leonardcohenforum.com

I realise that it's ineffably tedious for those of you who've known Leonard for 40 years and attended every concert on his recent six-year tour to have to listen to the witterings of someone who is only just discovering him for the first time, but I persist in thinking this website, if it's serious about charting ongoing fan interest in Leonard Cohen and not just being a fossil, should have room for new people and their discoveries, even if they are not new to most of you, because the encounter of LC's music with individuals and their different histories is after all a key part of what he's all about.

All that to say I've just discovered the story of Alex Bublitchi joining the tour on 1HeckofaGuy, and I was blown away by it. It's so sad he wasn't able to get a visa and join the tour earlier, though it's great to hear him on Popular Problems. I notice Javier Mas implies he is the only 'proper' (i.e. classical) musician in the band, but he does gypsy and folk violin like he was born to them (though he needs to work on his Irish jigs for 'Closing time').

I also noticed that the same site singles out Neil Larsen as somewhat hidden on the earlier part of the tour. That might be the reason why he seems so (deservedly) featured on the DVD of Live in Dublin- there are so many great shots of him whizzing up and down the keyboard with gay abandon, looking like he's having more fun than anyone else on the stage. I also really love the line about his being the 'foremost exponent of the Hammond B3 organ'.

And Javier Mas himself is, of course, incomparable. It shows how LC is in a position to bring music from the world to the world.

It's too bad they weren't able to do the Latin American leg of the tour- does anyone know why?

Which Latin American leg?

AlexandraLaughing wrote:I realise that it's ineffably tedious for those of you who've known Leonard for 40 years and attended every concert on his recent six-year tour to have to listen to the witterings of someone who is only just discovering him for the first time

Not at all...I'm enjoying your postings, even if I haven't had much time to contribute lately. Welcome to the forum!

AlexandraLaughing wrote: It's too bad they weren't able to do the Latin American leg of the tour- does anyone know why?

Latin America and South Africa were mentioned in passing in a few interviews (I forget who it was) but I don't know why it didn't happen. While I would love to see LC again at a venue near me, it would almost be just as much fun to follow "virtually" if he did finally tour those other parts of the world. (I'm thinking the major cities in Asia too).

mnkyface wrote:AlexandraLaughing wrote:
I realise that it's ineffably tedious for those of you who've known Leonard for 40 years and attended every concert on his recent six-year tour to have to listen to the witterings of someone who is only just discovering him for the first time

Not at all...I'm enjoying your postings, even if I haven't had much time to contribute lately. Welcome to the forum!

Welcome from me too! And I agree, in fact, it's the reverse of tedious I was thinking how wonderful is for you to discover Leonard with such enthusiasm. It makes me want to do it all over again! Just one thing, I absolutely love Alex's violin in all manner of his playing I've tried to pick a favourite but it keeps changing - I'll let you know if and when I can decide. One thing I do know is that it would be more than wonderful to hear him playing "The Window" and "The Traitor"

Here's a link to some discussion about a South American tour in 2014 -
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=34539&p=340668&hili ... ca#p340668

jarkko wrote:South America and South Africa were included in the first tentative plans for 2013 but later dropped for various technical and logistic reasons.

B4real wrote:

jarkko wrote:South America and South Africa were included in the first tentative plans for 2013 but later dropped for various technical and logistic reasons.

Same with Asia.

W

Many thanks, everybody, for the links and the welcome.

Someone mentioned the possibility of another 'tour' album to include the many songs performed on this last tour that aren't on Live in Dublin. This would be brilliant. Particularly The Night Comes On, Sisters Of Mercy, and Heart with no Companion.

Was 'By the Rivers Dark' ever done on tour? And how about 'The Stranger Song'?

AlexandraLaughing wrote:...Was 'By the Rivers Dark' ever done on tour? And how about 'The Stranger Song'?

No to the first, and yes to the second, but the latter was many, many years ago (late '60s, early '70s). However, some intrepid fans did manage to overhear a sound-check during the last tour (I do not recall which specific year, but I'd guess 2012) in which LC was heard playing/singing The Stranger Song. That raised some hopes that he would play it in a concert, but it never came to be.