FIVE FINAL CONCERT REPORTS US:Dec 5-11 Arlene's LC Scrapbook

[bridger15]

It's Closing Time, LAS VEGAS, Dec 11, 2010

I am back in LA after another 5 concerts in nine days adventure.

I was very emotional at the second and final concert and did not shoot many videos.
I have a few humble vids I wanted to keep on my LC Srapbook for sweet memories of this concert.
So I am starting to upload them to youtube.

http://onboogiestreet.blogspot.com/

* Closing Time *
with short but sweet outro

* Suzanne *
always a classic evoking many memories

* First We Take Manhattan *
with an enthusiastic audience of many Forum fans from Europe who made the long journey to be there

---Arlene

[ladydi]

Hi Arlene!

Loved Leonard at 5:03 in "First We Take Manhattan" and his coy "remember me"!! You captured it perfectly!

Back for more....

Diana

[bridger15]

Two more vids form the LAS VEGAS final concert are now on YouTube

http://onboogiestreet.blogspot.com/

* So Long Marianne *
-with the most wonderful audience singalaong
-not surprising with so many superb Irish singers there
-and a beautiful big smile from LC at the first singalong refrain.

* I Tried To Leave You *

---Arlene

[MaryB]

Arlene,

I am 'over-the-moon' thrilled that LC got to meet you (and visa-versa )
Sorry about all the smilies - no other way to convey my feelings adequetely - uh oh, probably not enough smilies - I was going for over a gazillion.

Very Warmest Regards,
Mary

[bridger15]

"Partisan" is now up and that completes my videos on YouYube from the FINAL LAS VEGAS CONCERT

http://onboogiestreet.blogspot.com/

* So Long Marianne *
* Closing Time *
* Partisan *
* Suzanne *
* First We Take Manhattan *
* I Tried To Leave You *

I cried when I watched "Marianne" and also when I watched "Partisan".
I have to sort through my thoughts and emotions and will post reports later.
In the meantime, I have to recover from my five concert adventure while simultaneously repacking to leave on another trip in one week.

--Arlene

[bridger15]

Las Vegas, Caesars Palace Colosseum, Dec 11, 2010

"Thank you for your devotion..."

[AlanM]

Arlene's Miracle
When you’re standing on the sidewalk
And you’re waiting in the rain,
And they ask you how you’re doing
Of course you say you can’t complain.
When you’re squeezed for information,
That’s when you should not play it dumb.
You have met with Leonard Cohen
And your miracle has come.

Again I apologise for the plagiarism.

Congratulations Arlene,
I guess this is your reward for all the help you have given to me and others on this forum.
I am so happy for you.
Alan

[howthelightgetsin]

It's a pleasure to read all your entries and your blog Arlene and thanks for the videos! Congratulations on meeting Leonard too, he is a lovely man isn't he

[bridger15]

In my wanderings of navigating the labyrinth known as The Caesars Palace Hotel, I was lucky to run into the wonderful Sharon Robinson and her equally wonderful and talented husband, Greg Gold. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0324982/

Now that is one powerfully talented couple.

It was a delight to finally meet Sharon one on one and I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Greg (um...I think I have a crush)

I told Sharon everyone was thrilled to see her back on stage and that she received a well deserved standing ovation in OAKLAND for her haunting "Boogie Street". Sharon asked if I had taken a video. I checked and I did and I posted the link on her Facebook wall.

Just in case, here it is again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_RTvAdHVFg

---Arlene

[bridger15]

I had read concert reports from Europe about LC lyrically reciting from his early version of "Closing Time" for his outro.

(Tom Sakic) From an early version of Closing Time, recorded by Anjani in 2006, and it's titled "Never Got To Love You"

In Oakland and then Portland, I was able for the first time to see him do this live.

In Portland, the audience was really into the spirit of his recitation with clapping in time to the music.
It was magical.



PORTLAND

* Closing Time *
outro cued to start at 5.09
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjBMPokhNv4&t=5m9s

Well, they're stacking up the chairs
They're wiping down the bar
I never got to tell you
How beautiful you are
They ought to hand the night a ticket
For speeding, it's a crime
I had so much to tell you
But now it's closing time

Well, friends, I'd Like to keep you drinking and dancing with you all night.
But they've turned off the Budweiser sign.
The parking lot is dark.
People making their way to their cars and
Make sure you get into your own car
And drive to your own home...

OAKLAND

*Closing Time * outro
cued to start at 5.10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow9KqwZJs34&t=5m10s

Well, they're stacking up the chairs
They're wiping down the bar
I never got to tell you
How beautiful you are
They ought to hand the night a ticket
For speeding, it's a crime
I had so much to tell you
But now it's closing time...

---Arlene

[leonardmtl]

Arlene,

Once again, you earn the esteem of all Forum members for preserving Leonard's spontaneous, dry wit in these ad libs that make each appearance even more special.

We are waiting for you to do the same in 2012!

Leonard from Montreal

[lizzytysh]

Your work is so heartfelt, Arlene . And thanks to Allan for being such a fine mentor to you.
I haven't even had the opportunity to read much of this thread or watch, yet I know I'm going to love what you've created.


~ Lizzy

[bridger15]

Oakland - Two memorable band intros - Rafael Bernardo Gayol and Neil Larsen

http://onboogiestreet.blogspot.com/

One treat from the Oakland concerts was the good sightline for observing the Anthem band introductions of Rafael Bernardo Gayol and Neil Larsen. Even though I have had very good seats for most of the concerts I attended, I didn't always have an unobstructed view of Rafael and Neil while LC was doing their intros. This time it worked out nicely.

I had seen videos on Youtube and read concert reports about LC's hilariously clever introduction of Rafael. But, witnessing this in person was very special . I loved watching Rafael laughing and enjoying it thoroughly, seeing Rafael and LC "connect" and receiving a loud cheer from the audience. Well deserved!

On the drums, like any great drummer,
a sculptor of silence, laying it down,
bringing it home, putting it to bed,
clipping its toenails,
tucking it in, kissing it goodnight,
smothering it with a pillow,
arrested and sent to prison,
recruited by the Aryan brotherhood,
disillusioned by the uneven quality of their tattoos,
converting to Judaism,
disillusioned once again,
spending his final days in a halfway house for broken vegetarians,
the prince, the priest, the poet of precision,
Rafael Bernardo Gayol

I have always been impressd with Neil's musicianship and his enormous contribution to the band's success. He often provided a sublte background, almost a delicate duet with LC, and played a prominent role with the new songs. With his placement on a perch behind the band it was difficult for me to see him for most of a concert depending on where my seat was. Over the span of the tour, LC's introduction of Neil became more impressive. So I was delghted in Oakland to be able to watch Neil enjoying and appreciating LC's gracious and eloquent introduction.

On the keyborads,
a composer,
a teacher,
a model,
in his own right, a renowned bandleader,
a Grammy nominated artist and composer,
today's foremost exponent of the Hammonf B-3 Organ,
a musician's musician,
the impeccable Neil Larsen

* Anthem *
cued to start at 8.11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uTTvw8Ko4s&t=8m11s

---Arlene

[bridger15]

Bob Metzger is Popular in my Leonard Cohen Scrapbook stats


Bob Metzger & Arlene, Kansas City, Nov 9, 2009

http://onboogiestreet.blogspot.com/

The Stats Counter connected to my Leonard Cohen Scrapbook shows "Bob Metzger" is a very popular search. And I would say, this attention to an exceptionally gifted musician is well deserved.

I met the elegant and soft-spoken Bob Metzger only once, at the Leonard Cohen concert Forum early entry in Kansas City. And, the memory of that meeting is still very warm.

The first time I saw Bob Metzger live in concert was in San Diego on April 7, 2009. This is what I wrote in my concert report in a previous post.

One discovery for me at the live concert, is the very important contribution of BOB METZGER to the success of the band. I never picked up on this in all the YouTube tour clips, the London Live DVD and CD set. He is an amazing talented musician. He is their solid foundation.
LC has referred to him as the ”Signature of Steady” and the “Architect of the Arpeggio”. I can now understand why LC has wanted him in his troupe all these many years.

LC's band intros at the end of Anthem are legendary. His tribute to Bob Metzger is very moving.

On vocal harmonies,
the pedal steel guitar
and this electric guitar
which on my records and in these concerts
binds the verses one to another,
rising and falling in stunning geometries of loveliness,
a veteran of these many campaigns,
my old friend, the irreplaceable
Bob Metzger

*Anthem" Oakland, Dec 5, 2010
cued to start at LC's intro of Bob Metzger
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uTTvw8Ko4s&t=7m28s

---Arlene

[joyezekiel]

Lovely tributes to these very special people - thank you Arlene!

Joy