Live In London
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Movie Reviews of Live In London
Movie Review: The Lieder of Leonard
Summary: 5 Stars
He jogs up the stairs to join the ensemble. Looking dapper & groomed in their suits, they are ready & eager to unleash Leonard's Lieder in this unusually vast 02 chamber. Even the lovely female vocalists are formally attired, setting a splendid visual standard for a night of a thousand harmonies. Everything about this extraordinary DVD impresses. There's the breathtaking cinematography, the expert & seamless editing that strikes a perfect balance between shots of Lenny, the musicians, the instruments as they are being played, the graceful backing singers and the appreciative audience.
The lighting too, meets the mood of the music as it bathes the stage in blue, green, red, royal purple or golden brown. Instruments like the banduria and archilaud add new dimensions to the sound whilst the instrumental & vocal arrangements refresh and rejuvenate old songs. The angelic voices of Sharon Robinson & the Webb Sisters caress the lyrics throughout but with particularly arresting effect on Aint No Cure For Love, In My Secret Life, Anthem, Closing Time & Hallelujah.
On the solemn Who By Fire the camera perfectly complements the sounds of the archilaud, keyboards, stand-up bass and - most impressively - the sitar as Hattie Webb plucks the strings. The same happens with the harmonica on Hey That's No Way To Say Goodbye. What's more, the audience resonates with LC's every word between songs, whether it be witty or just wonderful. He wisely chooses wit when introducing the disturbing or apocalyptic ones like The Future and Everybody Knows. The first part of the concert concludes with Anthem, a sublime collision of sound & vision with a lengthy outro in which Leonard acknowledges the individual musicians. He does that often throughout the performance.
The proceedings resume with a good laugh or two whereupon Leonard humbly thanks the audience for keeping his songs alive down the years. Ecstatic applause erupts as he sings the ironic line "born with the gift of a golden voice" in Tower of Song. Then the stage darkens for a melancholy Suzanne before a long banduria solo introduces The Gypsy's Wife on which he plays guitar. Next, Sharon Robinson brings soul to Boogie Street by singing lead. The studio recording of Hallelujah sounds like a demo compared to this version which flows, moves and embraces the listener within its exquisitely woven textures.
Leonard recites some stanzas of Democracy before the ensemble renders it in a robust and rhythmic way; A Thousand Kisses Deep is recited in full with only keyboard backing. The stage comes alive for Take This Waltz as he interacts with the musicians before settling into a duet with the blonde Webb Sister that becomes an audiovisual delight. The upbeat mood lasts through a rousing rendition of So Long Marianne; it is abruptly displaced by the subdued resignation of Sisters of Mercy which is however, simultaneously tender and reassuring.
For the third time, Leonard recites - the first few lines of If It Be Your Will. Then he hands the prayer to the Webb Sisters who accompany themselves on harp and guitar for a supra-numinous performance. From the divine to the irreverent, the pace picks up for the buoyant Closing Time as the singers sway and the music swirls to the catchy tune. At the end, all the musicians join voices on the comforting conclusion Whither Thou Goest. July 17, 2008 was clearly a night to remember for those present. Fortunately, enough of the magic is captured here to make one watch this DVD over and over again. The booklet contains a gig review by John Aizlewood, plenty of full-color photographs, the track listing and credits. All the lyrics are available on the Disc itself.
Movie Review: Beautiful, Sublime...Pure Grace
Summary: 5 Stars
I swore I would not open this DVD until after seeing L. Cohen in Oakland the Monday after next. But I'm so glad I broke my vow.
This is one of the most wonderful concerts I've ever seen captured on DVD.
The band and Leonard's singers are top-notch, and one senses that they feel as though they are a part of something special.
The songs span nearly 40 years of a canon that is second to none.
Most amazing of all,though, is how a digital disc can cut through its own technology and exude so much warmth and passion. Even when the camera shows a close shot of Cohen, one can still sense the warmth, love and admiration coming from the ecstatic London audience.
As for Leonard Cohen...if he were to do nothing but sing, that would be enough given the wonderful breadth of material performed at this concert.
However, his gentle and gracious command of the stage provides this show an added depth and dimension. Within the span of minutes he can be hilarious, self-deprecating, humble, poignant, appreciative...and I could easily go on with the superlatives to describe his on-stage demeanor.
Very often I make a point of remembering to trust the art and not the artist. In the case of Leonard Cohen, I tend to trust both. His warmth seems genuine. Unlike so many of his stature, his humility comes across as real. His spoken words are every bit as powerful as those that are sung. Given the way that the barriers are broken down between the singer and the band and the audience...to the point where it feels as though they are all part of one celebratory evening...such humility, graciousness and warmth cannot be anything but genuine.
The highlights are too many to mention: "Suzanne" sounds as fresh as it did 40 years ago. "Anthem" sounds more urgent today than when it was first penned. "The Future" & "First We Take Manahattan" are even more biting now in the 21st Century than when they were first penned. Cohen's increased age gives songs such as "Boogie Street," "Tower of Song," & "Democracy" a world weariness that makes these songs all the more penetrating. His lovely "If It Be Your Will" sounds as much like a prayer as it does one of the loveliest songs ever written. If I don't stop now, I'll wind up writing accolades about every song on this DVD. Yes, it is that wonderful!
I've been fortunate to see so many of the greats in my lifetime - legends whose works will be remembered for decades to come. Some have been surly and stand-offish. Others have been appreciative and welcoming toward their audience.
It is refreshing to see the best of everything embodied in this Leonard Cohen concert. Songs that are amongst the best ever written, still performed with a passion (as well as with the added wisdom that comes from Cohen being 74 years young), with a band & audience & singer all equally committed to one another.
There are moments when I laughed out loud at Leonard's deadpan, wry humor. There were times when tears welled in my eyes from the sincerity of the words that came out of his mouth, either spoken or in song.
In a day and age where so much seems packaged and perfunctionary, it is refreshing to see & hear someone such as Cohen whose observations can warm the heart or cut like a knife to get to the heart of a matter. He is the real deal. No airs, no faux modesty...just a man with four decades' worth of majestic material, with an excellent band whose respect for Cohen is reciprocated by their singer with his respect for their talents & abilities, along with a genuine warmth & sense of humanity that allows Leonard Cohen to turn a large London venue into a setting that is as intimate as being in one's living room.
Without a doubt, one of the finest, most moving and most satisfying concert DVDs I've ever seen.
I'm glad that I opened this prior to April 13. Seeing this makes me look forward to seeing Cohen in a small Oakland theater even more so than I already was.
However, had I not been fortunate enough to have gotten a ticket for his upcoming concert, I have to say that this DVD would have been a more than fine consolation. It is worth every cent. The staging, lighting, musicianship, song selection and sound are painstakingly stellar, obviously given great care & much thought.
This is a true gem, a most worthy representation of one of the greatest songwriters of our time.
Movie Review: We're Honored to Play For You Tonight
Summary: 5 Stars
So says the master minstrel and bard, humble and clearly enjoying himself at age 73 as he stands before a crowd of thousands at the O2 arena in London.
What follows demonstrates that these are not idle words - the ensuing three hours of exquisite music, poetry and song achieves a level of excellence that evidences a deep and abiding respect for the audience.
Unfortunately the same can't be said for the production of the concert DVD.
Unimaginative cinematography, the inexplicable selection of a 4:3 aspect ratio, and average sound quality detract from a musical event of uncommon excellence.
Cohen's work needs no introduction. His range as represented in the songs of this concert is remarkable. Alternately his is the voice of the prophet, the muse, the lecher, the lover, the poet, the madman and the priest. For this show he chose an eclectic retrospective including master performances of some less well-known works such as Who by Fire, The Gypsy's Wife, and If It Be Your Will. These stand alongside the greats such as Suzanne, Halleluiah, So Long Marianne, The Future, and I'm Your Man.
To help deliver this rarified material, Cohen has assembled an amazing band. The level of musicianship is beyond any I have ever experienced in a concert of popular music. Not exactly what one would tend to anticipate from a Leonard Cohen show.
How the show comes to a conclusion provides a glimpse as to what I am talking about.
After apparently getting ready to leave with a raunchy rendition of "Closing Time" the band breaks into "I Tried to Leave You". This closes out the show on a memorable note with each band member doing a solo and being introduced for the umpteenth time by Cohen.
Bob Metzger starts it off, coaxing a medley of mellifluous notes from his maple wood Telecaster.
Dino Soldo follows, putting down the mouth harp (just how many instruments does this guy play?) and lighting into a dusky moan of deep desire on the sax.
Then comes Neil Larson commanding the Hammond B3 with an authority akin to that of E. Power Biggs at the pedals of a giant pipe organ in some monstrous gothic cathedral.
Next is Sharon Robinson singing with a voice so sultry as to appear to tremble with an uncontrolled and not to be satisfied longing.
The fingers of Javier Mas fly over the strings of the archilaud with an abandon reminiscent of Zorba the Greek losing himself in dance.
And then the sublime Webb sisters (as Cohen constantly refers to them) warble and pant together in an almost ravenous and hungry harmony.
They are followed by musical director (if he directed this music he is an absolute genius) Roscoe Beck as he hits all the highest registers on the five string bass eliciting a series of sounds like nothing you've ever heard produced by this instrument before.
To top it all off, Rafael Bernardo Gayol unleashes a drum solo of tightly coiled and precisely controlled fury.
And Cohen sings "Good night my darling, I hope you're satisfied. The bed is kind of narrow, but my arms are opened wide. Yes and here's a man he's still working for your smile".
The crowd goes berserk.
It's an incredible show - one that merits five stars plus, in spite of the technical shortcomings of the DVD production.
Movie Review: You must buy this!
Summary: 5 Stars
Last week I realized that Leonard Cohen is going to perform in Philadelphia next month. I am not living there, but it would be in a distance one could realistically travel to. So I went to a fansite and searched around for more info, eventually I found links to ticket sellers and online dealers etc.
Ha! Prices between 129 $ and 249 $ per ticket?!
Who could afford that?
Well, maybe people from New York or California, but avarage middle-class people from a low-income state with an average income certainly cannot. So what now?
I got this DVD instead.
And it is great.
And guess what, it was on sale for 16.99$.
A concert of two and a half hours length!
I watched it yesterday and I must say, this is really a great deal, definately worth more than it costs. I am fascinated by this graceful old man, this wise poet, who is so humble and modest on the stage, and so great.
He keeps introducing the band by their names, which I liked a lot. This reminds you that the show is a team effort, not just one guy with some anonymous dudes in the back. No, the three singers and and the musicians are really very good, and they absolutely deserve to be announced by their names!
This reminded me of a singer I once knew. She always makes a point that she (and nobody else, just she, and she alone!) is the leadsinger of a certain group. She performs with 2 background singers, and they used to start every concert with a song that featured all three of them individually in a separate solo verse. One of the backing singers regularly got bigger applause for her solo than Madame.
What do you think happened? Yes, right, that song was changed, and no solo verses have been sung ever again but by herself. That was in 1991 or so, and they still start with the same song, but never again with solo verses in any song. Nobody can get more applause than Madame herself! So there!
When I watched this Cohen concert yesterday, I was impressed how gracefully and generously this man pointed out the huge talents of his musicians. Not once but like eleven times during the 125 minutes of the concert! Yes, he can share the light, and he clearly was not jealous that also the musicians and the singers received applause they deserved.
I am still in awe of this poet.
If you can afford to see him in concert, absolutely go for it!
If you are like me, middle-class in a low-income state, and 2 concert tickets would cost the monetary equivalent of 5-8 days of work - then get this DVD!
Really!
I mean it!
Even in case it is no longer on sale when you read this.
Buy this and be happy and enjoy a wonderful concert.
Movie Review: A beautiful film of what might be Leonard Cohen's final tour
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm sure that most people know the story. Leonard Cohen was retired and living in a monastery only to learn that he had no money through the machinations of his business manager. So out of the monastery and onto the road to restore his finances. I'm sorry for Leonard Cohen that he was forced to do something that he preferred not to, but I would be lying if I said that I wasn't delighted that he went out on one long, perhaps final tour. I got the CD version of this concert a day or so after it was released, but for some reason until now I did not get around to seeing the DVD version. Musically there were no great revelations. I already knew these performances very, very well. But nonetheless it was delightful to see Cohen onstage. On the album he sounded so amazingly charming; on the DVD he was if anything even more charming. The one real surprise was seeing precisely how fragile he looked. Not ill or sick or even especially old, just smaller and more fragile than I anticipated.
There is a great moment in one of the original Beavis and Butthead cartoons. They are watching a Johnny Cash video when one of them, I forget who, says, "Old people are cool." I hope to god when I'm Leonard Cohen's age that I'm even a twentieth as cool as he is. Both in this performance and in hearing him interviewed on Fresh Air with Terry Gross I was struck by how at peace he seems. He seems to be a man with few regrets and if bitter about having to come out of retirement, he certainly doesn't show it. As someone who is aging more than I'd like, I can really appreciate some of his best songs about growing older. "I ache in the places where I used to play." Trust me, I get that line.
The sound was good on this DVD, but I somewhat regret that the picture was 4:3 resolution instead of widescreen. But those are minor complaints. This is a wonderful record of one of the greatest songwriters of the past half century. Cohen hasn't been as prolific as Bob Dylan, and he hasn't written as many great songs as Bob (thoug, who has?), but his very best songs can withstand comparison with the very best songs of anyone. And if the tour he is currently wrapping up truly is his final one, at least we have this DVD and the CD soundtrack to remember him by. But who knows. Perhaps he will decide he had so much fun that he'll go back on the road to celebrate turning eighty. If not, we love you Leonard!