Month: November 2012

This week, Leonard took his ‘Old Ideas World Tour’ to Montreal, where he played two shows to the delight of his fans. Here’s what the Montreal press had to say:

Montreal Gazette: “Wednesday night’s superb performance, his first of two, was generously long, at almost three hours, and beautifully executed. The songs remain the star of the show. A stirring Who By Fire, the brilliant blues rocker Darkness, the reassuring Anthem, a deliriously received Tower of Song, a hushed and mesmerizing Suzanne, the ominous Waiting For the Miracle and a simply gorgeous Show Me the Place were among highlights too numerous to single out.”

Journal de Montreal: “Dans un décor sobre, uniquement composé d’un rideau en arrière-scène, celui qui a récolté des critiques dithyrambiques depuis le début de ce nouveau périple mondial, lancé au mois d’août, a tout de suite ensorcelé la foule avec sa profonde et magnifique voix.”

Here’s what the Vancouver press had to say about Leonard’s first Canadian show of the “Old Ideas World Tour” which took place November 12 at the Rogers Arena.

Vancouver Sun: “Close to three hours can seem like an eternity in some cases, but with Cohen the evening could’ve gone on forever, as comfortable as it was to be wrapped in his rapturous embrace… Cohen’s band was flat-out spectacular all around, flashy without being in-your-face, giving Cohen’s words the space they needed. And sometimes the pauses between the words carried as much weight as the lyrics themselves, the man exuding that old timeless kind of spellbinding cool that had the crowd entranced.”

Vancouver Province: “A standing ovation as the act hits the stage is rare…But when Leonard Cohen is coming across the stage to the microphone — sure, why not. Not only is the Montreal poet a national treasure, he is out touring a new album that happens to be one of the best of his storied career.”

Vancouver Province: “Opening the first night of the cross-Canada tour at Rogers Arena with “Dance Me to the End of Love,” the master and his nine-piece band were smoking.”

November 7, 2012 – Continuing to make some of the most vital music of his lengthy career, legendary singer/songwriter/poet Leonard Cohen recently inaugurated the North American leg of his “Old Ideas World Tour” with a stunning series of performances in the past week. Each night, Cohen’s performances have been met with thunderous applause, standing ovations and rave reviews:

“Cohen’s generosity was real — nearly 30 songs worth — and it confirmed his place as one of the most accomplished songwriters of the past four decades.” – Los Angeles Times, November 6, 2012
“And at the center of it all, the wordsmith ‘born with the gift of a golden voice,’ regaling us with seductive tales and wry observations…it was clear this performance had been something special.” – Orange County Register, November 6, 2012

“…he captivated, charmed and conquered a sold-out audience, hardly seeming to break a sweat in the process… It is hard to recall seeing a showman who is more considerate and gracious to his audience than Cohen.” – Daily Variety, November 6, 2012

“The iconic Canadian crooner played a show full of goose-bump moments…he kept a crowd mesmerized, weaving his way through decades of complex, dense and personal songs …it was absolutely breathtaking.” – MSN.com, November 5, 2012

“Jogging out on the stage of Bass Concert Hall wearing his trademark black suit and fedora, Cohen exuded a playful spirit from the start…through the emotional peaks and valleys of his deep and storied songbook…Cohen was in sharp command of his sturdy, smoky baritone for the entire show.” – Rolling Stone, November 1, 2012

“The set…was vital and full of energy. Cohen sprinted to the mic at the beginning of the evening, and skipped offstage at the end, and in between, delivered a reminder of everything that has made him the icon and legend that he is.” – MTVHive, November 1, 2012

“Seeing someone of Cohen’s stature continue to draw so much evident joy from sharing his art with an adoring audience restores a person’s faith in music.” – The Ft. Worth Star Telegram, November 2, 2012

“When [Cohen] finally delved into ‘Darkness’ from his fundamental new disc Old Ideas a half-hour into the evening, yesteryear’s nostalgia became today’s lifeblood.” – Austin Chronicle, November 1, 2012

“As he often does, Cohen treated his performance like an elegant night out at the supper club…All together, it felt like an event — like something that was truly special, near-mythical even.” – The Denver Post, November 5, 2012

Promoted by AEG Live and presented in Canada by CBCMUSIC.CA, the tour celebrates Cohen’s highly acclaimed twelfth studio album, Old Ideas, which debuted at #1 across the globe to make it the highest charting album of his career. Tickets for upcoming tour dates are on sale now.

“OLD IDEAS NORTH AMERICAN TOUR ITINERARY:
November 7 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
November 9 Seattle, WA Key Arena
November 11 Portland, OR Rose Garden
November 12 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
November 16 Calgary, AB Scotiabank Saddledome
November 18 Edmonton, AB Rexall Place
November 20 Saskatoon, SK Credit Union Centre
November 23 Chicago, IL Akoo Theatre
November 26 Detroit, MI Fox Theatre
November 28 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
November 29 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
December 2 Quebec City, QC Colisee Pepsi
December 4 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
December 5 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
December 7 Ottawa, ON Scotiabank Place
December 11 London, ON Budweiser Gardens
December 13 Kingston, ON K-Rock Centre
December 15 Boston, MA The Wang Theatre
December 16 Boston, MA The Wang Theatre
December 18 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
December 20 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center

About Leonard Cohen:
Leonard Cohen is a master songwriter, musician and poet whose stunning body of original work has touched the lives of millions. Citing W.B Yeats, Irving Layton and Walt Whitman as literary influences, Cohen first shot to the forefront of the music industry in the 60’s and has remained an inspirational talent and contributor to the industry since he first emerged. His albums Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967), I’m Your Man (1990) and Dear Heather (2004) are rightly considered classics along with the beautiful singles “Hallelujah” and “Suzanne.” He has sold over 20 million albums, worldwide and published 12 books. With a career spanning five decades, Leonard Cohen has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame (2008) and the Songwriters Hall Of Fame (2010), is a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient (2010), was awarded the Glenn Gould Prize (2011) and has earned Canada’s highest civilian honours – Officer of the Order of Canada (1991), Companion to the Order of Canada (2003) and Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec (2008).