Last night we went to see Leonard Cohen at the DPAC in Durham. What to say? He's the Legend. Still, at this age, full of energy and spunk. And everything was done to perfection - the set, the lighting and the slow dance of the backup singers had, together, a hypnotic effect. Three hours passed like nothing - I could have stayed another three (and that would still not exhaust all of his greatest hits).
I was too far away to take good pictures with my iPhone, but I took these two, just to show the light changes. There were some quite magical light effects as some moments including those making Leonard look green like a leprechaun.
I grew up with his music and it seems strange that some of his big hits, now 20 or 30 years old were once new - I knew them when they were new, buying his latest album and playing it over and over until I knew every note and every word. So long ago. I feel so old now.
Not that I was old compared to the rest of the audience there - lots of old hippies with gray beards and ponytails... ;-) After all, I was a teenager when I was crazy about Leonard and bought all his records, back in the 80s.
One weird thing .... I felt selfish last night. I did not want to share Cohen with thousands of others. I wanted to have him and the band all for myself. Just like back in the old days, when everyone is gone after the party, and only a handful of best friends remain for the night (the last bus is gone), a nice drink is taken out of hiding to replace the cheap party beer, incense is lit, and Cohen is on the gramophone. His music is for intimate occasions like that, in my mind, according to my memories and associations....
But I was happy nonetheless to finally see him sing live. After all these decades. Would not have missed it for anything. It was a magical night.
Humanities & Social Science
Comments
Bora, 2 things. Well, no, 3:
1. I'm glad you got to see this and wrote about it. I like him too. Handful of songs of his I really love.
2. His music worked beautifully as soundtrack for McCabe & Mrs. Miller, in which his guitar seemed to be locked in to the falling snow.
3. "I feel old." Dude ... you are! But then, so are we all.
We shall discuss more in January!
Posted by: David Dobbs | November 4, 2009 10:39 PM
That would have been a fun concert to see.
Posted by: Greg Laden | November 4, 2009 11:01 PM
I was in Montreal when he started the tour, and found out the day after. I was in NYC when he started the US leg of the tour, and found that out the day after, too!
I said the hell with it, and my wife and I flew to Boston to see him for our anniversary. I'd rather have seen him in Montreal or New York, where his history is, but still it was magical. It ended up the most expensive night out of my life but one of the best!
Bora, thanks for reminding me!
Posted by: Michael Tobis | November 4, 2009 11:25 PM