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musicmania wrote:I know some people don't agree with how I met Leonard but I will truly cherish that moment forever.

Leonard Cohen in Las Vegas 12-10-10 Concert Review

Dec 16, 2010 Michael Doherty


Leonard Cohen performing at The Colosseum 12-10-10
Photo by Michael Doherty

The first show of a two-night stand to finish his tour, this incredible concert featured music from throughout Leonard Cohen's career.

Leonard Cohen finished his three-year tour with a two-night stand at The Colosseum At Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Las Vegas seems such an odd place for Leonard Cohen's final performances of this magnificent tour. After all, Leonard Cohen is about poetry and truth and honesty and beauty. Las Vegas is basically the antithesis of these things. It is a place devoid of any ideals.

In his introduction to "Anthem," Leonard Cohen referred to Las Vegas as a "curious place." He also said that it is "so unmagical, and with such great effort to achieve the unmagical." Indeed.

Yet within this most unmagical of places, something truly magical occurred.

"Dance Me To The End Of Love"

Leonard Cohen took the stage at 8:08 p.m., and opened with "Dance Me To The End Of Love," from his 1984 studio release Various Positions. This is the song with which he's opened every show on the tour, and it's a beautiful tune.

There was a rare mistake in the night's performance of "Ain't No Cure For Love," a song from Leonard Cohen's 1988 release I'm Your Man. The backup singers came in one line too soon, and then Leonard stopped in the middle of his next line. But the rest of the show was flawless.

"Who By Fire"

The instrumental introduction that Javier Mas has composed for "Who By Fire" is one of the highlights of the first set. A low stage light aimed at Javier caused a giant shadow of him to loom over the stage on the backdrop. It was gorgeous.

Roscoe Beck, the show's musical director and bassist, played a different ending to "Who By Fire" on bass. Whereas in earlier concert performances, he'd run his hand up the bass at the end, this time in addition to that, he brought his hand back down, and coaxed some really interesting sounds out of his instrument.

Another new addition to the song was Hattie Webb on harp, which added some nice touches to the song.

It's wonderful that after more than two hundred concerts, the band members were still discovering new aspects of these songs.

"Tower Of Song"

After a twenty-four minute intermission, Leonard Cohen returned to the stage for the second set. He began with "Tower Of Song," which is the final track from I'm Your Man (1988). Most of the band sat this one out, with Leonard Cohen playing a synthesizer (which, as he stated at most of his shows, plays itself).

After Leonard's brief solo on the keyboard, the audience cheered and Leonard thanked them for their kindness.

After "Tower Of Song," Leonard Cohen picked up his guitar for a series of songs, including such favorites as "Suzanne" and "Sisters Of Mercy." Between those two songs he performed "A Singer Must Die" solo - a definite highlight of the concert.

"Take This Waltz"

Leonard Cohen ended the second set with "Take This Waltz," another excellent song from I'm Your Man. Instead of "I want you, I want you, I want you," he sang, "Te quiero, te quiero, te quiero," and he sang it directly to Javier Mas.

And though he's 76 years old, Leonard Cohen danced off the stage at the end of the set.

Encores

A minute after he left the stage, Leonard Cohen returned for a series of encores that started with "So Long, Marianne," a song from his first record, Songs Of Leonard Cohen (1967). His voice is particularly powerful on that song, especially as he sings, "And just when I climbed this whole mountainside/To wash my eyelids in the rain."

From there he went into "First We Take Manhattan," and after that, danced off the stage again. He returned a moment later to perform "Famous Blue Raincoat," one of his absolute best songs.

Following "Famous Blue Raincoat," most of the band left the stage, and Leonard introduced "If It Be Your Will" by reciting several of the song's lines. He then stepped aside to let The Webb Sisters perform their beautiful rendition of this song.

The second encore ended with a rousing version of "Closing Time," which got the audience clapping and dancing.

But Leonard Cohen was not finished. He returned for a third encore, playing "I Tried To Leave You" from 1974's New Skin For The Old Ceremony. During this song, each band member took a turn at a solo.

Leonard Cohen Is A Generous Performer

Leonard Cohen is such a gracious and generous performer - giving each musician the room and opportunity to shine, and then genuinely enjoying those moments. Just look at the joy on his face as he listens to Sharon Robinson sing "Boogie Street" or The Webb Sisters sing "If It Be Your Will."

He is a man who seems to truly love every moment of his concerts, and who appreciates and honors his fellow musicians, as well as his fans. He gives it his all.

All of his studio albums were represented in the concert with two glaring exceptions: 1977's terribly underrated Death Of A Ladies' Man and, surprisingly, Leonard Cohen's most recent studio release, 2004's Dear Heather.

Set List

Set One

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. The Darkness
9. Democracy
10. Chelsea Hotel No. 2
11. Waiting For The Miracle
12. Anthem

Set Two

1. Tower Of Song
2. Suzanne
3. A Singer Must Die
4. Sisters Of Mercy
5. The Gypsy's Wife
6. The Partisan
7. Boogie Street
8. Hallelujah
9. I'm Your Man
10. A Thousand Kisses Deep
11. Take This Waltz

First Encore

1. So Long, Marianne
2. First We Take Manhattan

Second Encore

1. Famous Blue Raincoat
2. If It Be Your Will
3. Closing Time

Third Encore

1. I Tried To Leave You

The show ended at 11:43 p.m.

After a wonderful concert like that, the audience wants to just go outside into some fresh air. But the doors of this venue open straight into the casino, and there is no short and direct path to the exit. So everyone has to battle his or her way through the flashing lights and cigarette smoke and obnoxious sounds before finding freedom and peace.

Between Leonard Cohen and the actual exit are strippers dressed like cops, but with feather boas. And horrible music was being pumped in from somewhere. It was like being attacked after a wonderful night - exactly the opposite of what one wants after a magical experience like a Leonard Cohen concert.

The next night, December 11th, brought Leonard Cohen's final concert of the tour.


Read more at Suite101: Leonard Cohen in Las Vegas 12-10-10 Concert Review http://www.suite101.com/content/leonard ... z18LGdAu1G

Mabeanie1 wrote:Sorry, this is not really a concert report as such but I wanted to share this with someone. My husband just sent me the following e-mail:

This came to me during the RR* show. In many ways I wish it hadn't, and i hope this sort of thing doesn't happen again. But as it has made an appearance, I thought I would share it with you for a laugh. Please feel free to nudge it gently into the delete box.

And so to Las Vegas, a celebration, not a wake;
Three great years of music you never thought he'd make.
You said you'd cross the world for him; and no one's had your sweep
Be glad for all the times you've had, a thousand kisses deep!

Enjoy the show as best you can, and i'll be here afterwards if you need me. (forget the phone bill)!!!

OMG - I'm already in tears already and I haven't even left my room for the show yet.

Wendy


*Runrig - a Scottish Celtic Rock band & where I was due to be tonight until Leonard interfered with my plans ... hopefully not for the last time.

TineDoes wrote:No words

holydove wrote:musicmania, thank you for the sweet words; & you do write very beautifully, with vivid detail - I thoroughly enjoyed all your precise & lovely descriptions!!

Joy - LOL!! Thank you for the very therapeutic laugh - you are beautiful & I cherish the moments that we had together & I cherish the moments that we WILL HAVE together - you know, during the next tour. . .

holydove wrote:

TineDoes wrote:No words

Tineke, I hear you!! And those are the most eloquent two words, IMHO!! I have never been able to find the words to describe a Leonard Cohen concert (though I do admire those who can)!!

I feel like a mute person who has just tasted ice cream (or substitute your own favorite food here) for the first time, & is trying to describe the experience. I have been catapulted into outer space, searching for something to grasp onto or stand on, but there is nothing that can contain this huge incomparable indescribable WONDROUS & ECSTATIC experience. I am sure that all the planets of all the universes have flown from their orbits - the orbits themselves have flown from their orbits - & nothing in the world will ever be the same again. My heart & my mind have exploded & dissolved & been stunned into a state of uncontainable AWE & WONDER, & are floating out there in that orbitless universe. . .OMG - didn't mean to go on like that. . .let me stop now. . .

But here is my imperfect offering: I recorded the last 3 concerts (from the 5th row each time) & started a vine for the 12/11/10 concert (I will start other vines when the other recordings are ready to go). Thanks to 2 very kind forum members, one of whom recommended an excellent recording device, the other of whom helped me find all the right settings - the sound is great - you can hear EVERY BEAUTIFUL NOTE & NUANCE & all those wonderful moments that Lisa so eloquently described, very clearly - & of course, the performances are DEVASTATINGLY STUNNING!! Be prepared to either relive, or experience, something that will overthrow all previous concepts of anything. . .

There are just 2 issues, which I have spent the past 3 days obsessing over & trying to fix (that's why I didn't post till now); I know Leonard has told us many times to forget it, but I really wanted to make this offering perfect! However, there are these flaws: there are no tracks, & 2 songs are divided - Democracy begins on the 1st cd & continues on the 2nd (because the recorder created files by itself); Take This Waltz is divided, but in a decent place - where Leonard starts introducing the band - so the song is not really interrupted. It has come to my attention that certain family members are unhappy that I haven't called them since I got back - now I might have to tell them it's because I've been locked in my study for 3 days, obsessing over editing the sound of the 3 concerts I recorded (maybe I should just lie & tell them I extended my stay longer in LV because it's such a magical place!!)

Anyway, I thought I would mention this here (hope that's okay), in case someone who doesn't normally visit Traders & Collectors corner would like to sign up for the vine. There is other info about the cd's in that thread. . .

dick wrote:
...

On celebrity sightings .. read about, but didn't see, Rebecca or Nimroy. But DID SEE Sarah Ramos, the beautiful young star who plays Haddie on Parenthood.
Also missed Lorca, but did see Adam, and had warm chat with Anjani.... who looked very beautiful! Who else was there? AWe also enjoyed a small singalong with author Sylvie Simmons Sunday.