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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).

Last night Leonard Cohen was honoured with yet another award for his latest record “Old Ideas,” earning the title “Anglophone Album of The Year” at the l’Autre Gala de l’ADISQ at Théâtre St-Denis in Montréal.

Leonard was also nominated for “Quebec Artist Most Popular Outside Quebec” at the annual awards ceremony, which honours the Quebec music industry.

Released in January ealier this year, “Old ideas” has already received many worldwide accolades, make sure to give it a listen
here.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Leonard Cohen’s two shows at Hop Farm, Kent on 8 and 9 September will no longer be taking place at that venue. However, Cohen will now be performing at a new London venue on the same dates.

Cohen will still bring his much anticipated Old Ideas World tour to the UK with the scheduled shows now taking place in the fully seated and historic Wembley Arena on 8 and 9 September.

Ticketholders for the Hop Farm concerts should contact their point of sale for refund/new ticket issue. Such Ticketholders will also be invited to an exclusive pre-sale to purchase tickets for the new Wembley Arena dates and to have first access to the best seats in the house.

Musician, Poet, Novelist and arguably one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time, Leonard Cohen has returned to the world stage! Don’t miss the magnetic and inimitable Leonard Cohen as he plays London with the most emotive, poignant and legendary concerts not to be missed.

Leonard Cohen’s Old Ideas World Tour opened in Ghent, Belgium with five sold-out shows and reviews that were even more superlative than for his previous world tour. Nieuwsblad declared “Leonard Cohen steals all hearts in Ghent…a sultry, musically great evening” while De Standaard stated that “Cohen kept the audience effortlessly captivated with new songs from his new album, and many classics… He is a category and class apart.” La Presse hailed “The concert…Impeccable. Generous. Sometimes moving… His concert is a rare depth, away from the din and the ephemeral of the modern world.” Luxemburger Wort recounted “A rare concert and perfect in every way… Exceptional sound quality at the site can detect the notes of every instrumentalist.” Finally, De Telegraaf concluded “We were moved to tears…The man is the embodiment of enchantment.”

Leonard Cohen’s ‘Old Ideas‘ has been selected to the Polaris Music Prize Long List.

The Long List consists of the top 40 titles as selected by the Polaris jury. The announcement was made today (June 14th) at The Waldorf Hotel in Vancouver, BC. See the full Long List here.

The Polaris Music Prize is a not-for-profit organization that honours, celebrates and rewards creativity and diversity in Canadian recorded music. Polaris recognizes and markets albums of the highest artistic integrity, without regard to musical genre, professional affiliation, or sales history.

Learn more at polarismusicprize.ca.

Honouring Ninth Prize Laureate, Leonard Cohen, The Glenn Gould Foundation has programmed a series of free events starting Monday, May 7, 2012 in Toronto including a display of Mr. Cohen’s own artwork, street performances, screenings and more. Click here to for full event listings and more information.

• Artworks (May 7-19) – 40 pieces of Leonard Cohen’s visual art on exhibit at Allen Lambert Galleria, Brookfield Place
• Street Tribute! The Glenn Gould Prize Salutes Leonard Cohen (May 11-12) – Musicians take to the streets to play Leonard Cohen’s music all over downtown Toronto
• Make This Waltz (May 11) – Aspiring singer/songwriters from Dixon Hall and Sketch music programs work with mentors from the Songwriters Association of Canada with a special Bluebird North concert (Private Event)
• The Three Lennys (May 12) – The Toronto Jewish Film Festival special feature of three Leonard Cohen films at Bloor Cinema

These free event celebrations culminate with The Glenn Gould Prize Gala Dinner at Arcadian Court followed by the Gala Concert in Honour of Leonard Cohen at Massey Hall on Monday, May 14, 2012.


The Tribute Concert is hosted by Colm Feore and features musical performances by Basia Bulat, Adam Cohen, Cowboy Junkies, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, James McMurtry, Gordon Pinsent with Greg Keelor and Travis Good, John Prine, Serena Ryder, and Anjani Thomas. Special guest speakers The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Alan Rickman, Michael Ondaatje, and Melissa Auf der Maur.



Mr. Cohen will be present to receive his award at this ceremony and is attending the Gala Dinner at Arcadian Court.



Purchase VIP Gala Dinner & Concert tickets online until Monday, May 7 vipgouldprize.eventbrite.com

Tickets for Canadian Dates Go On Sale Starting May 11 and
U.S. Dates Go On Sale Starting May 18

May 3, 2012 – Legendary singer/songwriter/poet Leonard Cohen will be gracing stages throughout the U.S. and Canada with a new live show, beginning October 31st in Austin, TX. The North American leg of Cohen’s “Old Ideas World Tour 2012” follows on the heels of his previously announced European concert dates. The tour, promoted by AEG Live and presented in Canada by CBCMUSIC.CA, celebrates Cohen’s highly acclaimed twelfth studio album, Old Ideas. The album debuted at #1 across the globe, making it the highest charting album of his career. Tickets for the Canadian tour dates will go on sale starting Friday, May 11th and U.S. dates will go on sale starting Friday, May 18th. For updated tour information visit www.LeonardCohen.com.

The “Old Ideas World Tour 2012” follows Cohen’s triumphant 2008-2010 world tour – his first in 15 years — which was met with overwhelming praise. The New York Times reported that “Mr. Cohen sang these words with a kind of gracious generosity…awash in wild applause,” while The San Jose Mercury News reported “The show underscored what his fans already know: Leonard Cohen is one of the greatest singer-songwriters in the history of popular music.” The Victoria Times Colonist reported that Cohen received “an automatic standing ovation at what was clearly the Church of Leonard.” The Vancouver Sun called the show “nothing short of a religious experience” and the Toronto Sun declared Leonard Cohen “Charming, funny, poignant, smart, sharp, sexy… he is still a ladykiller.”

In his sixth decade of producing critically acclaimed music, Leonard Cohen is arguably one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time. Old Ideas, released on January 31, 2012 by Columbia Records, has earned worldwide accolades for its highly acclaimed collection of new songs. USA Today raves that “Old Ideas is the work of a master craftsman,” while Rolling Stone gave the album 4 ½ stars. TIME Magazine states, “Listeners have been relying on Cohen’s heartbroken yet grinning, world-weary yet hopeful voice to get through that night for decades, and this album should continue that for a whole new batch of souls.” Newsday hails Old Ideas as “GRADE A… Stunningly simple, incredibly deep and destined to be a classic.” The Telegraph (UK) reports that “Old Ideas is an unexpected and precious gift of new gems from an old master,” and The Irish Times exclaimed that “The more you play it the better it gets.” The Times (South Africa) commended it as “an album of poetic and pared-down musical genius,” and the Montreal Gazette simply states that “Lyrically, Cohen is at the top of his game.”

“OLD IDEAS NORTH AMERICAN TOUR” ITINERARY:
October 31   Austin, TX         Bass Concert Hall
November 3   Denver, CO         1st Bank Center
November 5   Los Angeles, CA    Nokia Theatre
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
December 2   Quebec City, QC    Colisee Pepsi
December 4   Toronto, ON        Air Canada Centre
December 7   Ottawa, ON         Scotiabank Place
December 11  London, ON         John Labatt Centre
December 13  Kingston, ON       K-Rock Centre
December 15  Boston, MA         The Wang Theatre
December 18  New York, NY       Madison Square Garden
December 20  Brooklyn, NY       Barclays Center

(For the most up-to-date tour schedule, please see the Tour Section of this site)