Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Music

From classical to pop, join the discussion on our Music forum.

Original poster

Leonard Cohen. He is actually God

60 replies

cestlavie · 18/07/2008 09:36

I went to see him last night at the O2 and, oh sweet Jesus, he was absolutely jaw-droppingly fantastic. Just so good it's untrue. I've been to quite a few gigs lately with many much more current bands (Vampire Weekend, Santogold, Nouvelle Vague) who were brilliant in their own way, but spending three hours listening to him talk and sing just blows anything else away.

OP posts:
iMum · 18/07/2008 09:39

He is, I would and that is quite an admission.

His voice! and he is so nice!!!

dh had a fantastic night, singng and jigging along and oh my god a thousand kisses deep!

Then first we take manhatten! and so long Marianne. Heaven!

We were lucky to have great seats too, was a very very good night.

Original poster
cestlavie · 18/07/2008 09:48

Ah. We were somewhere near the roof, but even from there it felt surprisingly intimate which I didn't expect. Getting back home on the other hand... certainly not going to be rushing back to the O2 any time soon...

OP posts:
GentleOtter · 18/07/2008 09:52

His voice is liquid lust.....

iMum · 18/07/2008 10:12

We were very very lucky, dh company own a box there so we had box seats right y the stage and with that comes free parking so im my very grumpy preggy state i was hugely relieved to just hop in the car and go home.
Did the whole train thing after foo fighters there a few months ago and it was a shocking crucsh.

Prufrock · 18/07/2008 13:29

Wasn't it just amazingly wonderful. I've just got home, and my hands still hurt from clapping.
Hallelujah just showed how much better he is than anybody who has recorded it since, though I did think the Webb sisters' version of If it be your will was just astoundingly good. Those girls can sing.

But then so can he - I was listening to New skin on the way home, and hi voice has improved with age - he went through a period when he was being a bit screechy - almost dylanesque, but now it's lower it is meltingly sexy.

jette · 18/07/2008 13:34

The O2 is horrible.
I have to admit that I was a leeetle disappointed - Suzanne was the only one that really really got to me (tears rolling down my cheeks - I'm also pregnant).. I'm really glad I went and I'm glad I finally saw him live - my mum is so jealous - and I love him so much but I think I maybe should have gone to Edinburgh or Manchester instead..

jette · 18/07/2008 13:35

Oh - and there was a fight AROUND me during Halelujah..

Original poster
cestlavie · 18/07/2008 13:54

A fight??? Bloody hell, wouldn't have expected that. Might you, a fair portion of the crowd looked like they were on their first trip outside the house in the last decade so maybe they were just over-excited.

No tears at A Thousand Kisses Deep jette?

OP posts:
donnie · 18/07/2008 13:56

so he's still alive then?

iMum · 18/07/2008 14:00

He had me in tears for lots of it actually! It was fab and am so pleased to have seen him live-he was such a legend, almost too much so, had resigned myself to never seeing him!

jette · 18/07/2008 14:17

Oooh yeah- definitely tears at A Thousand Kisses Deep.. In fact I'm crying now!
Who By Fire was beautiful too..

I'm glad he didn't play Famous Blue Raincoat (he didn't did he?! I'm having trouble remembering it all!) because it would have had a sax solo in the middle..

Monkeytrousers · 18/07/2008 14:19

he's bloody busy isn;t he?!

jette · 18/07/2008 14:22

Not busy enough! He should do a vegas-style residency somewhere small and nice so we all get to see him as many times as we like in an intimate venue.
Until he dies.

GentleOtter · 18/07/2008 15:01

He can do it in my living room jette

iMum · 18/07/2008 15:02

Can I come?

What about those ladies who kept yelling out "We love you Len"

Or was it you!!

Carmenere · 18/07/2008 15:03

Very at all of you, am listening to him now. I LOVE him, my parents used to listen to him in the 70's and I feel like he has been a big part of the sound-track to my life.

jette · 18/07/2008 15:15

I certainly wasn't yelling out! But I have to admit he looked pretty good for 70-odd.. Awww - I just love him so much!
Carmenere - perhaps you could consider the big chill or even somewhere in Europe? Blow the savings! Do it! You won't regret it!

Original poster
cestlavie · 18/07/2008 15:25

Well although it may very well be his last ever tour, he looked and sounded like he might actually have been enjoying it - didn't he skip off the stage at the end? Four encores, standing ovations and people weeping openly over him might just tempt him back into another tour (please, please, please). If not, perhaps we could have a whip-round and organise a one-off MN gig for him?

OP posts:
iMum · 18/07/2008 15:30

He was loving it! as were we all. I cant believe that Ive not made to effort to see him live before. Hope he does tour some more but realistically can it ever live up to last nights performance?

iMum · 18/07/2008 15:53

for all those who missed it, a review is [http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/music/gig-23387713-details/Leonard+Cohen/gigReview.do?reviewId=235176 74 here] and he is playing there again in November.

iMum · 18/07/2008 15:54

lets try that here

jette · 18/07/2008 15:56

What? What? Again in November??? Do you have details? I;m going to get a seat that doesn't give me vertigo this time..

iMum · 18/07/2008 15:57

November the 13th, it says so at the bottom of that review and also it was advertised last night too.

iMum · 18/07/2008 15:57

Would love to go but will be having a baby that week so might have to skip it.

jette · 18/07/2008 16:00

Bloody hell - in my excitement I FORGOT I was having a baby that week! Oh well, I got to see him before either of us died and that's good enough for me..