Leonard Cohen @ Orpheum
Posted on May 4th, 2009 – 3:04 AMBy Jon Bream
It wasn’t surprising to see all the Pitchfork-obsessed young hipsters at the Orpheum on Sunday for Leonard Cohen. I expected all the graybeards and all the women of various ages (one critic dubbed Lenny the Barry White of the bookclub set). But the number of guys surprised me a bit.
Maybe guys are romantic, too. Or they just appreciate one of the greatest songwriters of our time.
We could all probably fill a college bluebook with our thoughts about the Cohen concert. You can read my full review elsewhere but let’s just say I appreciated Mr. Cohen’s courtliness (loved how he doffed his cap to thank the audience for their applause and his soloists for their musicianship), his choice of material (did miss “Sisters of Mercy”), the varied textures of his tunes (even though we know his vocals are limited) and the fabulous picking of Javier Mas on various stringed instruments. (I could have done withouth the Kenny G-evoking wind man Dino Soldo, though his harmonica was effective).
The set list and many of the between-song comments were almost identical to what can be heard on Cohen’s new Live in London CD/DVD. Here’s what he played at the Orpheum:
Set I: Dance Me to the End of Love; The Future; Ain’t No Cure for Love; Bird on a Wire; Everybody Knows; In My Secret Life; Who By Fire; Chelsea Hotel #2; Waiting for the Miracle; Anthem
Set II: Tower of Song; Suzanne; The Gypsy’s Wife; The Partisan; Boogie Street (sung by Sharon Robinson); Hallelujah; I’m Your Man; untitled poem ; Take This Waltz
ENCORES: So Long, Marianne; First We Take Manhattan; Famous Blue Raincoat; If It Be Your Will; Democracy; I Tried To Leave You; Wither Thou Goest
What did you think of the concert?
22 Responses to "Leonard Cohen @ Orpheum"
For all of the enthusiasm, appreciation and reverence displayed by the sell-out crowd last night at the Orpheum, it should be noted that this singularly gifted, generous, and most human of poets returned the same emotions in kind. Surrounded by eight incomparably talented singers and players, Cohen’s poetry and music washed over everyone and everything in its wake, from the temporary seats in row 1, to the kind men and women working the outer lobby. And for a few hours, Leonard Cohen, et al made the world a better place. Those who were not present can’t know what they missed, and it would take a bard with the gifts of Mr. Cohen himself to describe it.
I am not good at anything remotely like a review, but I will tell you that I got teary eyed many times listening to this legend sing his amazing and wonderful songs. I didn’t want it to end.
What a performance. The show felt to me like a farewell and a very sincere thank you to his fans. I felt like he presented us with a retrospective of his life’s work, sort of a culmination of an artist’s 40-year career. If it was perhaps over-rehearsed as Jon’s review criticized, I didn’t think it detracted from the sincerity of his performance, his reverence for his band members, his gratitude to the audience and his joy in performing. I felt privileged to be able to stand and thank him with applause for the immeasurable gift of his music that he’s given me these many years. Seeing him perform Suzanne is something I’ll not forget, though the whole show was unforgettable. A gift from a rare and gifted man.
I couldn’t agree more with what was said here. I couldn’t believe a 74 yr old man outlasted me (had to leave at 11:00 cuz of work). You just knew you in the presence of a true legend; first time I could say that expensive tickets were worth every dime!
This was truly one of the best concerts I’ve attended in any music genre. At 74, the man is still extremely sexy. I’ve always felt the erotic tones of his work - but in a classy way. He’s much less intense now, the humor comes through in delightful ways!
Rarely do you get a chance to see the quality of musicianship that we were lucky enough to catch last night. Such a treat. As I’ve said to a few here at work, that would have been a great concert without Leonard Cohen. With Leonard Cohen? Hallelujah!
It was a moving performance to this fan of 40 years. It is the best concert I have attended in my 60+ years. He was authentic, warm, spiritual, giving. I was fearful he might have a collaspe before he could finally leave us “satisfied”!
There was symbolism galore with kneeling and bowing and hat removal to others. I felt in the presence of a Saint. His fellow artists were each awesome! We were blessed to be there. We won’t get to be there again. He raised emotions as only the poet-musician-writer he is can do for this stoic Minnesotan. A seated concert-neighbor, a businessman from Alaska, said there is not another musician he would go to see in person. A younger male, so pleased to see there is hope for the younger generations.
I only wish there was regular bus service at 11:30 PM on a Sunday. Had to wait another 45 minutes to catch a bus!
I was turned on to Cohen only five years ago by a Canadian friend and after listening to his music, I fell in love. I only heard of his concert five days before Sunday’s performance and I begged my daughter to go with me for Mother’s Day. What a treat. I feel his music in my soul. There is no one like him. The only thing missing was my favorite, “Love Itself”, but “I’m You’re Man” is right up there. His music is a gift to all of us! The entire concert was phenomenal.
I was a bellmen at the Whitney hotel in the early 1990’s when Mr. Cohen last played Minneapolis. He checked in with his then girlfriend, Rebecca De Mornay, and they stayed with us for a couple of days.
I recall being summoned to their room soon after check in to retrieve some articles of clothing for the laundry (which consisted mostly of 5 or 6 of the exact same button down shirt, all monogrammed over the left pocket with the words “Leonard Cohen”. Every Leonard Cohen sentance started with the word “man”. “Man you sure got up here in a hurry”, “man I really appreciate your help”, things like that.
The three of us stood and chatted for a few minutes. It was a very fun experience with two very nice people, and I will never forget it.
after seeing cohen at carnegie hall in 1988, i went away thinking THAT was one of the best concerts i’d ever seen. this time around (i caught the seattle show) was indescribably better — and as close to perfection as could be.
For anyone unaware of this man’s genius, do yourself a favor and seek it out. For anyone unaquainted with timeless class, see Leonard Cohen once in your life. For anyone considering the art of songwriting, devour this songwriter’s catalogue. For anyone who feels limited vocally, let Leonard Cohen echo once in your ears. For anyone feeling the crunch of hit and run years, “skip” once-in-a-while. For most of you, skip the pork-pie hats. Hey Jon Bream, if at 74, you can often drop to one or two knees and get back up when you want to, show after show, who cares about affectation?
I can tell you that I wanted to go to the concert very badly, but the tickets that were supposed to go on sale on a monday morning were all sold out by 9pm on the friday before hand, and when looking through the Ticket Scalpers, and Ebay, I could not justify paying 200 plus for 75 dollar tickets when I have a wife and two kids to raise, feed, and clothe.
So my love for Leonard Cohen is still amazing, and I am envious of the fans that made it there, but to all the ticket brokers, and scalpers out there, may you all burn in hell twice!
^^^ Balcony tickets were on sale at the box office last night right up to show time. You didn’t try hard enough to attend.
perks
those seats weren’t for sale via ticketmaster, or through the theatre phone line, and I don’t live downtown Minneapolis so I wasn’t going to waste a trip into Minneapolis when for 6 weeks I’d tried to get tickets… so hey thanks for making me feel worse.
day-of tickets almost invariably shake loose for any event. especially single tickets. and often for less than face value. got mine from an ebay auction two days prior — great seats at $50 per. also, scalpers often cut bait just before showtime.
hell, i witnessed a guy liquidating a pair outside the metrodome for face value before game 7 in 1991.
a little luck doesn’t hurt, but ya gotta put forth some effort.
We bought tickets as soon as they were available and felt we had to wait forever for concert day. It was exciting to get there and see so many friends! I had to think our lives had reached a certain point further away from others but forever young when we first heard Cohen in 1970. The people next to us also heard him in 1970. They came to his other Minneapolis concerts. We didn’t and felt instantly bad about it. It was that connection with a living Shakespeare - to hear him - that made our collection of CDs more meaningful. We played one of his concert albums on the way down to the theatre an then on the way home. The trip home definitely gave us a better “ear” with which to hear what he was expressing.
The concert was long yet incredibly short to tell the epic of his poetic output. No one else has his gift and the honesty to rip off the mask. We loved the skipping that played with our tears shed during some of his songs. “Don’t be too serious,” the skips said.
This man was not only the picture of grace and elegance, but I bow to the respect he gives the musicians and singers who work with him.
Mr. Cohen, my hat is off to you, sir.
Perhaps the most soulfully affirming concert event I ever attended, we maturing gypsy boys raised on his gentlemanly poetics still want to be Leonard Cohen when we grow up. MKD
I feel sooooo lucky to have found a ticket the day before Leonard’s concert on Sunday. He’s absolutely mesmerizing,amazing and a true gentleman. I told the guy sitting next to me at the concert that what guy wouldn’t want to that hot when they’re 74. Cohen has such a reverence about him and it shines through and through. The Orpheum was magical because he was there. What a guy!
My sister and I were lucky and able to purchase 2 of the remaining 3 single seats still available 1/2 hour before showtime. Out ‘The Man’ came to uproarious applause, my first live concert experience following the recent death of my husband. I was taken on a soul journey beyond description by this genius artist musician. A gift from the beyond I never dreamed to receive.
BethJoy
I echo the sentiments of previous posts, and applaud the other audience members in addition to the performers. It was a very appreciative group to be a part of, and in such a wonderful theatre. Our last concert was Neil Young in Winnipeg at a hockey arena, and the experience was rather spoiled by the constant coming and going of other people, and then talking when in their seats. In contrast, this performance is the best show I’ve ever had the good fortune to be part of!
Take acknowledgment/homage so thick you could inhale it … combined with humility so thick you could taste it … add eight master musicians whose compliment was by force of Mr. Cohen’s work, beyond mere musicianship … and you START to get an idea of the experience.
Thank you Leonard, for something real and deeply spiritual that I will never forget.
Newspaper Subscriptions
eEdition
RSS
Newsletters