Leonard Cohen
Date: May 26, 2009 Up There Waiting for the Miracle to Come Seeing Leonard Cohen deliver a hometown show at the age of seventy-three, in the midst of a tour that saw him return to the stage after a decade and a half absence, certainly felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity. Nearly a year later, though, with the latest leg of that musical trek bringing the legendary artist and his impeccable band to Ottawa, I was happy to bring the count to twice in a lifetime. The polished performance differed only slightly from that Montreal concert; but the experience was well worth repeating. The mood in Montreal had certainly been special, as the adoring crowd welcomed back their local favourite; but the audience at the National Arts Centre did its best to match that ambiance, always respectful yet hardly able to contain its joy throughout the evening. From what I heard, this second night in Ottawa had the more enthusiastic attendees; but I'm sure that every night on this tour has been filled with excited patrons, however they chose to show it. For me, the difference was one of proximity. While I had been some distance back at the Montreal concert, I improved my position to the fifth row on this night, which definitely added to the experience. While everyone in the hall could see Leonard Cohen skip on to the stage for the opening number, "Dance Me to the End of Love," being near enough to see the twinkle in his eyes was special. The choice of introductory song, and its follow-ups set the pattern for a night that very closely tracked the earlier concert. With such a flawless supporting cast and a pristine sound, almost anything that I could say would simply be a repeat of my previous review. With a sequence of "The Future," "Ain't No Cure for Love," "Bird on the Wire," and "Everybody Knows" again making the same stunning early run as in my first Cohen concert, what really needs to be said? However, as great as those untouchable classics were, there were some welcome deviations, with "Chelsea Hotel #2" and "Waiting for the Miracle" finding their way in before the first act break. Those substitutions served to highlight the fact that even in a tour whose concerts flirt with the three-hour mark, Cohen is left holding a reserve of unplayed songs that would be the envy of any songwriter. It is no wonder that he has held such a strong place in so many hearts, a fact reflected in the faces of the crowd, whether those faces were old enough to have been following the man for four decades or young enough to be his grandchildren. Structurally, this concert followed expectations, on a large and small scale. Not only were the sets divided at the same points but the flourishes came at familiar moments. The Webb sisters punctuated "The Future" with synchronized cartwheels, while Cohen had them hold the closing refrain of the second set's lead-on, "Tower of Song," for a wry spoken finish. However, Cohen has mixed up his banter, dropping the amusing but well-known (and committed to record) bit about last touring when he was a sixty-year-old kid with a crazy dream, and instead commenting on the horrors of excessively well-lit hotel mirrors. Despite the length of the concert, it breezed by faster then I could believe. With such captivating songs as "Sisters of Mercy," "Hallelujah," "I'm Your Man," and the spoken rendition of "A Thousand Kisses Deep" holding your attention, it's difficult to notice the time pass. Even the few pauses were memorable, as Cohen constantly took the opportunity to doff his fedora in deference to one of his excellent (and similarly sharply dressed) comrades on stage. Whether one is consciously aware or not, though, time moves on; and "Take This Waltz" saw the band again exit the stage. Fortunately, Cohen is as generous with his encores as he is with his praise. "So Long, Marianne" and "First We Take Manhattan" marked the first, while the second began more reservedly, with "Famous Blue Raincoat" and the Webb sisters showcase, "If It Be Your Will," before kicking into the stomping "Closing Time," with the band hitting a swinging high. Of course, even that title was misleading, as the crew returned one final time. Cohen intoned the appropriate humour to the apt "I Tried To Leave You," which saw every player get a turn under the spotlight, before everyone on stage sang us out with "Whither Thou Goest." Although this concert was short on surprises, an event as airtight as this needs little tweaking. It was a treat to witness Leonard Cohen still enjoying this tour, which has stretched longer than I would have anticipated, and still knocking it out of the park. I never expected to see the man play even once, and I'm definitely grateful for a second opportunity, which again sits among my best concert experiences. Leonard Cohen setlist First Set
<--Prev (Joel Plaskett Emergency) | Next (The Lovely Feathers)-->Return to Concert ListReturn to Main Page |