A few weeks ago I dipped into a Leonard Cohen discussion forum, having forgotten about it for a couple of months. There I learned that he was to appear at a private launch event for singer Anjani’s album Blue Alert in London. Although it was private, there was a draw for tickets on Anjani’s website. I told one of my friends in London, a big Lennophile, and thought no more of it. Last night I got a text from her saying she was sitting a couple of tables away from Leonard ‘breathing the same air!’ (Yes, she was rather excited.). She’d won two tickets to the tiny Soho nightclub, where she saw Leonard join Anjani for a couple of songs, only ten feet away. Her partner called me this morning saying they’d had a great time, free drinks till 2am, Leonard sang well, not just talking the lyrics, and appeared slightly shaky physically but very charming and charismatic (’40 years in the music business and this is the first time I’ve played a showcase gig’) and, of course, was wearing a great suit!
