I’ll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

At 73 – many men would be settling down to a life of repose, but Leonard Cohen has been on a comeback tour – taking in festivals and arenas all over the shop. Last night he took to the stage in sharp suit and hat and delivered an amazing set ‘just the other side of intimacy’ at the O2.

So I couldn’t resist my first trip to the O2, to see Leonard Cohen playing a sold out arena for his only solo date in London on this tour. Some new tour dates have been announced  – tickets on sale tomorrow.

The band were truly sublime, mixing gentle jazzy sounds, with precision arrangements and delivery. The backing vocalists – Sharon Robinson and the Webb Sisters were fantastic.  There was a selection of songs from right across the catalogue, Bird on a Wire, Suzanne – through to Democracy and In my Secret Life.

Leonard Cohen was wonderful – humble, but with a just a touch of stage aristocracy. The voice rumbled around the huge auditorium, roaring at the right moments – soft and gentle in between songs when he recited a few lines or made some funny comments.

Highlights for me were a spoken word version of ‘A thousand kisses deep’, ‘Everybody Knows’ and the most amazing version of Hallelujah – which totally reclaims the song from every piss-poor cover version of recent years.

It was a truly sublime concert – and ticks one of the boxes of live music that I need to see before I die (Scott Walker is the other if you’re interested – and that box may remain empty for some time).

The O2 is a little bit sterile for this sort of gig (great venue in terms of sound and size – travel from the west of London is a bit of mission) – I suppose it will suit the Coldplay/Elton John gigs down to the ground, but you can’t blame them for picking a venue with great sound (if a little quiet) and loads of seats.

Tracklist after the jump – although my memory is a bit shaky.

The o2, London – July 17th 2008
Tracklisting – I think (done from memory)

• Dance me to the end of love
• The future
• Ain’t no cure for love
• Bird on the wire
• Everybody knows
• In my secret life
• Who by fire?
• Hey, thats no way to say goodbye
• Anthem
• Tower of song
• Suzanne
• Gypsy Wife
• Boogie street
• Hallelujah
• Democracy
• I’m your man
• A thousand kisses deep – spoken word
• Take this waltz
• So long, Marianne
• First we take Manhattan
• Sisters of mercy
• If it be your will – not LC, but the Webb Sisters on Guitar and Harp
• Closing time