The Great Event – Leonard Cohen Plays Caesars Palace
Many entertainers performing in Las Vegas are aware of a malady known as “Vegas Throat.” Due to this city’s arid climate, singers with sensitive vocals often have a problem adapting to the low humidity. When seventy-five year old Leonard Cohen took the stage last night at the Caesars Palace Colosseum, I feared the already raspy and baritone-voiced icon was suffering the dreaded affliction. Luckily, it was a false alarm. I know Mr. Cohen has a beautifully rough voice to begin with, but last night, his initial vocals sounded like a worn-out piece of sixty-grit sandpaper. Thankfully, it soon eased into a fine and shining-bright package of steel wool. By the end of the third song, “Ain’t No Cure For Love,” his voice was coming alive and at five songs in, with the demanding “Everybody Knows,” Leonard’s unique harmonising was right up there where it should be, just below his backing vocalists, the superb Sharon Robinson and Webb Sisters.
And things just kept getting better. During “In My Secret Life,” Cohen sang the sweet and low-down lyrics while facing toward Robinson, the song’s co-writer and Leonard’s long-time collaborator. After a phenomenal Latino-influenced intro by Javier Mas playing his twelve-string bandurria on “Who By Fire,” Cohen had not only reached one-hundred percent, but surpassed it. Cohen was now the casanova to the bossa nova.
After a brief intermission, the impeccable troubadour resumed with “Tower of Song,” the audience cheering when he sang, “I was born like this, I had no choice, I was born with the gift of a golden-voice…” Cohen sang both of his new songs, the first titled (presumably) “Feels So Good.” If Cohen’s “Ain’t No Cure For Love” is his red valentine, then “Feels So Good” (not to love you like I did) is his blackened, but healed heart; an incredible song. The second new song of the night was a blues number known as “Darkness.”
One of the many highlights of the night was when keyboardist Neil Larsen left his Hammond organ and played accordion on “The Partisan.” I got chills when the lyrics turned to the French language.
Cohen gave the floor to Robinson on “Boogie Street,” Cohen respectfully standing out of the light, holding his hat as he often did during the extended solos of his fellow musicians. He also gave the Webb Sisters their turn in the spotlight on “If It Be Your Will.” Their voices, guitar and harp were angelic.
“Hallelujah” received the standing ovation it deserved and “I’m Your Man” received multiple laughs as Cohen improvised the lyrics with, “…I’ll wear an old man’s mask if you want me to…”. A handful of women screamed during the song, screams that would have made Tom Jones jealous.
After the second encore, and just when some thought Cohen was running out of steam, he sang the fast-paced “Closing Time,” spewing the lyrics forth like ticker-tape from a well-oiled human machine. He only came up for air when it was finally time to do the evening’s closer, “I Tried to Leave You.”
During the show, I sat next to a family of three, including a teenage girl, who all came to the show without having heard Leonard Cohen ever before. The last I saw them, they were walking out of the Colosseum ten-feet in the air… and I was walking behind them, at least another five-feet higher.
Mr. Cohen was magnanimous. He was also very humble. He held onto his microphone (and even a teddy bear that was thrown on stage) like they were both indeed, crucifixes. He gracefully transcended the age groups and the different walks of life that were in attendance. Everyone left the show knowing they had just witnessed something very special.
I arrived home from the show a little after midnight. I stayed up until 2am writing the draft for this post. Had I known I was going to come face to face with the legendary Mr. Leonard Cohen the very next morning, I would have made it a point to get a better night’s sleep. Actually, that’s a lie. Had I known I was going to meet him, I wouldn’t have slept at all.
Read my encounter with Mr. Cohen at my personal blog site, The Neon Lounge.
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