leonard cohen, tsb arena wellington, 20 January 2009

i have said before that hallelujah is one of the best songs of all time. but for me it was always about the jeff buckley version. so, when i was offered a ticket to leonard cohen last night even though it was sold out, i didn't realise that i am the luckiest son-of-a-gun there is.

leonard cohen

i arrived at the arena at 8 and leonard cohen was just going on stage. i'll hand it to the oldies in the crowd: they know how to queue. everything went super smoothly. until i just about passed out from the tsunami of adoration. leonard cohen is loved.

and i can see why. during bird on a wire i actually thought i might explode with sadness and affection. like when he sung "like a baby still born....i have torn everyone who reached out for me".

there was an intermission after about 45 minutes and i took a photo of the crowd. being its well behaved self....

leonard cohen skipped off stage and fifteen mintues later skipped back on. the word spritely springs to mind. his voice was powerful and shook me to my core. he survived possibly four standing ovations and a woman from the crowd doing a type of scarf dance to so long, marianne*. and he made seventy five look sexy.

the set list was similar to stuff i'd read on the internet (for example here) but he played chelsea hotel and famous blue raincoat. both of which have similtaneously become my favourite songs of all time.

9/10 - but more if i'd been the woman doing the scarf dance.

*ps this woman had so been waiting her entire life for that moment.