Leonard & Anjani Tonight at the Richard Goodall Gallery

[lizzytysh]

Thank you to everyone for all these incredible and touching reports. You can't attend enough of this kind of organized privilege combining beautiful art and peaceful, beautiful people. I wish I could have been there.


~ Lizzy

[Red Poppy]

Thoroughly enjoyed the evening - nothing I can add to the comments above.
One small thing - I'm not sure of the name of the guy who introduced Leonard (I think he's a journalist?). I had one small crib with his words - I felt his quoting (yet again, as if there are no other lines in the song) of the "giving me head on an unmade bed" from Chelsea Hotel was slightly naff, given that Anjani was in the room.
Hey I must be getting old(er) or just reverting to that grumpy stage. I just found the quoting of the line predictable and the day before yesterday's news!
But great to see the turnout.
And Damellon got her (picture of the) man!!!!!!

[simonmoorehead]

the guy introducing leonard was anthony wilson of happy mondays and joy division / 24 hour party people / hacienda fame. Yes he was uncouth fortunately went over my son's head (11), but that is what he is like. He's very ill with liver cancer I think. introduced me to Magazine (Shot by both Sides) when I was 16!
Can't tell these Utd players apart! And I was press ganged to leave at 5.50 when Richard told me Leonard had left, so I was surprised he came back in. I've invested in 4 so far but I'm tempted they are magnificent framed.
Blue Guitar / The Chair is actually called "the end of the day" but was originally called Caroles Chair .
I wish I'd stayed on now and met the other guys off the site!
I'll post some pics when they are downloaded from my camera.
What did Leonard do after I assumed he went off with Richard and Tony W?
I'll be popping back to look around the exhibition again, too much to take in all at once.
Is Julie Felix a friend of Leonards, I know he appeared on her show in the 60s?
Has the evening news done another piece? Any more in the nationals?
Who's going to the Anjani gig?
Si

[Red Poppy]

Thanks for that Simon!
I remember both Joy Division and Happy Mondays well.
It was simply the context that made me feel it was the wrong place/wrong time but sorry to hear of his ill-health.

[Diane]

What a marvellous, marvellous day it was. Fantastic to spend time with old friends and new, as always. You lot are just great. Simon and Born With I missed you - didn't even realise you were there. Next time.

Thanks so much for the event, Richard Goodall Gallery. Leonard's pictures were beautifully displayed. Thanks again Damellon for getting me in. Thank you Anjani, Thank You Leonard, thank you God. I can die happy now.

[Davido]

This is my 3rd attempt at posting in this thread,but i've been logged out automatically each time and lost the message!I'll master this new software eventually!
A lot of this has now been said already,but nevermind.
We spent the full 2 hours at Richard Goodall Gallery preview on Sunday and it truly was a memorable evening.
The persistence and hard work of Richard and his family came to fruition in a fabulous event.
I fulfilled a 40year ambition of actually meeting & speaking with Leonard,which would have been enough in itself- but to meet and speak with Anjani as well was an unexpected bonus.Anjani was delightful. The quietly charismatic Leonard, of course, was patient, humble, humorous, and very appreciative of everyone's attention.Looking a little frail and slightly overwhelmed,he and Anjani left but returned later.He said he had spent some time talking with Julie Felix.The 'strict' rules laid down by the gallery of 'no signings' and 'no cameras' were happily ignored;Leonard and Anjani accommodated all requests for photos and obliged with some signings at the end of the evening.
The introductory speech was made by Anthony H Wilson,who is well known to be a great admirer of Leonard's work.Although clearly not in good health,he made the introduction with a humorous anecdote of his meetings with Leonard in the 70s.He is something of a legend in Manchester: journalist,TV presenter and owner of the famous Hacienda club and innovatory Factory Records.
As I have never previously met any other forum members, I looked through the 'Beautiful Losers photo gallery' prior to the exhibition and took the opportunity to accost people there whom I thought I recognised!Fortunately,I was accurate most times and avoided being ejected for harassment.I was very pleased to have met so many forum members:(please forgive any omissions and memory lapses) - Simon,Margaret,Dianne,Nelson & friend from London,David Everatt,Jim Devlin,John Etherington(who introduced us to Julie Felix),Barry & partner, Eric & friends from Ireland...(thanks Eric and David for kindly taking photos,I will be in touch).
I am just sorry that I didn't recognise others.
There was a real buzz in the atmosphere throughout, and we were touched by the genuine friendliness,warmth and generosity of spirit.

[Paula]

I missed speaking to a lot of the forum members because I was too busy stalking the man and at the end of the evening I missed going off with everyone for a natter.

Damellon thanks so much for getting me in I am indebted to you, Red Poppy lovely to meet you, Birdonawire nice to meet you and your brothers, John cheers for taking a picture for me. Secretchord lovely to meet you too. I already knew some of the others but I missed a lot, didn't notice any footballers or anything else other than the man and his paintings, I contracted tunnel vision.

[lizzytysh]

. . . didn't notice any footballers or anything else other than the man and his paintings, I contracted tunnel vision.

Not at all a bad eye disorder to contract under the circumstances... and so much can be learned about Leonard through observation.


~ Lizzie

[John Etherington]

Hi Davido, Paula, and everyone else I met at The Richard Goodall Gallery... I was good meeting you (and no doubt we'll meet again).

Simon - re your question about Julie Felix...she first met Leonard on Hydra, where they became friends in the early sixties. Until Sunday, they had not met for at least thirty years. I have known Julie for about twenty years (we first met at some classes that we were attending in the late 1980s). I felt honoured to be able to invite her as my guest, so that she could meet Leonard & Anjani.

Love to all, John E

[lizzytysh]

What a great meeting that had to be for Julie, as well as for Leonard. Thanks for sharing that, John. I'm glad that you also were able to attend and be with everyone .

I hope nothing interferes with your attendance next time, Derek.


~ Lizzy

[Paula]

I found this clip on you tube. Leonard and Julie sing "Hey thats no way to say goodbye"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KpAur9XDgM

Well worth watching

[zenlove]

What a great meeting that had to be for Julie, as well as for Leonard. Thanks for sharing that, John. I'm glad that you also were able to attend and be with everyone .

I hope nothing interferes with your attendance next time, Derek.


~ Lizzy

Hi Lizzytysh,

My wife has left me with the Children and a long hard battle now!

That's the reason I did and could not go ,my life in crisis!!!

I wont bore you all with anymore but I am very upset at this time

I really wish I could have been there,I was all ready to go on Friday and then.......


John E. told me he had a the most wonderful time meeting Leonard and Anjani!




Thanks.


Peace and Loving Kindness


Derek

[nelsonioni]

Hallo - well I've not posted here before, but I met several of you in Manchester on Sunday, so I thought I'd just say hi. It's been interesting to read the other comments.

It was clearly a pretty emotive day for most people, but I didn't get much of a sense that LC himself was very much fazed by it. He seemed a pretty beatific beatnik and his easy facility with people - and his innate kindness - was extraordinarily moving to witness [and experience]. I managed to stammer something about being a fan "since I was cognizant" [whatever I might mean by that] and was greeted to a warm grin and his thanks [yeah, now I think of it, he really should thank me more often...]. LC seemed more than happy to have his photograph taken and came out into the gallery three times over the two hours to chat generously with people who'd possibly waited forty years for the opportunity. Right at the end, I managed to get a picture taken with the lovely Anjani, Leonard and my mate Matt. Even when the first picture came out blurry they were happy to have another attempt [LC: "Let's go again, Man!"]

As we left, Leonard Cohen called me "Friend" and warmly personalised a poster for me. So I guess it wasn't really a regular Sunday.......

Finally, I have managed to upload some pictures for those of you who are interested. Apologies if a few are dark/blurry.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9979831@N0 ... 748196295/

All the best, Nelson

[gingermop]

John E asked me to post the following. It's him with a couple of people you might just recognise:

[Paula]

Nelson how do I copy your link to send to someone. My daughter is on the David Gray site and a lot of the members on that forum would like to see the pictures so I thought it would be nice to post the link on the David Gray site if that is OK with you but I can't copy the link.