| About 4 years ago I was scanning my twitter timeline and I noticed someone posted a picture from a Leonard Cohen concert that night in Montreal. What?!? I hadn't heard anything about it and my heart sank. After a frantic search I found out he was playing the next night and I bought myself a ticket. I went by myself, which is unusual for me when it comes to concerts. He played for 3 hours and needless to say, it was incredible. During "Suzanne", the room (a hockey arena) was completely dark except for a spotlight shining up from below casting a giant shadow behind him. Combined with such a haunting song it made for one of the most beautiful musical experiences of my life. Here's a recording of that performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3pcPK4eXHQ That turned out to be the last time he played here and I'm so thankful to have gotten a chance to hear him play his songs. Way too many great lines to quote, but these ones comfort me:
"But you'll be hearing from me baby, long after I'm gone
I'll be speaking to you sweetly from a window in the Tower of Song" EDIT: I found a video from a different concert that gives a better idea of what it looked like, though the link above is a better performance imo, + much better audio:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emgt62vls3o (also love the single comment, which I ran through google translate: "What is still the magic of this man? I am not a sentimental dragon, but it goes straight to the heart.") |
I think that what got me from the concert (which I saw in Chicago) was when he dropped to his knees to sing. What a privilege it was to see such a giant perform.