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Live At The Isle of Wight (CD/DVD)
Participated by Leonard Cohen
Studio : Sony Legacy
by Sony Legacy
Brand : Sony
Release Date : 2009-10-20
Publisher : Sony Legacy
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
EAN : 0886975706723
UPC : 886975706723
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 19 reviews)
List Price : $21.98
Our Price : $16.04
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Album Description |
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Nearly 40 summers ago on August 31, 1970, 35-year-old Leonard Cohen was awakened at 2 a.m. from a nap in his trailer and brought onstage to perform with his band at the third annual Isle Of Wight music festival. The audience of 600,000 was in a fiery and frenzied mood, after turning the festival into a political arena, trampling the fences, setting fire to structures and equipment - and stoked by the most incendiary performance of Jimi Hendrix's career. As Cohen followed Hendrix's set, onlookers and (fellow festival headliners) Joan Baez, Kris Kristofferson, Judy Collins and others stood sidestage in awe as the Canadian folksinger-songwriter-poet-novelist quietly tamed the crowd. Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Murray Lerner (From Mao To Mozart, Festival, Message To Love), perfectly captured Cohen's performance. Likewise, Columbia Records staff A&R producer Teo Macero did a brilliant job of supervising the live audio recording. This CD/DVD package contains the new, beautiful film documentary by Lerner featuring interviews with fellow festival performers, as well as Cohen's full performance on CD. All tracks are previously unreleased (sans bits of "Suzanne" which were featured in the documentary Message to Love, also by Lerner). Included are live versions of classic songs from the first two Leonard Cohen LPs: "So Long, Marianne," "The Stranger Song," "Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye," "Suzanne," "Bird On The Wire," "You Know Who I Am," and "The Partisan" as well as spoken word and poetry. Also available on 180-gram Vinyl and Blu-ray |
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perfect for a lazy sunday afternoon |
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This was a great easy listening and viewing video a good rainey day or sunday afternoon down time. |
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Me and... Leonard Cohen at Isle of Wight 1970 and 2009 |
Me and... Leonard Cohen at Isle of Wight 1970 and 2009, 21 Oct 2009
By Peter Solomon
Memories, Dreams and Reflections - Isle Wight 1970.
Me and... Leonard Cohen at Isle of Wight 1970 and 2009
By Peter Solomon 1970 and 2009
I was just two months shy of my seventeenth birthday at 4 am on August 31 1970 and I knew all the words, I was maybe 50 to 75 yards from the stage just outside the overrun VIP and Press enclosure and Leonard Cohen was about to appear on stage at the Isle of Wight Festival.
My older brother Chris was to blame for me being there, for he introduced me to Leonard Cohen, and I had become smitten, I had caught the Leonard Cohen bug big time, which I would be unable to shake off for the rest of my life.
I knew all the songs and all about Marianne, Suzanne and Nancy. And I knew Tonight Will Be Fine, for I had waited 5 days and nights with hardly any sleep, after hitch hiking 250 miles with a friend Johnny Vernon from Manchester in the north of England to be there. I had just slept through most of Jimi Hendrix's set, though disappointed to have missed him, that was unimportant as I had come to see Leonard Cohen, and was slowing moving forward to get as close as possible to the stage.
Looking back now after nearly 40 years it seems like a dream and I have woken up and am watching the DVD of my Dream, compulsively, 3 consecutive times so far and also listened to the whole CD. It's as if time had become dislocated and the warp and woof of reality expanded to include a 40 year Present Moment.
As I watch I am really identifying very intensely with almost spiritual longing with that young man at the beginning of the DVD who was about my age, it was like coming to Bethlehem to see baby Jesus he says, except Leonard Cohen is no 'baby Jesus', and it also felt as much like Babylon as Bethlehem, with Fires, Chaos and Free Love all on display. But it was still like a holy pilgrimage for me.
I wanted so much to connect the 2 time-streams, as I watched Leonard on the DVD, the present with the past, to be there again, with my 17 year old self who was waving matches in the night, through the cold mists of time, trying to signal his presence to his future self. The strangeness of being a mere part, a cell in the huge Beast of Babylon that was the crowd, a Body of 600,000 people. You Know Who I Am, You've Stared at the Sun, sang the poet and prophet in the middle of the night and we stared at the stage where there was a human star burning with such bright intensity, as we stood in awe in the vast dark, small points of light, our matches in our hands.
The 1970 Leonard Cohen never looked so prickly and real, so unshaven, so raw and human yet so sensitive and spiritual, so powerful and yet so frail. So spaced out yet so centred in the moment. Speaking and singing from the heart with words and songs that communicate with the souls of men. He looked like some suffering Christ like figure that came to tell the world the truth but had just been woken up and did not really want to bother.
This was the biggest rock festival in the history of the world and there has not been anything like it since. I was there to see Leonard Cohen in 1970 at the Isle of Wight and feel after viewing the DVD in 2009 that events like these go beyond their stated purpose and moment, reverberate through time and become cracks in the fabric of the world and as Leonard would say, `that's how the light get's in', we enter a Communion with the Higher Powers. "We pray for the angels and then the angels pray for us" to misquote LC. The negative forces on Devastation Hill become insignificant, they had played their part to pump up the intensity and now are just another part of the story, another part of the myth... of how the artist calms the savage beast and opens a spiritual channel for transcendent love to flow and manifest in the world.
Leonard Cohen's words and songs are mined from the very deepest heart and soul. They are like the golden thread from some magical loom, which weave their way through time and remain with us from moment to moment, as we grow older they make our lives richer, more meaningful and bearable.
I am so pleased to have had this chance to be transported back 40 years in time and relive my younger days again. It`s been an experience full of unique and extraordinary memories and emotions. And thanks to Leonard Cohen for being a beacon of light in the darkness of the world, truly he transcends past and present, to bring us the timeless truth of the heart.
If you want to know what it was like to be at one of the defining moments in musical history...buy this DVD/CD. |
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A magical moment for a mystical performer |
Leonard Cohen
"Live At The Isle Of Wight: 1970"
(Sony Legacy, 2009)
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A remarkable document of Cohen's fabled appearance at the Isle Of Wight music festival, in which he was asked to perform for a fractious, grouchy, muddy audience, following a Jimi Hendrix blow-out that left the groggy festivalgoers in a dark mood. Facing a crowd that teetered on the verge of riot, Cohen, a little exhausted and apprehensive himself, worked his way through his set, stopping to "rap" with the audience in the hippie lingo of the time. You can feel him working his magic, literally weaving a spell with his songs, half incantation, half lullaby. This deluxe edition also comes with a documentary film that provides a frame for the music, telling this little-known story of a moment where Great Britain avoided having an Altamont of its own -- instead, we are given a great snapshot of Cohen in his prime, as a king of counterculture poets. Both the film and the audio have technical flaws, but the whole package is mysterious and sublime. A nice slice of hippie-era folk music history, and a fine set of music for Cohen fans to pour over and relish. Highly recommended! (DJ Joe Sixpack, Slipcue Guide To Folk Music) |
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Leonard Cohen at Isle of Wight |
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As always, I am more than satisfied with this Leonard Cohen product. It's nice to see him young again, and I'm thankful that the DVD and CD became available from that time. |
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Essential for Fans |
1970's Isle of Wight Festival was one of the landmark events in popular music history, comparable to the prior year's Woodstock. 600,000 people heard some of the era's most popular and significant artists over five days. There were multiple great performances, but at least as important culturally and historically is what the crowd itself did - in a word, explode. About three times as many people showed up as expected, many without paying. A wall was put up to keep out the latter, and the crowd rebelled. The wall was knocked down, and many things were set on fire - including the very stage during one of Jimi Hendrix's most famous performances, as well as several instruments. Some of the less incendiary performers, such as Kris Kristofferson, were pelted and/or booed offstage. Fed up and perhaps scared, director Murray Lerner, there to film the festival, packed up before Cohen's performance.
Such was the atmosphere when Leonard Cohen was due to play after Hendrix - a near-impossible act to follow in any case, needless to say. Pushing his already seemingly bad luck, Cohen insisted on a piano and organ when told they had been burned and pushed offstage, taking a nap in the meantime. He was eventually woken up and casually took his time getting dressed - putting clothes over his pajamas - and tuning. Then, with complete calm and something like mastery, he took the stage. Even then he did not launch into his long-awaited - his current album was #2 in the UK - and long-delayed performance but strolled gingerly to the microphone and gave a long allegory about attending the circus as a child. Finally, after an impromptu little song about the moment, he slowly lead into his then-popular, now-classic "Bird on a Wire" - and the rest was indeed history.
Cohen gave an excellent, hour-plus performance that is one of his most significant. By rights it should have been released at the time or in intervening decades, as have live albums by several other artists at the event. It may have been held back because Cohen had an ongoing studio album - Songs of Love and Hate -, three songs from which appear here, and/or because he had a live album a few years later. The recent Cohen revival - which sees him more popular than ever in many places, including America - finally and thankfully ensured the release fans have been wanting for almost forty years. Perhaps to make up for lost time, and benefitting Cohen's new status, it was put out in a deluxe CD/DVD edition with informative liner notes and a generous set of photographs. A few people may have preferred separate CD and DVD editions, as with Cohen's Live in London from earlier in 2009, but most fans would have bought both and will appreciate the convenience - especially as the package costs little more than either would have alone. It is also nice compensation for what might otherwise seem inadequate: the concert is relatively short; the DVD lacks several songs; and sound/picture quality, while remarkable considering the equipment and the age of the tapes, are of course not up to current standards.
First I will review the CD, which has Cohen's whole show. Simply put, it is a fine performance that fans, especially of Cohen's early work, will love and appreciate. Those close to Cohen were worried that he would be heckled or even driven offstage as prior low-key performers had been, especially as he was in no hurry, but he remained calm and gave a mesmerizing performance. Against all odds, the crowd was supremely respectful, hanging onto every proverbial word - a true testament to the performance and perhaps to Cohen's droll, unhurried demeanor. He is calm, confident, and collected, calming the frenzied crowd into a near-trancelike state. Cohen played most of the best songs from his first two albums, including "Suzanne," and three as yet unreleased: "Diamonds in the Mine," "Sing Another Song, Boys," and "Famous Blue Raincoat." These were saved until near the end and doubtless greatly appreciated. Probably everyone will miss a favorite or two, but the selection is hard to fault. Anyone who likes Cohen's early live album Live Songs will surely like this significantly more, as selection is notably superior and performances more consistent. A breathtakingly intimate "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong" is the highlight for me, but others may have different preferences; there is really no weak performance.
A significant bonus is that, as is his wont, Cohen also recites several poems. His choices are short and humorous, and the crowd responds approvingly. Perhaps even more interesting, and certainly more valuable in being unique to the show, is Cohen's frequent trademark onstage banter. He has an unusual voice and way of speaking for a popular music performer; one can tell he was used to reciting poetry, which truly makes him stand out from the mindless shouting and crowd enticing of most festivals. He also has a generous, if offbeat, sense of humor. All this comes out in several stories and song introductions; the latter sometimes have interesting information but are also valuable in themselves as samples of Cohen's impromptu speech. Some of what he says may have been rehearsed, but it is delightful to hear talk specifically for this crowd. He makes several insightful comments showing he was both part of and well outside the dying hippie movement, including several subtle digs at its superficiality, and the crowd reacts with a curious mix of appreciation and ambivalent silence. Perhaps most memorably, Cohen throws in "I know there are a lot of Maoists and atheists out there, but..." during the repeated "You've won me, my lord" at the end of "Lady Midnight." Pushing such a hostile crowd so hard was a considerable risk, and we must admire the pure chutzpah. Cohen was apparently heckled only once, responding, "Are you calling me a fascist pig again?" The ensuing laughter deflated the potentially fatal situation, leaving him undisputed master of the crowd. Neophytes may be puzzled and/or turned off by Cohen's banter, but it will delight fans.
I have no real complaints about the performance, but a few quibbles that are essentially matters of taste will affect various listeners differently. For example, some nice lyric changes aside, the performances, in marked contrast to Cohen's latter-day approach, are generally quite similar to studio versions. This means arrangements are very minimalist - shockingly so for those used to Cohen's more expansive later renditions. Those not fully entranced by the words and/or Cohen himself may thus think the concert begins to get somewhat monotonous. However, this is true of his first four studio albums as well as his first live record; anyone who likes those will have no problem. Even so, one cannot help wondering why Cohen bothered having a band, especially such a large and prestigious one. Besides additional guitar, it features banjo, fiddle, electric bass, and other instruments, though notably no percussion. Hand-picked by legendary producer Bob Johnston - who appears on piano, organ, harmonica, and guitar against his better judgment but at Cohen's insistence -, it consists mainly of the day's best country session musicians. These players - including a pre-fame Charlie Daniels, a strange Cohen companion in many ways - were highly skilled and in great demand. Cohen was quite lucky to get them, and it seems a shame not to use them more. All songs are dominated by Cohen's acoustic guitar; several feature only it or very little else. When others do chime in it is usually only a musician or two at a time - ironically mostly Johnston, who contributes several fine organ fills and some other nice bits. The DVD shows that the band looks bored much of the time, as one might expect; they after all basically just watch Cohen like everyone else much of the time. They even seem occasionally restless, especially Daniels. Perhaps Cohen simply did not mesh well with them, despite the notes' claims. In striking contrast to his current tour, he does not seem to have much rapport with them, issuing commands gruffly and ignoring Daniels when he smilingly gets up and tries to play fiddle at Cohen's mic. As one might expect, the band has a very country sound when it does kick in; this works surprisingly well with Cohen's music and will be well appreciated by those who, like him, love country music. The band is quite good in these rare moments, making it easy to wish it had been used more. These are not really big issues musically; the minimalism keeps the focus on the words, where it should always be in Cohen, but he does seem waste some fine talent.
Also, though Cohen's signature emotion is ever-present and we can have no doubt that he pours his proverbial heart into each song as few singers can, his voice is more than usually off-key and seems to grow tired at times. He has of course never been a technical singer, which unfortunately scares many away from his great work immediately, but it is more than normally apparent here. The performance will certainly not will new converts, but this should be a non-issue for fans.
As for the DVD, it is of course great that we actually see Cohen perform, which is always interesting. However, unlike seemingly everyone else, I have some problems with the film as a film, though for admittedly subjective reasons. I personally hate ostensible concert films that intersperse documentary footage with performance. It is not that I fail to appreciate such footage; I indeed like it significantly, but it ruins the flow of the music for me. This film has relatively little of this but still does it occasionally. There is also not enough documentary footage; it would have been nice to have a lot more, as the concert is relatively short. There are short clips of recent interviews with Joan Baez, Judy Collins, and Kristofferson, but they fail to say anything that is not already common knowledge or in the booklet. The absence of Cohen himself is also painfully felt; his long interview in the recent documentary I'm Your Man would seem to suggest he is not inaccessible, though he is certainly busy these days. As for the actual festival, the only footage is a short bit at the front of attendees talking about Cohen and a few very short crowd segments dispersed throughout the performance. The only interesting bit is Baez addressing the unruly crowd situation. Surely more footage could have been found. An entire documentary of the festival was made by the same director, and it would have been worth using some of it here if nothing new could have been unearthed. Those who have seen it might not care for the overlap, but a self-contained Cohen film would have been convenient. As always, I would have preferred to have all non-musical footage either before or after the performance or as extras.
Another problem is lack of camera angles; nearly the whole performance is a close-up of Cohen's face. This is indeed where the camera should be most of the time, but such ubiquity becomes monotonous. Close-ups of the band when it is playing would have been appropriate, and there should certainly be more crowd shots. This may have been unavoidable to a large extent. As Lerner decided to stay at a late moment, two of his three cameras were already put away. However, this is not really an excuse; one could easily say he should not have packed up, even if it is hard to blame him, and there should have been enough time in the long gap between the Hendrix and Cohen sets to get the cameras ready. Besides, and more fundamentally, he could have gotten more variety even with one camera. For example, he could have at least backed away from Cohen slightly so we could see his guitar; this is done a few times but not nearly enough. Lack of crowd shots is more understandable; it was dark, and Cohen himself frequently mentions that he cannot see the people, which surely made it all but impossible to get good shots.
More importantly, several songs are missing, as is some of the banter and all the poems. This is inexcusable if left out on purpose, as these segments are at least as good as those used and give some wished-for variety since "Diamonds," at least, features the band fairly heavily. It may be that these parts were never filmed or that the footage has been lost, though a few songs are heard or shown in fragments in the introduction. This is a significant defect, but the others are relatively minor, and all Cohen fans should enjoy the film; indeed, all seem to enjoy it rather more than me.
All told, this is a must for Cohen fans, especially those who particularly like his early work. Fans of later material may be somewhat underwhelmed, but this is a worthy and important performance from his early period and worth seeing just for its insight into this stage of his career and for historical value. No fan should be without it.
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