One of my fondest memories of high school is a small bit part that I had in our school play. The production, Nancy, was written and directed by our drama teachers, Brad Baxendale and Bruce Stagg. These men were two of the greatest English teachers you could imagine (please don't let my grammar be the basis of your assessments of this!)The play chronicled the downward spiral of a piano prodigy who experienced extreme pressure from her parents and those around her. Nancy in adult life developed into an alcoholic and lived a sad life, far from what anyone had imagined or dreamed for her.
Built into this play were several songs by Leonard Cohen. In this pre-Google time period, I didn't have the option of looking him up and downloading his songs from the internet. I had NEVER heard of him. The song "Bird on a Wire" enraptured me. I loved hearing my friend Amelia sing it in her deep throaty voice while hobbling across the stage on a crutch.
I bought the CD.
Now, anyone who knew me as a teenager or who knows me now, can tell you I don’t' like noise. Of any sort. Music included.
But I fell in love with Leonard Cohen. His lyrics were more complex than anything I had ever heard or could comprehend in most cases. To this day, every time I hear a Leonard Cohen song I take in something or understand something a little more than the last time. Being a fan of his takes a bit of work- Telling people you are a fan of his, well....
Imagine you are a 15 year old admitting publicly that they are deeply in love with a French-Canadian Singer-Songwriter who might well be your great-grandmother's neighbour at the local retirement community. They might reasonably expect that he would have been the teenaged idol of OTHER people born in or around 1934. Of course, during this conversation, depending on how brave you might be, you could also bring up the fact that, in fact, he has not recently released any new albums or toured because he has spent the last 5 years in solitude and silence as a Zen Buddhist Monk. After that conversation, you may find yourself dateless for the prom and may have your car toilet papered. But I digress. Such a fate was not in store for me.
Our school did not have a prom. I did not yet drive.
My dream in life was to see Leonard Cohen in person. To hear his raspy voice. To listen to his sad songs and revel in the excitement of Closing Time. But alas, performers don't often get to St. John's, Newfoundland. Especially those who pre-date most of the good items on Antique Roadshow- It’s quite a long trip. I was convinced that the love of my life would pass on due to natural causes before I ever ha the privilege of hearing him.
On a recent trip to Newfoundland, I found out that he was playing in St. John's. I, at this point, lived in Edmonton, and never dreamed that he would play the Holy Heart of Mary Auditorium in St. John’s, Newfoundland! This man is a legend!
The show was sold out and I was heartbroken. So close, yet so far away! We would be in the same city. Perhaps I might see him driving from the airport. A chance encounter while he was dining- I can't picture this man eating, surely he would be dining! But where?!
Upon my arrival to St. John's, Maggie presented me with 2 tickets to the show! A birthday present from my parents! I nearly fainted. (Yes, I know, people nearly faint all the time- but I really mean it!
Well. I will tell you that I was nervous like a first date while I was getting ready. I was jittery in the backseat of Maggie's car as her boyfriend drove us to the show. I cried when he walked onto the stage. Yes. I mean that too. I really did cry. Like a moron. In a room where Maggie and I were the youngest by a good 30 years, I was bawling my eyes out like you do during Extreme Home Makeover. Like Mothers and Fathers and Sisters do at weddings. Like a blubbering fool.
I am sure that every single person in the Holy Heart of Mary Auditorium was very happy to have doubled the value of their ticket by hearing me sing along, every single word of the show. I may have had a small something to do with a standing ovation after every performance. My dream had come true. There I was, not 10 seats away from the only celebrity, no legend, that I could tell you useless trivia about !
It was truly one of the most exciting things that has ever happened to me. Meeting Bridget, meeting Jamie, seeing Leonard Cohen. Life doesn’t get any better than that!
Until....Last night.
Jamie sacrificed 3 hours of his life he is never getting back to see him perform with me! We went to Rexall place and sat in the only seats left available, which gave us a perfect view of the screens that showed me exactly what I saw in CBC Special Presentation of his concert and watched him perform exactly the same show that I had seen in St. John's. Exactly. Same songs in the same sets with the same band members interspaced with the same dry jokes. It was magical for me! Poor Jamie, not sharing my devotion to this legend did briefly 'rest' his eyes and did briefly 'close his eyes to absorb the music'. He sat like a good boy, while I watched my 74 year old boyfriend boogie his way across the stage and back.
He is so amazing in person that I would gladly pay any monetary amount to see him perform again. However, I do think that would be greedy of me and I need to share the privilege with others! I don't know many people who get to have their life dream realized twice, but I am very thankful that I did!
Built into this play were several songs by Leonard Cohen. In this pre-Google time period, I didn't have the option of looking him up and downloading his songs from the internet. I had NEVER heard of him. The song "Bird on a Wire" enraptured me. I loved hearing my friend Amelia sing it in her deep throaty voice while hobbling across the stage on a crutch.
I bought the CD.
Now, anyone who knew me as a teenager or who knows me now, can tell you I don’t' like noise. Of any sort. Music included.
But I fell in love with Leonard Cohen. His lyrics were more complex than anything I had ever heard or could comprehend in most cases. To this day, every time I hear a Leonard Cohen song I take in something or understand something a little more than the last time. Being a fan of his takes a bit of work- Telling people you are a fan of his, well....
Imagine you are a 15 year old admitting publicly that they are deeply in love with a French-Canadian Singer-Songwriter who might well be your great-grandmother's neighbour at the local retirement community. They might reasonably expect that he would have been the teenaged idol of OTHER people born in or around 1934. Of course, during this conversation, depending on how brave you might be, you could also bring up the fact that, in fact, he has not recently released any new albums or toured because he has spent the last 5 years in solitude and silence as a Zen Buddhist Monk. After that conversation, you may find yourself dateless for the prom and may have your car toilet papered. But I digress. Such a fate was not in store for me.
Our school did not have a prom. I did not yet drive.
My dream in life was to see Leonard Cohen in person. To hear his raspy voice. To listen to his sad songs and revel in the excitement of Closing Time. But alas, performers don't often get to St. John's, Newfoundland. Especially those who pre-date most of the good items on Antique Roadshow- It’s quite a long trip. I was convinced that the love of my life would pass on due to natural causes before I ever ha the privilege of hearing him.
On a recent trip to Newfoundland, I found out that he was playing in St. John's. I, at this point, lived in Edmonton, and never dreamed that he would play the Holy Heart of Mary Auditorium in St. John’s, Newfoundland! This man is a legend!
The show was sold out and I was heartbroken. So close, yet so far away! We would be in the same city. Perhaps I might see him driving from the airport. A chance encounter while he was dining- I can't picture this man eating, surely he would be dining! But where?!
Upon my arrival to St. John's, Maggie presented me with 2 tickets to the show! A birthday present from my parents! I nearly fainted. (Yes, I know, people nearly faint all the time- but I really mean it!
Well. I will tell you that I was nervous like a first date while I was getting ready. I was jittery in the backseat of Maggie's car as her boyfriend drove us to the show. I cried when he walked onto the stage. Yes. I mean that too. I really did cry. Like a moron. In a room where Maggie and I were the youngest by a good 30 years, I was bawling my eyes out like you do during Extreme Home Makeover. Like Mothers and Fathers and Sisters do at weddings. Like a blubbering fool.
I am sure that every single person in the Holy Heart of Mary Auditorium was very happy to have doubled the value of their ticket by hearing me sing along, every single word of the show. I may have had a small something to do with a standing ovation after every performance. My dream had come true. There I was, not 10 seats away from the only celebrity, no legend, that I could tell you useless trivia about !
It was truly one of the most exciting things that has ever happened to me. Meeting Bridget, meeting Jamie, seeing Leonard Cohen. Life doesn’t get any better than that!
Until....Last night.
Jamie sacrificed 3 hours of his life he is never getting back to see him perform with me! We went to Rexall place and sat in the only seats left available, which gave us a perfect view of the screens that showed me exactly what I saw in CBC Special Presentation of his concert and watched him perform exactly the same show that I had seen in St. John's. Exactly. Same songs in the same sets with the same band members interspaced with the same dry jokes. It was magical for me! Poor Jamie, not sharing my devotion to this legend did briefly 'rest' his eyes and did briefly 'close his eyes to absorb the music'. He sat like a good boy, while I watched my 74 year old boyfriend boogie his way across the stage and back.
He is so amazing in person that I would gladly pay any monetary amount to see him perform again. However, I do think that would be greedy of me and I need to share the privilege with others! I don't know many people who get to have their life dream realized twice, but I am very thankful that I did!
1 comment:
cool!
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