Tour Dates for Leonard Cohen.

How amazing is this…..

This past few weeks I have been thinking a lot about Leonard Cohen and playing his songs. I have wrote a few things and some identification’s to some of his music just recently and posted two of my favourite songs on my blogs. Suzanne and Famous Blue Raincoat. His intensity draws me to him.

Well reading the paper yesteday I noticed a clip about him. Well needless to say I was/am amazed and very excited.Read on…

WOO HOO!!!

Spooky. Hehe!

ON THE HEELS OF INDUCTION INTO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME, LEONARD COHEN ANNOUNCES HIS FIRST TOUR IN 15 YEARS
MARCH 11, 2008
Immediately following his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel tonight, 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, and then play Europe in 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 World Tour Itinerary (as of 11-Mar-0
06-Jun-08 Toronto Sony Centre For The Performing Arts
07-Jun-08 Toronto Sony Centre For The Performing Arts
14-Jun-08 Dublin IMMA
15-Jun-08 Dublin IMMA
17-Jun-08 Manchester Opera House
18-Jun-08 Manchester Opera House
19-Jun-08 Manchester Opera House
20-Jun-08 Manchester Opera House
23-Jun-08 Montreal Montreal Jazz Festival / Place des Arts
24-Jun-08 Montreal Montreal Jazz Festival / Place des Arts
25-Jun-08 Montreal Montreal Jazz Festival / Place des Arts
29-Jun-08 Glastonbury Glastonbury Festival
01-Jul-08 Oslo Aliset Stadium
03-Jul-08 Helsingborg Open Air
05-Jul-08 Copenhagen Rosenborg Castle
06-Jul-08 Arhuus Raadhus Parken
08-Jul-08 Montreux Montreux Jazz Festival
09-Jul-08 Lyon Festival
10-Jul-08 Bruges Cactus
12-Jul-08 Amsterdam Westendam
16-Jul-08 Edinburgh Castle
17-Jul-08 London The 02 Arena
19-Jul-08 Lisbon Passeio Maritimo
20-Jul-08 Bennicasim Festival
22-Jul-08 Nice Jazz Festival
24-Jul-08 Nyon Paleo Festival
25-Jul-08 Lorrach Stimmen Der Welt
27-Jul-08 Lucca Summer Festival
29-Jul-08 Athens Lykabettus Theatre
* Worldwide tour dates will continue to be announced within the coming weeks. Fans should visit http://leonardcohen.aeglive.com

This is one I won’t be missing. It’s a chance this life time for me to see him again. Last year I managed to see Blondie and Joan Armatrading also artists/singer/songwriters of my youth and I have to say these women were and are still amazing and their sweet, passionate mature voices boar no sign of ageing.

OH!! Leonard Cohen you may like to take some coffee with me and we can chat. Just look, he’s 73 and has the energy to do all these gigs. Mr. Cohen, I wish you all the best and here’s hoping for good health and passionate inspiring energy.

Smiles all the way

Diane