COHEN CALLED: Leonard Cohen Tuesday May 5, 2009 at the Chicago Theatre
review by Alex Zander
“I said to Hank Williams: how lonely does it get?
Hank Williams hasn’t answered yet” - Tower of Song
This morning I read the Chicago Tribunes review of last nights Leonard Cohen performance at the beautiful Chicago Theatre. It was a good review and standard as far as critics reviews are concerned. The writer was quick to point out that “At age 74, the Canadian-born poet, novelist and songwriter supreme has never been more popular; when last he played Chicago, nearly 16 years ago, he was headlining a venue one-quarter of the size. Absence, it appears, has its benefits.”
And that’s why I’ve always been leery of writing reviews of music or concerts when it’s a performer that is very close to me in some way. Not that the poet Cohen is a close personal friend of mine on any level, but he did refer to his adoring audience as friends between nearly each number, so in many ways, I can honestly say Cohen called.
“Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic ’til I’m gathered safely in
Lift me like an olive branch and be my homeward dove
Dance me to the end of love” - Dance Me To The End of Love
Leonard Cohen’s, lyrics and vocals and the music that surrounds it is close to me and has been for just shy of 20 years. (well documented in today’s posting of my “Diary of a Damned Man” blog) With that being stated, I’d like to go onto to say his message is more touching, to me, than any other artist of my life. And that made last nights sold out 3 hour long, 26 song concert all that more intimate to yours truly. Thus whether it not it was a stellar and spiritual display would not matter much as my opinion on the subject is biased. It would have to had been down right lousy for me to admit otherwise.
Case in point.
The nine piece band came onstage to a standing ovation and our hero skipped out onto stage and took his microphone in one hand and tipped his hat with the other bowing to his loyal legion of fanatics as the band launched into “Dance Me to the End of Love”, and within about 15 seconds I began to feel my eyes swell up and nearly choked on the Jolly Rancher nearing that point of no return in my throat. It was followed immediately by the title track to his 1992 release “The Future” which was also featured at the end of the Oliver Stone film “Natural Born Killers”. It was by this moment that the capacity crowd was swept up in a tidal wave of emotion and remained completely silent out of respect during each song, with the occasion exception of when Mr. Cohen injected a humorous lyric to represent something more relevant to the current state of the climate to which the audience would erupt in synchronized laughter.
“I’m aching for you baby, I can’t pretend I’m not
I need to see you naked in your body and your thought” - There Ain’t No Cure For Love
An impossible task would be for me to attempt to dissect each and every number but I shall say that the band were one of the, if not thee most talented concoction of players I’ve ever seen gathered on one stage. And their leader the reluctant showman practically begged in his delivery to stress the raw passion and desire and yes at times desperation in his poetry. Cohen continued to thank the crowd between numbers expressing his gratitude and as I mentioned previously referred to everyone as friends. Twice he cited each band member individually introducing them to the audience and indeed was very humble in not taking the spotlight away from them.
I feel it is my duty to point out two of the band parts that impressed me the most, and that’s really saying something as the whole band were collectively impressive. The Webb Sisters (www.thewebbsisters.com) who were 2 parts of the trio of back-up vocalists rounded out by Sharon Robinson are simply breathtaking performers. Not only in their musicianship, vocal abilities and beauty, but in gymnastics. Yes, I said, gymnastics. In the opening number they removed their jackets in unison, placed them on the mic stands and did a backwards cartwheel, and returned to their respected spots with style and grace, and in synch, put their jackets on together. And then there is the unmistakable Javier Mas (www.myspace.com/maodeoro) on Bandurria, laud, archilaud and 12 string guitar. He is simply amazing to me on as I am ridiculously passionate as a fan of the Spanish guitar style.
“If you want a boxer
I will step into the ring for you
And if you want a doctor
Ill examine every inch of you” - I’m Your Man
In all it was a wonderful 3 hours with 2 sets and 3 encores, brilliant musicianship and a man that put it together who remains not to proud to allow someone else to sing his lyrics as the Webb sisters proved on “If It Be Your Will”.
The show was a rollercoaster ride of emotions, frolicking across a landscape of religion, isolation, sexuality and complex interpersonal relationships. Tears were shed, hearts were bleeding and souls were crying out along with the maestro our dear Leonard Cohen the high priest of prose. He made us laugh, he made us cry and he made all of us extremely happy in the darkest hours of the last century. And if anything for 3 beautiful hours he managed to bring a very diverse collection of people together as one.
Squeaky seats and all.
* Do I really need to sum it up and state that after the thousands of concerts I’ve seen in my career that this was the finest moment ever.
If you are in a demographic or for any reason unable to see the tours, I highly suggest picking up the “Live In London” DVD which does the performance justice. There were songs performed in Chicago not on the London DVD and vice versa, and the DVD is a nice compliment to the actual in person experience as well.
“Goodnight, my darling, I hope you’re satisfied,
the bed is kind of narrow, but my arms are open wide.
And here’s a man still working for your smile.” - I Tried To Leave You
Special thanks to Arbell Camron at Sony for the tickets and to HEr for sitting with me one last time. (It was pointless to even consider a substitute)
Leonard Cohen’s set list Tuesday May 5, 2009
at the Chicago Theatre
First set:
1. Dance Me to the End of Love
2. The Future
3. Ain’t No Cure for Love
4. Bird on the Wire
5. Everybody Knows
6. In My Secret Life
7. Who by Fire
8. Chelsea Hotel #2
9. Waiting for the Miracle
10. Anthem
Second set:
11. Tower of Song
12. Suzanne
13. The Gypsy’s Wife
14. The Partisan
15. Boogie Street
16. Hallelujah
17. I’m Your Man
18. A Thousand Kisses Deep
19. Take This Waltz
First encore:
20. So Long, Marianne
21. First We Take Manhattan
Second encore:
22. Famous Blue Raincoat
23. If It Be Your Will vox by The Webb Sisters
24. Democracy
Third encore:
25. I Tried to Leave You
26. Whither Thou Goest
Roscoe Beck
Musical Director, Bass, background Vocals
Neil Larsen
Keyboard, accordion, brass instruments
Bob Metzger
Guitar, steel guitar & vocal
Javier Mas
Bandurria, laud, archilaud and 12 string guitar
Dino Soldo
Keyboard, saxophone, wind instruments & vocal
Sharon Robinson
Vocals
Charley and Hattie Webb The Webb Sisters
Vocals, harp and guitar