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DBCohen wrote:One disappointment, though; although there is a violin now, "The Window" was not revived...

I thought about that too. But with all these wonderful songs I won't complain.

Since nobody has quoted this yet, I will do it: At the beginning of the show (and at the end) Leonard has stated that he will continue touring as long as God lets him. (Until "the wheelchair gets rusty") So, if we are lucky, the Old Ideas tour will not be his last.

Also, I loved the double band introduction (During Anthem and Take this Waltz). Did he do that on the last tour too? I only remember him introducing the band during Take This Waltz. Now he also tells us where the different musicians are from. I really liked that part. Especially the introduction of the new "King of the Violin".

And one word about the location: St PetersSquare really is beautiful, however I prefer seeing Leonard perform in a hall. For me, the concert got better at the second half, just because it was getting darker. I think that bright sunlight doesn't catch the mood of songs like Dance Me To The End Of Love and so on. But that's just a personal point of view.

One last word about the belgian promoter: 9Euro (!!) for something to eat is extreme. I have been to a lot of concerts and festivals, and it is expensive everywhere, but this is just way too much. I still cannot believe it. And for everyone who's going to the other concerts: Don't forget to bring coins, toilets are of course not included in a 99Euro ticket price. I rarely complain about such things, but this was just extreme.

Yes, he always did two introductions, on end of each set (Anthem, Take This Waltz), plus third introduction during I Tried to leave You.

The opening song... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9FMA91u5RY

Fuck me (sorry), but this is the best live arrangement of Dance Me to the End of Love ever (with early 1988 live version with gypsy violin and with false stop before the end).

I wonder why they started in daylight (due to curfew?) - I was on 4 or 5 open air shows and none started before 9pm.

rpan wrote:Going Home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQe6uTcy ... ata_player

Also posted by same lovely person other great videos including Come Healing

Thanks rypan! Excellent video from thomasdelbecque !

"Come Healing" is lovely -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHszcG9sajo

First We Take Manhattan
(still skipping - )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpWrJZmxEDg

The Partisan (nice staging !)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wzQnTEZ9Rg

From further back - uploaded by Piedero

First We Take Manhattan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shQuObYZhbI

SeventhSon wrote: Since nobody has quoted this yet, I will do it: At the beginning of the show (and at the end) Leonard has stated that he will continue touring as long as God lets him. (Until "the wheelchair gets rusty") So, if we are lucky, the Old Ideas tour will not be his last.

Well Leonard said he will start smoking again when he will be 80 years old and that he would like to tour and smoke on the road... So since 2010 tour we all expect he is going do do just that, as he said.

I Can't Forget! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnzWdjUCps8

What a night! What a man! What a band!
We are still excited.

I can't forget
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnzWdjUCps8

Hans and Sjanie
Rotterdam

Holland

I was deeply touched by the very good arrangement of a few songs:

Come Healing: very light and fragile. Bublitchi is indeed a master on the violin! The Webb-sisters are the perfect angels...
Alexandra leaving: A much slower version, sung by Sharon. (Leonard on the side admiring her singing abilities!)
The Partisan: The whole band stood behind Leonard in half a circle. It was a tribute to poetry!
Famous Blue Raincoat: just marvellous.

(No critics: there were no bad songs, these were just amazingly good!)

I enjoyed the concert extremely a lot! It was now the third time I could see Leonard perform and this was the top for me! (before in Bruges '08 and Ghent '10). It was a pleasure to see the opening of the world tour, a band that had pleasure in playing the songs, a Leonard that was dancing in small steps from time to time, and a never ending bis... 12 o'clock was curfew hour in Ghent, and blame the mayor for that! : ) It could have lasted longer...

But no worries: Leonard promised that he would stay touring in a rusty weelchair, helped by God and two policemen!

Greeting,
Maarten

tomsakic wrote:

SeventhSon wrote: Since nobody has quoted this yet, I will do it: At the beginning of the show (and at the end) Leonard has stated that he will continue touring as long as God lets him. (Until "the wheelchair gets rusty") So, if we are lucky, the Old Ideas tour will not be his last.

Well Leonard said he will start smoking again when he will be 80 years old and that he would like to tour and smoke on the road... So since 2010 tour we all expect he is going do do just that, as he said.

I didn't know that. Nice.

Maarten, you are right about the wonderful arrangements. I loved all the violin parts. However, I still think that the new arrangement of the Democracy sound did not fit.

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful...Only if we could get to hear Field Commander Cohen now!

A million thanks for posting these really fantastic videos. Leonard just keeps on getting better. He really has to be the coolest man alive.

Boston Dec.15th.

The concert was great - beautiful square, wonderful balmy evening, very receptive (if polite!) crowd, and Leonard and the band on form. I think Leonard seemed in very relaxed mood and seemed to be enjoying himself. The first half was very much an 'Old Ideas' segment and worked well. It's amazing how quickly the new songs become familiar! Sharon Robinson singing 'Alexandra Leaving' was a particular highlight for me and I'm pretty sure the first time I've heard it at one of the concerts over recent years.

Thanks a lot for the update, "I really appreciate that "
I wish it was already Tuesday.
Have a wonderful Old Ideas tour everyone.

by the way... It was nice to see how the concert changed from a "sit on the chair" event, over "standing ovation", to a concert where everyone stood up, with lots of people close at the stage.
The crowd was excited!

Sometimes a little anarchy is permitted.

SeventhSon wrote: The only thing I did not like, was the way Democracy sounded (I don't know how you call what Leonard played during the song, but in my opinion it did not fit the mood of the song and ruined it a bit by sounding too much like happy circus music. Also, he should have sung the chorus together with the Webb Sisters).

It is a Jew's harp, or mouth harp.

Ghent, Aug 12 2012
First night

Save The Last Dance
http://youtu.be/GiHTlYgoOZI

Coming Back To You
http://youtu.be/axLrIhJtqas

Come Healing
http://youtu.be/JWyABqzbaeo

Alexandra Leaving
http://youtu.be/Fbly8_8_bIU

Democracy
http://youtu.be/Djcz52tGcn8
(small snippet in which mr Cohen plays Jew's harp - mouth harp)

Amen
http://youtu.be/itzeA8upsa8

Crazy To Love You
http://youtu.be/GzFANFG4Di8

Maarten