Cohen’s End Game

A few things have changed since Cohen began his tour with a string of Northeastern Canadian dates in May 2008. Age is one of them as Cohen was a youthful 73 when he began his concert journey. He also got a live DVD and CD from the experience – Live In London – which was released about 10 months into the tour.  Cohen is scheduled to record a new album in 2011.

But then, there are several features to this tour that, to the delight of fans, have not changed. Cohen’s songwriting partner, Sharon Robinson, remains on the tour as do Cohen’s backup vocalists, the “sublime” Webb Sisters. The band should look familiar to fans as well with Neil Larsen playing keyboards and Hammond B3 accordion, Bob Metzger on electric, acoustic and pedal steel guitar, Javier Mass on Bandurria, laud, archilaud and 12-string acoustic guitar, Rafael Gayol on drums and percussion and Dino Soldo playing sax, clarinet and dobro.

Presented by AEG Live, the new U.S. dates begin with a Hawaiian gig at Honolulu’s Blaisdell Concert Hall Dec. 4 followed by Portland at the Rose Garden Arena’s Theatre Of The Clouds Dec. 8 and two nights in Las Vegas at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace Dec. 10-11.

An extended pre-sale for fans begins Sept. 7 and runs through 10 p.m. Sept. 24. Public onsale begins Sept. 25. For more information, click here for LeonardCohen.com.