert.

-----------------

• Georges Dor bio from Youtube description here
• La Manic lyrics from LyricsMania here
• Thanks go to Joe Way for remembering LC's acceptance speech at the CSHF
• CSHF video uploaded by ljw2919
• Georges Dor video uploaded by JackRetro

Update: Nov 29,12 Concert video: Leonard Cohen chante La Manic (Montréal) 29 novembre 2012 
Update 2: Concert video Leonard Cohen - La Manic (reprise/cover Georges Dor) Montreal Nov 29.12
Update 3: Concert video Leonard Cohen - La Manic (Georges Dor cover) - Centre Bell, Montreal - 29-11-2012 (World premiere)
Update 4:  Quebec City concert video Leonard Cohen - La Manic (Georges Dor cover) - Colisèe Pepsi, Quebec City - 02-12-2012
Update 5: Ottawa Concert video Leonard Cohen - Ottawa Dec 7, 2012 - La Manic

Casterbridge Cohen, "Gamblin' Man," Leonard Cohen FRIEND, Michael Bromfield Photos from Montreal Concert, Nov 28.12

November 29, 2012

notesfromanomad Michael Bromfield 

The Master at work-Leonard Cohen, Sharon Robinson and the Webb Sisters Montreal Nov 28 2012

No matter which name he is known by, and he has a few, Michael Bromfield has the expertise and midas touch for everything he does - travel business, trekking in exotic places, gambling successfully in Las Vegas and photography. 

Arlene & Michael 2010 Caesars Palace

I first met Michael at a 2009 Leonard Cohen concert meet-up in Las Vegas and there again in 2010 . He is quite a raconteur and I always enjoy his stories. He has shared his many outstanding photographs from a number of Leonard Cohen concerts. Exquiste collection.

As a matter of fact, he opened his own photgraphy gallery displaying his works from many adventures Global Images Gallery.

He donates 10% of sales to charities

From a recent article in a Dorset, UK publication:

He has now opened the Global Images Gallery in the former Booklore building, on Hound Street, to feature his own photographs taken during his travels around the world.

The gallery is free to enter and 10 per cent of all sales will be donated to a dedicated cause.

Mr Bromfield said: "I wanted to turn my focus to my ambitions, which are writing and photography, and buy my own gallery.

"I saw the property up for sale and thought it was the perfect choice.

"My close friend, a photographer, thought I was mad, as it is not something you go into to make a profit.

"But this was more about devoting time to something I was passionate about.

"When I returned from travelling I always used to invite friends round to see the photos. I would give a short talk about the places we visited and ask them to donate a little money for charity too, which is what I'm doing here."

Mr Bromfield's first three exhibitions include pictures of Katmandu and Lhasa, Antarctica and, his particular passion, iconic mountains.

He has chosen to first donate to Community Action Nepal, a mountaineers' charity founded by Doug Scott.

Mr Bromfield said: "The Nepalese Sherpas live in the mountain regions in extremely poor communities.

"They help you to climb the mountains and I realised donating to this charity would be a way that I could help them."

A keen writer, he has previously had a book serialised by the Western Gazette about Yeovil Town Football club, and is now working on a guide to becoming an entrepreneur and another based on articles about his trips around the world.

He now divides his time between his house in Stowell, a home in Canada where his wife originally comes from, and an apartment in Switzerland.

Mr Bromfield is already planning forthcoming exhibitions much closer to home to include coverage of next year's Glastonbury Festival.

For the full aricle, click here

notesfromanomad Michael Bromfield

Leonard Cohen and an admiring Sharon Robinson Nov 28 2012

------------------------------------

• On Twitter, Michael Bromfield is known as "notesfromanomad"
• "Casterbridge Cohen" - on the Leonard Cohen Forum
• "Ganblin' Man" - my name for him after hearing about his successful run in Las Vegas

Lift Off - Leonard Cohen Concert at Bell Centre, Montreal 11.28.12

November 28, 2012

Posted by Webpresse.ca on twitter

Montreal Audience Waits Excitedly For Hometown Favourite Leonard Cohen at Bell Centre Nov 28,12

November 28, 2012

Laura Tudoroiu (twitter)

Yolande Villemare (twitter)

flaviefreedom (twitter)

 --------------
Timeline: approx 20 minutes to show time

JOAN OF ARC Tour Debut in Leonard Cohen Portland Concert on Nov 11 With Band Wearing Poppies on Solemn Date

November 28, 2012

Portland Nov 11 screen shots from my videos

As soon as I was back in my Portland hotel room after the November 11 concert., my first brief post on the Leonard cohen forum summed up my excitement, my emotions in two short sentences.

CONCERT REPORT: Portland, OR - November 11, 2012

by bridger15 » Mon Nov 12, 2012 12:32 am

DEBUT: JOAN OF ARC

LC and the band wore Poppies to commemorate Remembrance Day/Armistice Day

When the band came on stage for the first time followed shortly by LC all wearing poppies to commemorate Remembrance Day/Armistice Day, this ex-pat Canadian got very teary eyed.
(I made an earlier post about the sgnificance of the poppy Leonard Cohen Commemorates November 11th Wearing The Emblematic Poppy)

Later in the concert, I started to tear up again when Leonard Cohen began to strum the opening bars to JOAN OF ARC, a tour debut. I have been wanting to hear this live for a very long time.

The Leonard Cohen and Hattie Webb duets were incredible.  The backing singers and band ensemble effect was gripping. It all came together. "They nailed it."

Luckily, I had my camera ready, put a check on my tears and captured it.

Thank you Leonard Cohen and ensemble for an unforgettable memory on my sixth and final concert of this leg.

Video by Arlene Dick

Joan Of Arc
Now the flames they followed joan of arc
As she came riding through the dark;
No moon to keep her armour bright,
No man to get her through this very smoky night.
She said, "i'm tired of the war,
I want the kind of work I had before,
A wedding dress or something white
To wear upon my swollen appetite.

Well, I'm glad to hear you talk this way,
You know I've watched you riding every day
And something in me yearns to win
Such a cold and lonesome heroine.
"and who are you? " she sternly spoke
To the one beneath the smoke.
"why, I'm fire," he replied,
"and I love your solitude, I love your pride."

"then fire, make your body cold,
I'm going to give you mine to hold,"
Saying this she climbed inside
To be his one, to be his only bride.
And deep into his fiery heart
He took the dust of joan of arc,
And high above the wedding guests
He hung the ashes of her wedding dress.

It was deep into his fiery heart
He took the dust of joan of arc,
And then she clearly understood
If he was fire, oh then she must be wood.
I saw her wince, I saw her cry,
I saw the glory in her eye.
Myself I long for love and light,
But must it come so cruel, and oh so bright?

Leonard Cohen 2012 Tour Debut "Ain't No Cure For Love" Seattle Nov 9 & Portland Nov 11.12

November 25, 2012

"Aint't No Cure For Love" Seattle Nov 9 (screenshot from my video)

Performed for the first time on the Old Ideas World Tour 2012
Ain't No Cure for Love (with intro) 
Leonard Cohen on Nov 9.12 at Key Arena, Seattle, WA.

This was concert five of my six concerts in a row adventure starting in Austin on Oct 31 and I just never expected it.  

Ah, he's keepin' his concerts fresh.  What a wonderful surpise.

I suppose, I should have expected something new.  Leonard Cohen concerts are dynamic, in more ways than one.

INTRO: "My songs are kind of bleak, but underlying the whole dismal affair is actually a tiny thread of light. I studied religious values. I actually bound myself to the mast of non-attachment, but the storms of desire snapped my bounds like a spoon through noodles."

Video by Arlene Dick

 

Thanks to Rachel/Holydove for the intro transciption.

 

 *  *  *

 

Portland, OR - November 11, 2012

 

Audio of intro to Ain't No Cure for Love.

This is yet another Leonard Cohen gem.

He had just finished singing DARKNESS and started off with:

Jesus Christ, you have to lighten up you know, I mean

Is it, is it really that bad? I don't think so.

But, I did. I plunged into religious practice and I bound myself to the mask of, the mast of non-attachment,

but the uh, the teeth of the storm just cut me loose.

And I, I practiced uh, I practiced uh, I practiced indifference.

Yes, I put on the blinders of indifference, but the, the light of beauty kept leaking through.

After a while I learned that uh, I learned that even what our Savior knew as he was pinned up on the cross.

I learned that uh, there ain't no cure for love

Leonard Cohen Audio, INTRO: "Ain't No Cure For Love" Portland, Nov 11.12 
Audio clip by Arlene Dick

Thanks to Inna & Kelsey (KaimiK) for the intro transcription.

*   *   *

I was very lucky to be at both the Seattle and Portland concerts.

Very lucky, indeed.

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

-------------------------------

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

Small Insert Of Leonard Cohen Coming to Toulon Stands Out On Very Busy Magazine Cover

October 26, 2012

"Tourism Summer 2012 Was A Good Year "

(google translation)

When surfing the internet for reports about the Sept 26 Toulon concert at the Zenith Omega, I found a tweet with a link to the Sept 3rd issue of  TELEX (Var).  The image packed cover of  this regional events magazine contained a very small photo of Leonard Cohen with page number to a pre-concert article. There has been very little reported about the Toulon concert, so I was delighted to see LC's photo there.

The Var is a region in southeast France. Toulon is the largest city, whose harbour is the main port of the French Navy, and is administrative capital of the Var.

Detail indicating page 13

(p. 13 Bing Translation)

LEONARD COHEN

ALLELUJAH...

COHEN IS THE

We announced before

the summer... but the event is enough-.

exceptional enough to not

to deprive of a little reminder! As much

the famous Môssieur Cohen

Leonard of his first name, honour of

the town of Toulon, unique presence

concert in the province of the four

only dates in France.

Should we speak of resurrection... of apogee...of immortality? Talk about this poet-singerCanadian at any rate deserves a book to him alone, and also plenty of initiatives have  No about it. We will however remain in the sobriety of a simple announcement, the name is enough in itself to attract crowds of its true for the first hour and admirers... Because obviously, if one like Cohen, it is for the life! Of our lives, soon octogenarian artist (78 years) lived in, because, before singer-musician, Leonard is primarily a poet, his first collection of poems was published in Montreal in 1956, and his first novel in 1963.

HAPPINESS AND SUFFERING

By putting its texts in the service of its influences folk-pop-rock, Leonard Cohen has mostly anchored the musical world of her voice hoarse, serious, with this outretombe something that you fact the flesh of chicken and you pulled your modest tears... No doubt as the tortured character plays for many in the emotion felt the themes redundant that punctuate the work of Cohen: religion, but especially the solitude, the inner suffering, depression... A State chronic depressive it will even up to discuss openly with journalists then of the press conference for the release of her "Old Ideas" album (released in January) (2012) Is in any case said album that we offer the privilege to host the legend alive and well in our French Lair of the Zenith. Leonard Cohen will pay an international tour certainly, but does stop in France as for four concerts including three in Paris! That is to say if the event will make date to Toulon, this Wednesday, September 26. True to his reputation, It will however pay the high price, between 62 and €128! There are still places available then it's time to succumb to the old adage: when you love it does not count!

Christine Manganaro

IINFORMATION

When? Wednesday, September 26, 2012-20  h

Where? Zenith Omega - Toulon

How many? 62 to 128 €

Info and booking: usual sales Points

www.Zenith-Omega-Toulon.com

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Thanks go to Marie Michele for help with extracting the French copy from the magazine's pdf file.