Leonard Cohen Returns To Canada APRIL 17, 2009
Vancouver, BC will be the first to welcome Leonard Cohen as his tour 2009 tour brings him back to Canada for a performance at the GM Place on Sunday, April 10.Canadian fans are in for a treat, as the tour has been garnering rave reviews from critics everywhere. "Radiant rays of meaning and joy burst through like a flood demolishing a dam", says Ben Wener of the Orange County Register about Cohen's nostalic performance in Los Angeles on April 11, 2009. "That's what happens when you witness something so magical, so personally fulfilling".
But he'll be making one stop before he heads back to his home country. The 74-year-old singer-songwriter will be performing Friday, April 17 at the Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California, alongside Franz Ferdinand, Paul McCartney and others.
Leonard Cohen 'Live In London' Released Today MARCH 31, 2009
Today, Leonard Cohen released 'Live In London', a collection of 25 songs from his 2008 performance at London's O2 Arena, a concert that left 20 000 fans enchanted. Available on DVD or 2-CD set, 'Live In London' is Cohen's first concert collection since 2001's Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979, and takes us on a journey through Cohen's 40-year career. From "Suzanne" to "Dance Me To The End of Love" to "Hallelujah", 'Live in London' contains the songs that have earned Cohen the legendary reputation that he has today.
Having only been released earlier today, 'Live In London' has already been met with a passionate response. It is the Toronto Star's Pick of the Week and has received an impressive 3.5 out of 4 stars from Greg Quill, who calls Live In London "a timeless and priceless portrait of the artist as an older man, and better than ever".
The collection serves as "a reminder that Cohen is as gifted a performer as he is a songwriter", says Jason Adams at Entertainment Weekly, who gave the DVD an A-.
His 2008 world tour was a landmark in not only his career but music history. His first in 15 years, the tour sold 700, 000 tickets worldwide and received over 80 five-star reviews. It "has yielded one of the finest live albums to come our way in a long while", according to Adrien Bergrand of Pop Matters, who also calls 'Live in London' "spellbinding, seductive [and] pristine".
'Live in London' Available For Pre-order on iTunes Now MARCH 27, 2009
'Live In London' is now available for pre-order at iTunes. Read The Independent's 5-star review of the album here.
More Tour Dates MARCH 2, 2009
By overwhelming demand, a 2nd & final show has been added to the following cities:
Austin - April 1 @ Michael and Susan Dell Hall at Long Center
Oakland - April 14 @ Paramount Theatre
Chicago - May 6 @ Chicago Theatre
Boston - Saturday, May 30 @ Wang Theatre
Please check the tour section for details.
North American Tour Announced - First US Dates in 15 Years FEBRUARY 20, 2009
As Leonard Cohen took to the historic Beacon Theatre stage Thursday in New York for his first stateside performance in fifteen years, AEG Live announced a run of North American engagements including dates throughout Canada and a sunset performance at the Coachella Festival in Indio, California. Tickets go on sale to the Canadian public beginning March 2, 2009. CBC Radio 2 is the Canadian broadcast presenter of the Leonard Cohen World Tour 2009.
The North American engagements will extend the phenomenal series of performances Mr. Cohen performed recently in the UK, Europe, Australia and Canada. The performances have been overwhelmingly received abroad, with over 80 five star reviews. As the London Daily Telegraph plainly stated, it is "an extraordinary night of music."
As he has been throughout his most recent tour, Mr. Cohen will be joined by Sharon Robinson and the Webb Sisters - who have wowed crowds around the world with their rich and complementary background vocals. Also joining Mr. Cohen on stage are Roscoe Beck (bass, vocals), Neil Larsen (keyboards & Hammond B3 accordion), Bob Metzger (electric, acoustic & pedal steel guitar), Javier Mas (bandurria, laud, archilaud, 12 string acoustic guitar), Rafael Gayol (drums, percussion), Dino Soldo (sax, clarinet, dobro, keys).
Members of Best Buy Canada's Reward Zone loyalty program will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to select Canadian concert dates three days before they go on sale to the general public. For full details go to: www.bestbuyrewardzone.ca.
American Express® Cardmembers will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to all Canadian concert dates via Front Of The Line® before the general public. For full details go to: www.americanexpress.ca/frontoftheline.
Sony Music Entertainment Canada has previously announced that, on March 31, 2009, they will release Leonard Cohen's Live In London, a musical chronicle of the legendary singer-songwriter-musician-poet's historic July, 17, 2008 concert at London's O2 arena.
'Live In London' In Stores March 31 - Pre-Order It Now! FEBRUARY 13, 2009
Sony Music Entertainment/Columbia Records is proud to announce the release of Leonard Cohen's Live In London, a musical chronicle of the legendary singer-songwriter-musician-painter-poet's historic 2008 concert -- available as either a DVD or 2 CD set -- on Tuesday, March 31, 2009. Beginning today, Friday, February 13, Leonard Cohen's 'Live In London' is available to U.S. residents for pre-order on www.amazon.com. Additionally, Cohen's performance of "Suzanne," culled from 'Live In London', is now streaming exclusively on the site. Click here for both!
Recorded live on July 17, 2008 at London's 02 Arena, one of Europe's largest indoor venues, during Cohen's phenomenal 2008 World Tour, Live In London offers definitive performances of classic songs drawn from the artist's 40-year repertory.
With his 2008 World Tour selling more than 700,000 tickets across 84 shows worldwide, Leonard Cohen is coming to New York City's Beacon Theatre on February 19 to perform his first U.S. concert in 15 years.
Leonard Cohen's first newly recorded release since 2004's gold-certified Dear Heather, the Live In London collection fully captures and recreates the extraordinary show that earned Cohen, who celebrated his 40th year as a Columbia Records artist in 2007, more than 80 five-star reviews for performances during his fall 2008 UK and European tour.
Leonard Cohen's return to live performance in Canada and Europe was met with extraordinary and unanimous accolades throughout 2008:
"Cohen poured everything he had into a stunning performance." - Rolling Stone, June 9, 2008
"Cohen's master class will become Irish concert lore.... Quite simply, it doesn't get much better than this." - The Independent (Ireland), June 16, 2008
"The mood in the hall was adulatory.... This show is one for the ages." - The National Post (Canada), June 7, 2008
"An epic concert for an ecstatic audience." - Macleans (Canada), June 2008
"Cohen didn't just present the songs that made him famous - he brought them to life, animating his well-tuned verses with wit and passion and presence." - Toronto Globe and Mail, June 9, 2008
"Charming, funny, poignant, smart, sharp and sexy.... Leonard Cohen was our man" - Toronto Sun, June 7, 2008
"When legend Cohen takes to the stage, it's no less than a cultural event of Biblical dimensions" - The Independent (Ireland), June 15, 2008
"Leonard Cohen's first show in Britain in 15 years is immaculate, beautiful, exquisite." - Daily Telegraph, London, June 18, 2008
"Leonard Cohen is the coolest dude on the planet, bar none." - Sunday Tribune (Ireland), June 22, 2008
"Here is a performer who reigns supreme in his ability to illuminate the spiritual, the political and the personal with passion, insight and wit." - Birmingham Mail (England), August 4, 2008
The first Leonard Cohen concert collection to be released since 2001's Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979, Live In London includes the songs:
Disc 1 -
1. Dance Me To The End Of Love
2. The Future
3. Ain't No Cure For Love
4. Bird On The Wire
5. Everybody Knows
6. In My Secret Life
7. Who By Fire
8. Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye
9. Anthem
10. Introduction
11. Tower Of Song
12. Suzanne
13. The Gypsy's Wife
Disc 2 -
1. Boogie Street
2. Hallelujah
3. Democracy
4. I'm Your Man
5. Recitation w/ N.L.
6. Take This Waltz
7. So Long, Marianne
8. First We Take Manhattan
9. Sisters Of Mercy
10. If It Be Your Will
11. Closing Time
12. I Tried To Leave You
13. Wither Thou Goest
First US Show In Fifteen Years! JANUARY 15, 2009
PERFORMANCE AT NEW YORK CITY'S BEACON THEATRE ON FEB 19 BRINGS COHEN'S HIGHLY CELEBRATED INTERNATIONAL TOUR TO U.S.
For the first time since 1993, Leonard Cohen will perform in the U.S. on February 19th at The Beacon Theatre in New York City. For one night at the 2,800 seat venue, Leonard Cohen will perform the show that earned more than 80 five-star reviews during his fall 2008 UK tour.
The poet, singer/songwriter and novelist's intense and complex explorations of interpersonal, romantic and political themes have resulted in a life's work that has impacted countless contemporary recording artists and writers.
Throughout 2008, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee's return to live performance in Canada and Europe has been met with extraordinary and unanimous accolades. Cohen is currently performing limited engagements in Australia and New Zealand.
"A unique, soul-stirring event, surely destined to be remembered as one of the great shows of the year" - Manchester Evening News
"To hear him sing is still an experience to truly make young women and romantics shiver and sweat" "spectacularly good" - Independent, London, UK
"An extraordinary night of music" - Daily Telegraph, London, UK
"Leonard Cohen is special and this concert, all two and a half hours of it, was unforgettable" - Daily Express
"Quite simply Leonard Cohen's voice is a force of supernature." - BBC 6
Leonard Cohen's Toronto Shows Receive Smashing Reviews JUNE 24, 2008
It had been 15 years since the last time Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen hit the stage, but the wait, it seems, was well worth it. Described by the Toronto Star as "breathtaking", Cohen played 4 packed shows in Toronto as an official kick off to a tour to his 2008 tour.
Cohen, who many consider to be one of the most influential songwriters and poets of all time, received impressive reviews across the board. Rolling Stone summed up his third night in Toronto by saying "Cohen poured everything he had into a stunning performance."
"For over 2 1/2 hours on Friday night at the Sony Centre," wrote the Toronto Sun, "Leonard Cohen was our man... The Montreal poet-singer-songwriter easily seduced a sold-out crowd during the first of four back-to-back shows."
He is currently performing at the Montreal Jazz Festival through to June 25th, and then visits Europe for 19 mostly sold out shows. Visit his official site for tour dates and information.
First Tour in 15 Years! MARCH 11, 2008
Immediately following his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 10, 2008, Leonard Cohen announced his world tour, marking a return to the live arena after 15 years. He is scheduled to open in Toronto on June 6 and 7, the city that gave birth to his career as a recording and literary artist, followed by dates in Europe for the remainder of June, July, August and early September.
Cohen is arguably the greatest singer songwriter of modern times. At his induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, he was recognized by Lou Reed as, "Without question one of the most important and influential songwriters of our time, a figure whose body of work achieves greater mystery and depth as time goes one." Among those inducted with Cohen were Madonna, John Mellencamp The Dave Clark Five, and the Ventures.
His songs have been famously covered by the great and the good, each version a fascinating attempt to move closer to Cohen's enigmatic muse. From Judy Collins' "Suzanne" to Jeff Buckley's seminal rendition of "Hallelujah," Cohen's songs have traveled as far and wide as their author. U2, REM, Sting, Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright and the late Johnny Cash are among other famous devotees. It is estimated that his songbook has been covered over 1,330 times by other recording artists.
In 2008, Cohen's live tour will be as varied as his influence. He plays the UK's legendary Glastonbury Festival on June 29, for 150,000 fans. The Montreux Jazz Festival and Spain's Bennicasim are also stand out dates among arena shows at the O2 in London and more intimate dates such as Toronto's Sony Centre and the Manchester's Opera House in the UK. Rob Hallett from AEG Live said, "For many this tour will be the once in a lifetime opportunity to see the legend that is Leonard Cohen. We as a company are honored to bring this long rumored tour to reality across the globe."
In all, the tour will take in fans from intimate theatres to rock festivals proving the remarkable reach of Cohen's words and music across nations and generations. He will be joined by world renowned musicians: Roscoe Beck (bass & vocals, music director) Neil Larsen (keyboard, accordion, brass instruments), Bob Metzger (guitar, steel guitar & vocals), Javier Mas (acoustic guitar, oud & misc. string instruments), Christine Wu (violin, viola, cello & keyboard), Rafael Gayol (drums & percussion) and Dino Soldo (keyboard, saxophone, wind instruments & vocals).
Cohen has been a SONY/BMG recording artist for his entire career. He continues as an active songwriter with much anticipated new work that is planned for release later this year.
Cohen is beyond comparison and a true original, providing some of music and literature's most illuminating writing on love, sex, death and religion.
This is a world tour of epic proportions, but it is something even more than that. Leonard Cohen's eagerly anticipated return to the stage after all these years is nothing short of musical history in the making.
Leonard Cohen's up-to-date World Tour Itinerary can be seen under the Tour section of his Official Website.
Leonard Cohen Inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame DECEMBER 14, 2007
Decades of incomparable poetic and musical brilliance have finally brought Leonard Cohen into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!
Other inductees for the new year are: The Dave Clark Five, Madonna, John Mellencamp and The Ventures. Cohen shares the honour with a myriad of other globally influential artists who have made an impact on rock n' roll.
Cohen will be featured in the Museum's Hall of Fame exhibit where a collection of all his songs will be included in the computerized "jukebox". He will be honoured at the twenty-third annual induction ceremony on March 10, 2008 in New York City at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
