After a very long absence, Leonard’s finally back in Chicago
Thursday, May 7th, 2009
0h Jesus- where do I begin- where do I begin?
The ever so crafty Maestro returned to Chicago after 15/16 very long years to perform at the Chicago Theatre, the first of two sold out shows.. The concert was superb on so many levels:
- Leonard’s glorious deep baritone riveting and true as always
- Leonard’s backing band delivering every nuance with such sensitivity
- The simple, yet striking back-lit curtains, sometimes making you feel like you’re in a cathedral, just to name a few..
You’ve got to admire this man, at 74, having patience and conviction to sing his glorious songs with such panache… And wow- such eloquent stories to tell- along with occasionally a wry sense of humor- as is the case with the song “Everybody Knows” – halfway through the song, he’s singing “….everybody knows, everybody knows, that’s how it goes, everybody knows- the flu’s coming……” In my section,everyone’s busting out in laughter- and you can see a sly grin on Leonard’s face- not just about the joke- but that Leonard is confirming that his audience is paying attention to his lyrics- as if it is a test.
That he began each and every song on bended knee- praying down to the ground in reverence also says a lot- as if to ask for forgiveness for the dread that he must convey in the approaching song- slowly getting up each time, as if dusting himself off- to have the faith and courage to explain in lyric another complex relationship gone awry.
You can tell by his presence that he is a deeply humble man- I stood in amazement watching him countless times remove his hat, and stand raptured over every solo from his band- whether it be his back-up singers, or his fellow musicians…and talk about a backing band- Javier Mas, from Spain… a genius on the Laud- a complex spanish folk 12 string guitar which added extra nuance to Leonard’s songs at every turn…Neil Larsen- impeccable as always on his Hammond B-3…Roscoe Beck on Bass, both electric and acoustic upright- bringing the steady rhythm to this music- and also acting as bandleader.
During the end of the first set, Leonard introduced his band individually, removed his hat, and bowed his head to them, with patience and much appreciation. This simple gesture at every turn says an awful lot- and people can learn from this- that life, with all of its torments, upheavals, tension, is actually good…so embrace it.
As Leonard so eloquently sung at the end of the first set in the song “Anthem”: “Ring the bells that still can ring, forget your perfect offering, there is a crack, a crack in everyhting, that’s how the light gets in, that’s how the light gets in, that’s how the light gets in…
Man oh man- it feels good to be alive…Thank you Leonard Cohen…
The Lollapalooza lineup is finally out and its ridiculous, I would expect no less from this show.
The rumors are flying and some of the ones that come from credible sources like Greg Kot at the Chicago Tribune sure make me all warm and fuzzy. Mr. Kot mentions four acts in this article ( 