leonardcohenforum.com

I also put this bit about the tees in the Manchester concert notice I posted but it can go here as well or instead.

Hello everyone

Just got back from Manchester. Amazing show.

Just one drawback really - the merchandise. The only clothing available was tee shirts, three types: red and yellow with the cover of New Skin for the Old Ceremony picture, some plain ones of Leonard as he looks on tour now, ie "mature" and wearing a trilby (mostly only dark grey ones left) and some dark brown (I think) ones with a red logo on the front and the tour date on the back.

There was other merchandise like books and the tour design poster but no sleeveless hoodies (as were mentioned here) and certainly no tees with the tour picture on. I thought it was all a bit disappointing, And the tees were £20 each which I think is a rip-off.

My sister, who could not attend, had asked me to buy her a tee, but not spend more than £15. So they were too dear for me, even if I could have got to the front of the merchandise queue which I could not. I arrived with little time to spare and the queue was still right across the foyer and I had to leave promptly at the end so I didn't stand a chance really.

Still I did not go home disappointed - I have a confession to make here, when I came out of the theatre, there were several young men flogging "independent" 2008 tour tee shirts. They had printed a younger Leonard face and 2008 Tour on the front, and another even younger Leonard face with a complete set of the 2008 European tour dates on the back. They were black with blue and white lettering and very good value (nice thick tees, not thin cheap ones). Cost £5......So I bought one.I took a photo of it and will post later for you to see. I expect they will be there again Wednesday Thursday and Friday after the show. I know we should support the artist, but after all we did attend the concert which was not cheap.

The other thing is - does anyone remember when you used to get programmes at rock concerts? I do and have several in my collection. Few shows have them nowadays but there was a Police fan in our hotel lift this morning (the Police were also on in Manchester last night) and he was reading a Police show programme. As Leonard has had such a long and illustrious career it seems a shame he did not have a programme. I have some professional dtp skills and editing expertise. Would anyone be interested in a souvenir booklet of the 2008 Tour with a retrospective view over highlights of Leonard's career if I compiled one. If you can send me pictures from the tour (like James T's) I could put something together as a tribute to Leonard and get it priced (I have some printing contacts) - I do not want to make a profit - and could distribute it to forum members at cost as a permanent souvenir of the tour. What do you think Jarkko?

honeyrose

In my last para above, when I "send me stuff" for a souvenir bochure of the tour, I meant of course by email. I have broadband and all the various dtp tools to make it into a printed document.

Honeyrose

Just a conformation to correct Honeyroses previous post, the New Skin for the Old Ceremony T shirts were Off white and yellow. I got the Off White one and have to admit that it feels like quality, really soft (not sure what they are like after a few washes). The red ones were "mature" and wearing a trilby T shirts. I don't normally buy T Shirts from concerts any more (I normally buy off the guys outside and after a concert going career of over 25 years, they tend to build up), but chances are I am never going to see Leonard again, and I thought what the hell. £20.00 now seems to be the going rate for T shirts for a major artist at concerts (same price at the Yazoo concert last week), although may be cheaper for up and coming artists at smaller venues.

I have been to a few concerts where there have been no programs, and to be honest, I don't normally buy them anymore, as they are normally £10.00 for a few pages of photos and stuff that most fans know anyway, but would be interested in a fan one if that is viable

£20 may be the going rate for a tee shirt in the UK but sorry I still think it is a rip-off. In Leonard's case as well, as he is a talented artist, why not offer tees with another original art image by him. One gets the impression this stuff is basically just churned out by some standard supplier somewhere. I think there is a lot of potential to make tee shirts and other unique collected items if the stars concerned took a bit more interest. Has anyone found one who does?

The Waifs do t-shirts, singlets and grow suits. So everyone's happy.

http://www.thewaifs.com/store.php

I shot this pic on Tuesday at the Manchester Opera House, and here is a summary of items on sale at the European gigs:

Pins: World Tour 2008 pin in two colors, 5 £ each
The poster: 5 £
The bag (black, with Anthem lyrics and the Unified Heart symbol), 18 £
Various T shirts, 20 £
Books: Book of Longing, Stranger Music
CD's: Essential Leonard Cohen, Sharon's new album (15 £)

Here is a scan of the tour pins. The diameter is about 12 mm.

[Sorry for deleting a number of messages in this thread, I try to keep the threads within the topics in this "on the road" section]

I didn't see the pins but I did get a keyring for my son it cost 10 euro with a message on the back, can't remember at the mo, what it is, but I would like a pin. If anyone is going to any of the gigs and fancies getting me one I can paypal you the money.

I would post pictures of the unofficial tee shirt but cannot find out how to do this - can someone please advise.
Honeyrose

I was at the wonderful concert in Dublin on 13 June but didn't see the tour pins to buy. If anyone out there is going to a concert soon i would be grateful if you could get me a tour pin. I can pay with paypal and will cover postage.

Those Tour Pins apparently sold out in Manchester quite early on in the LC residency.

I would love a Tour Pin also.... anyone?

i thought the price of the t shirts was pretty good compared to other artists. Most t shirts i sell in the shop are £20 with some t shirts costing up to £27. The official ones looked like good quality, i didn't buy one but wished afterwards that I had. The rip off ones will probably be ok, with new technology you can get quite a good print for not too much money, but I resent those guys outside gigs as much as I resent touts.
Artists nowadays make very little from cds because of downloading, so, most of their money comes from touring and music merchandise.

Do the tour shirts include the Canadian dates?