Review: Leonard Cohen

Photos by Chris Oberholtz/The Star

Like some upper-level graduate course, this show came with some prerequisites: You needed to know the music of Leonard Cohen, and the more intimately the better. You also needed to appreciate his singing voice, which, these days, comes from somewhere between Barry Whites' and a lighter shade of Darth Vader's. 

Monday night as the clock struck 8 p.m., Cohen skipped onto the stage of the Midland theater in the wake of the band of backup singers and musicians who nearly stole his own show from him. He would tip his hat a few dozen times and deliver 27 songs, a few dozen thank-yous, one hallelujah, a few droll wisecracks and a reading of one of his own poems that aroused one of the spine-tingliest moments of the year.

 
Cohen is 75, but he sang with equal sincerity and indifference about love and sodomy, war and transcendence, life and death. And for most of a show that lasted almost three hours (plus a 30 minute intermission), he kept his sold-out crowd enraptured. It was his first show ever in Kansas City; and many in the place were seeing someone they'd been listening to for decades and only dreamed of seeing live. He gave them plenty to rave about, including a six-song encore.

There is much to write about, starting with the performance of his outstanding band and background singers. All night they artfully colored, embroidered and adorned his songs and embellished his vocals, especially Javier Mas on bandurria, 12-string acoustic guitar (and others), Dino Soldo, on sax, clarinet (and others) and Neil Larsen on keyboards and Hammond B3 (his solo during "Hallelujah" was divine).

 
He brought a drummer, Rafael Gayol, but the way the sound was mixed, he was almost parenthetical -- way in the back, literally and figuratively, gently keeping time. The vocals, however, were another thing. The three singers to his right weren't exactly background singers; they were front and center and they carried equal weight for many songs. He gave them their own solo moments: Sharon Robinson on "Boogie Street," which gave the song an Everything But the Girl vibe; and the Webb sisters on "If It Be Your Will."

The mood all night was organic and loose -- not free-wheeling, but unbuttoned. At times the show took on a cabaret or Kurt Weill vibe.

The crowd made noise a few times, mostly when Cohen sang a line that resonated and prompted some whoops and applause, like "I was born with the gift of a golden voice," during "Tower of Song," "There's not much entertainment / And the critics are severe," during "Waiting for the Miracle," and "There is a crack in everything / that's how the light gets in," during "Anthem."

His audience remained in a suspended state of reverence and glee all night. He repaid them with humility, gratitude and humor. By night's end, he'd introduced his band at least twice and thanked his lighting director.

 
Before "Chelsea Hotel #2," he told a story about escaping to Miami 40 years ago: "I was taking a vacation from deep authenticity," he deadpanned. During "The Future," he altered the lyrics to "There'll be fires on the road / and white girls dancing." As he sang the line, the Webb sisters took a step back and executed perfect synchronized cartwheels. And during "Hallelujah," he added some local flavor to a lyric: "I didn't come to the Midland theater to fool you ..."

I suppose some moments were better than others, but this show was a lot like the Robert Plant/Alison Krauss "Raising Sand" show out at Starlight last year: relentless in how good it was. You could argue that the second (and longer) half was more powerful than the first, but that verges on hair-splitting and nit-picking.

One of the finer moments was Cohen's stunning recitation of "A Thousand Deep Kisses," which brought the house to a spell-bound silence as he delivered lines like: "I loved you when you opened / Like a lily to the heat / You see I’m just another snowman / Standing in the rain and sleet ..."

Many singers have covered his songs, but last night Cohen reclaimed all of them, including "Hallelujah," most of which he performed on his knees. He also took back "Suzanne" and during his gorgeous altered version of "Bird on the Wire," he sounded like a guy delivering the definitive cover version of his own song.

He gave us a new song, one that's (apparently) titled "The Other Blues Song" (or "Feels So Good"). It's a song about emerging from heartache, about feeling better about loving someone less. The crowd applauded several lines that everyone related to, especially: "I feel like they tore away my blindfold and said, 'We're gonna let this prisoner live' ..." 

You could say his best songs do the same thing: liberate his listeners by letting them perceive new truths, by unbinding blindfolds and letting in the light.

| Timothy Finn, The Star 

Setlist: Dance Me to the End of Love; The Future; Ain't No Cure for Love; Bird on the Wire; Everybody Knows; In My Secret Life; Who By Fire; Chelsea Hotel #2; Waiting for the Miracle; Anthem. Intermission. Tower of Song; Suzanne; Sisters of Mercy; The Gypsy's Wife; The Other Blues Song (Feels So Good); The Partisan; Boogie Street; Hallelujah; I'm Your Man; A Thousand Kisses Deep; Take This Waltz. Encores: So Long, Marianne; First We Take Manhattan; Famous Blue Raincoat; If It Be Your Will; Closing Time; I Tried to Leave You.

Comments

[lm]

it was an amazing show, i never thought i'd see him live. so lucky to have witnessed it. thank you for your review.

[Kristina]

Thank you Tim. As always you pegged the most shining moments of the evening.

[Penny]

I chose not to go to the show since I didn't really know his catalog of music. But I'm so glad it was a stellar evening for all my friends that were so looking forward to seeing him in concert. There's just nothing better in life than a satisfying night of music. Thanks Tim for the great review, as always...

[Sara]

Unbelievable show, so many great songs, and I agree with Tim that the musicians and singers with Leonard on the stage were a bonus with their talent. I would describe Leonard's voice as 'pure sex'.

[SlowDownKC]

Tim, a great review as always. And adapted from my post following your pre-concert article (I hadn't seen the review yet.) Leonard Cohen treated us to an amazing show last night at The Midland. His voice is just amazing (better with age, I think) and his band was top-notch in every respect. Yes, it was three hours and he covered most of his best work. He said "I don't know when we'll pass this way again, so we're going to give it all we've got." And he and his band certainly did! My wife said it was one of the best concerts she's ever attended. Our only disappointment was a minor one - that he didn't perform "Democracy." Now we regret not driving to Colorado this past summer to see him at Red Rocks. However, we're so glad he stopped in Kansas City. Mr. Cohen, you are welcome here anytime!

[blee226]

when the greatest artists perform, it's a much deeper form of art--some form of magic, almost. we were fortunate to see one of the masters last night and he did not disappoint. i was in tears for most of the first half of the concert, moved by the sheer beauty of the music and sublime poetry of the words. the incredible version of "if it be your will" by the webb sisters near the end was one of the loveliest musical moments i've ever heard in my long lifetime of listening to music. leonard's version of "the partisan" was also a wonderful surprise. i don't think a concert can get much better than this one was. it was a remarkable communal experience between and artist and his audience.

[Rick]

Leonard Cohen is the courtliest singer I've ever seen and the show was remarkable for how rigorous it stuck to script. Not one strand of hair was out of place and there was no gesture that wasn't studiedly calculated. The band all bowed at the same time. It seemed as if even their solos were note-for-note the same as the show before and the one upcoming.

Such a lack of spontaneity would stifle almost any other act, but we all know Leonard's not your normal 'rock' performer. Precision at this level works for him. I just hope as other singers come into their seventies, they won't try to emulate it.

[shea last]

the warmth and sincerity in his voice translates to the audience. Everyone feels that he is a friend and he addresses the crowd as "my friend". in a time when colbert's "truthiness" sums up what we usually get through the mass media, cohen's" truthfulness" heals
and nourishes our souls.

[BS]

I DON'T GET IT. I THOUGHT THE OLD GUY USED WAAAAAAY TOO MANY WORDS.
JUST MY OPINION.

[Hepcat]

BS is very funny or has an organic personal limitation.

Thanks Tim, I'm still suffering from the sucker punch of joy this performance left with me. One complaint, not with L.C. & Co., but with the Midland Theater's sound. It was fine from my seat in the center of the floor near the front, but my friends in the balcony say it was not well focused. The Midland owes their customers to fix these things. Some sound sampling followed with careful sound dampening would not be too expensive. I've also sat up there and was irritated by the dismal muddy sound. This show wasn't as bad, but please! When people are paying premium prices they deserve the best possible sound and don't even get me started on the floor seating arrangements. The old seats may not have been perfect, but at least I didn't have the persons next to me constantly rubbing me and I don't mean that in a good way. The seating is also not elevated enough to avoid having the view cut off by taller heads. But the show itself was one for the ages regardless of AMC's Midland Theater's physical limitations. It's still a gorgeous place. Last beef: Will someone invent a device to cancel the sound of obnoxious patrons who feel so inclined to bless us with their own sing-a-longs during the verse or parts of the songs that they are able to recognize? No matter how old they are, some people just don't get it and some people still can't handle their booze intake. Just some random ruminating from an old curmudgeon. Here's a toast to Leonard Cohen & his amazing band!

[snarky]

but wait, why didnt you give a break down of the demographics of those in attendance? and why do you feel obligated to include this at "certain shows" yet you skip it at "other shows"?

ps
for the record you could skip the demographics EVERYTIME

[Sara]

I wish that Tim had the IQ and EQ of everyone that attended the concert - it would be much more telling that any other demographic.

[Rebecca Gavin]

As always, the show was transcendent and, yes, life-changing. Not much I can add in that department. Just wanted to agree with previous post about the sound and seating. And I would add the quality of the lighting system. With all the money (well) spent on restoration, AMC must jump in the rest of the way and improve the essentials crucial to maximum enjoyment. The seating is a joke, with almost no gradation. High class acts require high class presentation. FIX IT!

[W C]

They say Leonard Cohen, like scotch, is an acquired taste. I say if you have Leonard Cohen, you don't need scotch.

[glory]

I should have known better than to read the review if I didn't go to the show. Obviously I missed an amazing, once-in-my-lifetime show. Beautifully written review, Finn.

[Mo]

Thanks Tim, I feel like I was there. I wish I HAD been there. Nice review.

[ptgkc]

For KC, this was a once in a lifetime event. Cohen is more poet than musician. If the surrounding players weren’t so good, I’d be tempted to say the music simply was there to support his brilliant vocal imagery. Yet, not only were they technically great, but they did not play for individual indulgence. In unison they added texture and embellishment. The Webb sisters in particular were restrained in their individual duets with Leonard. It wasn’t until he removed his hat, bowed his head, and gave them the spotlight for “If It Be Your Will”, did the audience truly hear how talented they were.

I can’t help but contrast Cohen to one of the other performers that could be called a poet, which is Dylan. While Dylan has created several very good records recently, his live performances have ranged from ragged and sloppy to a complete indifference for the audience. Cohen was humble, joyous, and grateful. The production, down to the lighting, was designed for mood and to accentuate the art (the growing brightness flooding the stage during the chorus of “Anthem”):

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.

I will also never forget his spoken word “One Thousand Kisses Deep” which had the audience transfixed.

Very nice review Tim.

[Ms Bunny]

I was torn about trying to afford it, and now regret that I didn't. But, I'm determined to catch him in another city. The DVD is wonderful, but still...Also, we should always remember, as L.C. would wish us to, that the quote about the crack in everything (that's how the light gets in) is from Jack Kornfeld--an amazing author and friend to L.C.