Leonard Cohen Gives Allen Theatre Night to Remember

On October 25th, Leonard Cohen came to Cleveland and he gave the Allen Theatre quite the show. Put simply; the concert was awesome. Cohen refuses to lose his grace or style, and his voice has only gotten richer with the passing of time. He stopped in Cleveland to perform the old favorites like "I'm Your Man" and "Anthem." The master performer managed to make a concert that was scheduled to last only two hours go on for nearly four due to all the encore performances. He brought his whole band with him, a huge ensemble, and with each band member being a master at his or her craft, it was a special treat. It was easy to lose count of how many times Cohen and the band got a standing ovation from the awe-swept crowd.

He sang "Hallelujah," "Waitin' on the Miracle," and so many other favorites. Cohen continues to prove that he is an amazing showman by performing songs that never lose their edge. Then again, Cohen himself has not lost a single step. At the age of 75, he continues to be one of the most celebrated names in music. It is no surprise Cohen's lyrics are so meaningful, considering Cohen did not even start off in music, but poetry. The poet always shines through in his songs, like the opening lyrics to Anthem, "ring the bells that still can ring, forget your perfect offering, there is a crack, a crack in everything that's how the light gets in…."

The man is a unique and exceptional performer. To sit in the audience and watch him perform is like no other concert experience-- his voice, his band, and his magical words made the show unforgettable. After going to the show, one comes to

understand the beauty of well-crafted message. He moved across the stage and sang with all the timing and rhythm of a man many times younger, and through it all he kept a smile on his face and in his voice. The best part about going to see this tour was knowing that after sitting in the dark for three and half hours, there was not a single minute wasted. Every moment spent in that dark theater felt like magic being seen and heard first hand.