Leonard Cohen – The Academy of Music – Philadelphia (A PopEntertainment.com Concert Review)

Leonard Cohen – The Academy of Music – Philadelphia, PA – May 12, 2009

When was the last time you saw a man who was 75 years old give a three-hour-long concert?

Leonard Cohen – the quietly polite gentleman, recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, novelist, poet and humble son of a tailor – seemed determined to offer maximum entertainment value for the rather expensive tickets. (They were just under $200.00 apiece! Not that anyone in the crowd seemed to feel exploited at all.)

Perhaps it was the knowledge that Cohen doesn’t tour often (his last Philadelphia show was in 1993.). Perhaps it was the unspoken understanding that this may be his last go-round. Perhaps it was just a personal bucket list experience for many in the crowd.

Whatever it was, Cohen had the audience in his pocket from the opening notes of “Dance Me to the End of Love.”

Cohen filled the grand old opera hall with his unusually eloquent musical tales of love, lust, war, religion, darkness, chaos, heartbreak, aging, betrayal, apocalypse and redemption.

From the sexual politics of “Everybody Knows” to the doomsday scenario of “The Future” to the artistic dread of “Tower of Song,” Cohen explored the human condition with exceptional insight. Yet, from all the darkness there was hope – as he sang in “Anthem”: “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”

Cohen’s voice – always a gruff and not a naturally beautiful instrument – has taken on nuances and shadings with age which fit his divine words in unusual and trenchant ways.

For example, he reclaimed “Hallelujah,” which is arguably his best-known song, from the ethereal cover done by Jeff Buckley. His slightly cracked vocal brought passion and befuddlement and betrayal to the uneasy religious quality of love.

The set list was nearly identical to Cohen’s current album Live in London, which was recorded last year. Only three songs were added to the queue – “Chelsea Hotel #2,” “Waiting for the Miracle” and “Famous Blue Raincoat” – and one or two other songs were switched out of position. (“Sisters of Mercy” was definitely played earlier here than on the London show.)

Even much of the between-song patter was word-for-word identical. However, this makes a certain amount of sense. Much more than most artists, words are vital to Cohen. Everything out of his mouth is artistically structured and measured for maximum impact, so it is only natural that when he found the perfect phrasing he would stick with it.

After three encores, Cohen – always an elegant gent – closed the show with an impassioned speech thanking everyone involved in the concert: from band members, to the lighting and sound crews, roadies and even the catering people. However, mostly he thanked the audience for sharing the night with him.

"I don't know when I'll pass this way again, so until then, take care friends,” he said. “The weather's kind of tricky out there, so don't catch a cold. If you have to fall, fall on the side of luck. And may you be surrounded by friends and family. And if this is not your lot, may the blessings find you in your solitude. Thank you so much for your warmth and your hospitality. We greatly appreciate it. Good night, friends."

From some artists, this would sound insincere, but you get the feeling that Cohen has truly come to appreciate his lot. For all of the craziness and hypocrisy and pain and desperate love in the world, there is nothing more vital than to shine a little light and spread a little beauty. To paraphrase a line in “Chelsea Hotel #2,” life can be ugly, “but we have the music.”

But perhaps Cohen captured his own power even more simply as he signed off with:

“Sincerely, L. Cohen.”

No one should ever question his sincerity.

As someone who has been to hundreds of shows, I can say without hesitation that this show was one of only a handful of truly transcendent concerts that I have been privileged to experience.

Jay S. Jacobs