Why is Africa always ignored?

[philter]

I find it so irritating that many fans on this forum are forever complaining about the lack of concerts in certain European countries, while it is just a hop, skip and flight or train away for them. On top of that, you are earning money in first-world currencies, which even makes it affordable for you.

There are thousands of fans in South Africa and other African countries that will never see Leonard Cohen live, because only the very rich can afford it. Our currency is over R11 to the Euro and more than R20 to the Pound.

Count your blessings.

[philter]

From: Arjatsalo J (1999) Our Man On-line, Essays on Canadian Writing, Number 69, Winter 1999 (Revised July 2001). Available online at http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/ja-essay.html

"The geographical distribution of visitors to my site is almost identical to the availability of Internet services. Most hits come from the United States, Canada, and the central and northern European countries. Lately, more and more fans from Latin America and Asia have visited the site. Interestingly, a notable number of Cohen fans from South Africa also visit it, but the rest of Africa has not been represented. ...

However, numerous contributors have sent data and records to me, and they show that more than a dozen tribute albums (containing only Cohen songs) have been released in addition to those mentioned above. Tribute albums have been made in USA, Canada, Iceland, Poland, France, Italy, Sweden, Germany, South Africa, the Czech Republic, Croatia, and Hungary. ...

Nobody, including Cohen and his business staff, realized that so many cover versions had been recorded in so many countries. As of July 2001, we found and posted 660 cover songs. About one hundred of them we found as a result of a contest organized by The Leonard Cohen Files and Cohen’s Stranger Management staff in 1998. Artists in North America and almost every country in Europe, as well as Brazil, Israel, Iran, Korea, Taiwan, South Africa, and other countries, have recorded Cohen songs.

[UrPal]

I sympathise with your cause, philter.

I came across a South African version of Cohen's Democracy posted on line a while back, and it reminded me of the fact that his fanbase extends beyond the "first world" concentrates.

It would be good to hear of a modern day "rumble in the jungle" - or, in Leonard Cohen's case, a low murmur

[lizzytysh]

I'm just reading this for the first time... [not because I'm stalking UrPal ]... but rather am waiting for a wrecker to arrive to tow my car, so I can get my flat tire fixed. With time to spare, I thought I'd check what's happening regarding the Summer/Europe tour... and how could anyone not click on this Subject's question. You're so right, philter, and how disadvantaged those economies leave people who would love to see Leonard perform Live. I don't know what happened with the original plans or 'plans' for them to perform in South Africa [presumably Johannesburg?], but I only know that they're not. Some of us know a woman by the name of Jo, who lives there, and I would have loved for her to be able to see Leonard. I wish, too, that you could... I'm so sorry that it really, truly, is so unaffordable. It's difficult for me to manage to see him, and our economies are nowhere near similar.


~ Lizzy

[tomsakic]

I think that ideas about the shows in Korea, Japan and South African Republic were abandoned because of the current economic situation. It was to happen as the part of the Pacific tour earlier this year.

[lizzytysh]

There you go. It's the economy, again. It's impacting so many things worldwide . Thanks, Tom.


~ Lizzy

[philter]

Thank you all for your comments. It has been an almost lifelong dream to see Leonard Cohen perform. I have been a fan since I was 15. I am 35 now! He carried me through my stormy teenage years, my twenties, and now my thirties. I wish he could have some idea of how many fans he has in South Africa. I don't have a single friend who does not own at least one of his albums (and I did not befriend them because they are fans, mostly because of other reasons, and then the delight to discover the vested interest!). I also have some friends who are singers/songwriters themselves, and they often, at the end of a show, cover one or two of his songs. Anyway, one can only dream. Maybe, just maybe I will be able to scrape the money together. I am thinking of all kinds of schemes. Unfortunately I am a mother now, so selling favours has become a less favourable option.

For those of you who have tickets to shows, enjoy it with absolute abandon!