Backed by a nine piece band of virtuoso musicians, Leonard Cohen opened his three hour set with “Dance me to the end of Love”.
Radiating a surprising passion and energy the enigmatic poet seemed to be enjoying his time onstage and the unexpected adoration he has experienced on his latest tour. His gravelly voice a few octaves deeper than it was the last time he toured added an aged beauty and wisdom to his songs.
Apart from a little nimble dancing, Cohen sang with his eyes closed, head tilted skyward as if in prayer rather than song. Fitting, since his lyrics; laden with Christian imagery and love, are modern hymns for many of his fans. He didn’t say much throughout the performance and he really didn’t need to. When your songs carry as much weight as Cohen’s does there really isn’t much that needs to be said.
With a complete head of gray hair and all the outward signs of age he seemed spry and full of an energy that defied his 75 years. “It’s been fifteen years since I last was here,” quipped Cohen. “I was sixty then, just a kid with a crazy dream.”
The set list contained classic material like “Bird on a Wire”, “Suzanne”, “The Future” and ”I’m your Man” among many other vintage Cohen songs. His rendition of “Hallelujah”, complete with swirling Hammond organ in the background, was the best received and inspired a standing ovation of its own. This Cohen masterpiece has been covered by over 150 artists including Bono, Jeff Buckley and Willie Nelson, but no one can deliver its beautiful lyrics as well as the poet-master himself.
Garnering eighty 5-star reviews, Cohen’s tour has taken him to sold out shows across Canada, Europe and America. “It feels so good to be back in Canada,” said the Montreal native who has become Canada’s unofficial poet laureate to the love generation and beyond.
Since his release of Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967) which included such songs as “Suzanne,” “Sisters of Mercy,” and “So Long, Marianne”, Cohen has charted a unique course that has waxed and waned with the seasons. From critical acclaim, loves lost and gained to becoming an ordained Buddhist monk he has always stood aloof with an old world sense of dignity that has made him timeless and always relevant. “I’ve spent the last few years in an intensive study of the religions of the world, but cheerfulness kept breaking through,” deadpanned Cohen in his self-deprecating, wry sense of humour.
Cohen embarked on his latest venture partly because of financial difficulties resulting from the alleged embezzlement of his savings by his former manager. If that was the impetus for hitting the road again it seems Cohen is genuinely enjoying the ride.
Much like Johnny Cash in his later years people are drawn to him because he is important and his influence on our modern culture is undeniable. There is nobody like him and there never will be. His songs and poetry are a source of national pride and after all it may be the last time that he will perform them; at least with this much vigour. The last time he took to the stage was 15 years ago and at that rate he will be ninety by the time he heads out on tour again.
It didn’t matter that Cohen gave such a fine performance, he could have mumbled a few words and left the stage and the majority of the crowd would have been happy to pay the ticket price all the same. As the audience took to the exits after the fifth encore there was a sense of gratitude that lingered. We got to see Leonard Cohen one last time.
“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.
L.C.
