One of the best things about traveling to New York are the live shows.  This past Saturday night a legend of the music world played at Madison Square Garden.  Leonard Cohen just put out a new album last week, and just a month following Cohen’s seventy fifth birthday he took the stage and rocked the house, in his cool and very gentlemanly way.  His album was recorded thirty nine years ago, when showtime was 2 am.

Saturday night, the crowd showed up much earlier, his voice was a bit rougher, but that was the only difference.  He was backed by other members of the band, each with their share of grey hair, and they were a tight jazz, folk, rock mix of some of the best virtuosos in the business.  I had left the 5 star hotel in New York I was staying in and walked to the show, wondering about the man I was finally about to see perform live.  I had listened to his music throughout my college days and I was wondering if he would play any of his classic tunes.  Songs like Bird on a Wire, Suzanne and Everybody Knows, were anthems to me and my friends.

And I was not disappointed, nor was anyone else in the audience a few nights ago.  Cohen set lasted for almost three hours.  And at the end of his ever famous, Hallelujah, the crowd could stay in their seats no longer, and Cohen received his first standing ovation of the night.  Today, Cohen may not be able to hit the high notes of his youth, but the man just emanated wisdom, and he carried himself as a man with experience.  His songs have always been wise, but he now has the experience to fully carry them, if that makes any sense.  This was one of the most remarkable live shows I have ever seen.

Related posts:

1. Visiting New York City
2. Navigating New York City
3. Understanding New York
4. Ease of Social Interactions in New York
5. Indianapolis for our anniversary