Hi Jarkko,
Perhaps you remember me from Las Vegas and San Jose last year, I was over from Australia and went to the dinner meet up the night before the La Vegas show also.
It has been said before but I would like to thank you and the promoters again for giving us fans a bit of a an early crack at the tickets. I feel bad for those that missed out, we didn't get the 24 hours but as the weekend went along we were running out of time for that anyway. I hope that everyone has at least got some tickets now. These days corporate interests seem to get first go but I think we were given some good ones here.
I was lucky enough to be checking as Auckland and Sydney went on sale and got great tickets, and pretty good for Wellington and Christchurch so I am greatly looking forward to the shows. It means the set list for the upcoming concerts will be compulsive reading!
Thanks again for all your efforts, it must get a bit stressful at times with so many of us watching with bated breath!
graham
If your life is a leaf that the seasons tear off and condemn
They will bind you with love that is graceful and green as a stem
Sydney Jan 09, Las Vegas Nov 09, San Jose Nov 09, Auck Oct 10, Wgtn Nov 10, Chch Nov 10, Syd Nov 10, Auck Dec 13
Well, it's a first show really - on Thursday October 28. I'm already in the second row the following night with my daughter so will go for a cheaper seat on the Thursday, I think! What amazing news. I nearly drove off the road when I saw the new banner across the LC posters on my trip home tonight. Jarkko - do you know if they might have a fan club pre-sale for this one? Tickets go on sale officially on Monday June 21.
I was only going for a silver ticket today - in order to appease my husband who thinks nobody should need to see Leonard 2 nights running - and I had trouble with my credit card expiry date so ended up in the 43rd row!
Never mind, I'll be right at the front on Friday and at the end of the day it's being there that's most important. I never dreamed I'd see him again after last time - let alone see him twice more!
I've noticed that there is quite a large gap in Leonards tour, as he is in Adelaide for the 18th Nov., then nothing til the Perth show on the 24th.. I managed at the last minute, to get tickets for his final show in Melb. last year. Was my First, after enjoying his music for over 40 yrs. I read of his Coldstream show in my local paper (Mountain Views-Healesville) and nearly kicked myself for not being there, as I only live a few kms from the vineyard. Oh Great, the tele tells me there is a final show on Feb 10 at Rod Laver. I got some tickets!
I couldn't possibly describe the emotions my friend and I were going thru at that time, as we escaped for just one evening from the smoke and haze of black saturday..... Enough to say that it was possibly the most emotional event of my long life, what a joy it was to experience Leonard Cohen, to help us thru it.
I suspect there is a very good chance of another Melb. show in that gap and having not known of this site previously, would be keen to know in advance if one is going to happen, I do have half reasonable seats for the first show, but would be keen to improve on them for a third show.
Oh yeah! I have tickets for the first show, purchased via Tickettek before I knew of this forum. They are only just ok tickets, 23 rows back, but hey, I'm Happy just to be there. I couldn't possibly do it 2 nights running, but, what the heck if he's gonna do a third show, as he did last year, I intend on being there. And I WANT better seats.
Jarkko, you are the wonderful glue holding all these far-flung fans together. I saw Leonard in London in 1993 and shocked my dear, long-suffering husband by declaring it right up there with my wedding day - in terms of great life events. Fast forward 16 years. He and I were back in New Zealand, parents of two gorgeous children. I remember emailing you Jarkko, asking if Leonard would ever tour again. You really didn't know but you felt if he did, it was very unlikely he'd ever come to the South Pacific.
In October 2008 I had very major, life-saving surgery, quite bizarrely, at more or less exactly the moment pre-sales began and when I came out of the anaesthetic my husband whispered he'd got 2nd row seats for us at Leonard's January 2009 Auckland concert. It seemed like a dream. My nurses pinned the concert poster at the end of my bed and I swear, the anticipation got me functioning again. The show was everything I dreamed of and I figured I was lucky. Nobody sees the author of their life's soundtrack twice.
Fast forward once more. I am 100%. My life is good and all the pain is gone. I was sending an email one night a few weeks ago and a Leonard Cohen pre-sale message appeared at the bottom right of my computer. "There's something wrong with this machine," I told my husband. "It's bringing up old messages," A minute later I realised it wasn't an old message. I know it sounds corny but it was a like a little miracle. I never, ever dreamed I'd see this dear man 3 times, let alone 4 (as I couldn't resist booking for both Auckland concerts). Jarkko, thanks for everything you've done and Leonard, if you read this forum, you've brought this body incredible joy. I'll be the lady in the red dress in the second row -again -in Auckland on the Friday night - with my young daughter who had all your songs pre-programmed in utero!
Last edited by Clementine on Sat Jun 26, 2010 7:07 am, edited 2 times in total.
Oh, and by the way, if any of you are coming from far-flung places, we'd LOVE to provide hospitality in NZ. Any fan of Leonard's is a friend and we are very centrally located in Auckland.
You really didn't know but you felt if he did, it was very unlikely he'd ever come to the South Pacific.
Dear Clementine, thanks for sharing your memories with us!
The tour, and especially its lenght, has been a big surprise
to all of us (including Leonard himself, I'd say!)!
Jarkko
1988, 1993: Helsinki||2008: Manchester|Oslo|London O2|Berlin|Helsinki|London RAH|| 2009: New York Beacon|Berlin|Venice|Barcelona|Las Vegas|San José||2010: Salzburg|Helsinki|Gent|Bratislava|Las Vegas|| 2012: Gent|Helsinki|Verona|| 2013: New York|Pula|Oslo|||
I was deeply touched by your life-long experience with LC. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
Warmest regards,
Mary
(P.S. I hope LC does read your post and notices you in your red dress in Auckland.)
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
I have so little time these days and can only skip around the Forum and read just a little here and a little there and rarely have time to even comment. Your story was so wonderfully warm and delightful, and I enjoyed reading it so much, I had to let you know. Thank you SO much for sharing that chronology of your life related to Leonard. I'm so happy for you that you in your red dress will be right there for Leonard still one more time. I, too, hope he notices you.
Welcome and please be sure to share your story after you've attended the concert. Your husband and your nurse are very thoughtful people to have treated you with the best medicine available, aside from your husband. It's great to know you're with us 100%.
~ Lizzy
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken." ~ Oscar Wilde