Willie Nelson - finally in Europe!!!

[sturgess66]

Willie Nelson will be the guest on "Larry King Live" (CNN) this Friday (4/16/10 - 9:00 EDT).

[sturgess66]

Bump.

Willie is on "Larry King Live" now (CNN).

[TipperaryAnn]

Was at Willie Nelson concert in the O2 in Dublin on Thursday. Quite "short" compared to an LC concert - 9 to 10.30 ( Support act Hermione Hennessy for 45 mins. ) It was noticeable how many fans came in only when Willie came on stage, looking different with his shoulder-length hair. He seemed in good form, relaxed, interacted well with the audience, and played his guitar throughout. I particularly enjoyed his Hank Williams set,"Hey, good looking" etc, and gospel songs like "I saw the light". I am not familiar enough with his work to recognise all the songs he wrote himself, but songs like "Crazy" and "On the road again" went down well. Yes, he did throw bandanas into the audience, about five of them. I was delighted to see him live for the first time, but I would not want to go again. There was a "sameness" about the arrangements, I thought, a number of songs that didn't interest me, and I would much prefer to listen to the LC musicians. ( The harmonica, which featured a lot, is not my favourite instrument! ) His " little sister Bobbie" as he described her is nimble fingered on the piano, but irritatingly some of the audience took her solos as an opportunity to scramble past everyone to "top up" out at the bar. I suppose we had better get used to that before Lissadell; outdoor concerts unfortunately tend to have people wandering in and out all the time with food and drinks in hand.....
I would love to know what others thought of the concert, especially those of you who are fans of his, and more knowledgable about his music.

[lonndubh]

Hi Tipp Ann
Saw Willie in the Point a few years ago but couldnt get into it at all -thought it was very flat
But I was glad to have seen him once
Probably wouldnt go again .
The Highway Men tour some years ago was a much more memorable show
I would have liked to have seen Support act Hermione Hennessy though

[TipperaryAnn]

Hi Lonndubh,
Interesting that you weren't overwhelmed either when you saw Willie Nelson. I could see some people really into it, especially men - he seems to have a bigger male following than Leonard! And some of them had obviously seen him many times before, and knew all the words.
Hermione did sing well. She's not used yet to live performance, though - this was her fifth, she said. Providing support is a thankless task I suppose; polite applause greeted most of her songs, but her father's most familiar ones did raise the odd cheer !

[sturgess66]

Tippery Ann - Willie is celebrating Ireland at his website. Nice.

http://www.willienelson.com/story/news- ... ey_ireland

p.s. I went to see Bob Dylan last fall - a college basketball venue - and people were wandering in and out and back and forth - beer and popcorn! It is disturbing - and strange. I can't compare either experience (Willie Nelson- or Dylan Bob) to the Leonard Cohen shows I went to last year. I enjoyed them all - but Leonard and his musicians and singers - an experience way beyond enjoyment! I was blessed.

If Willie or Bob come back here to Philly and their show is at a theatre, I probably might consider going again. If they were at an arena, now that I have seen them once, I wouldn't bother.

BUT - Leonard Cohen? I wouldn't hesitate, wouldn't think twice. For Leonard, I would go to the arena!

[TipperaryAnn]

Thanks for that link, Sturgess66 - very interesting. *If there's a heaven for horses it looks a lot like Ireland" - good! Apparently Willie loves horses and promotes humane treatment of them.
It sounds as if they enjoyed their visit to Ireland anyway. They had "The crack" ! (Not "A crack".... )
Yes, I agree with you about concerts in arenas, but for Leonard we make an exception ! Are you coming to Lissadell ?

[sturgess66]

Lissadell? I wish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm "stranded in Philadelphia." Sounds sort of like "sleepless in Seattle"

We do have the Liberty bell here though - with a big crack.

But - lucky you - Lissadell!! You are blessed.

I'm "waiting for the miracle."

[TipperaryAnn]

Sturgess66 says: Lissadell? I wish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A pity. Many of your compatriots seem to be globetrotting! Still, stranded in Philadelphia doesn't sound too bad....

[TipperaryAnn]

Sturgess,
Would love to hear what you thought of the Bob Dlyan concert. He will be in Limerick next month. (They're all coming to Ireland, aren't we lucky ?! )
Still undecided whether to go or not - would you recommend him ?

[sturgess66]

Tipperary Ann - I remember commenting about my "Bob Dylan experience" earlier in the year and I just found the thread. What I really regret is that I had missed him when he came to town a few years ago to the Tower Theatre - where Leonard's show was last October. I would have loved to have seen him in a theatre rather than a basketball arena. That having been said, he is a legend - and I wanted to see him - and I have no regrets!! Here is the thread -

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=20805&p=215858&hili ... an#p215858

And Leonard Cohen, in the Macleans interview, sums up "seeing Bob Dylan" wonderfully -

As Sharon Robinson said, Bob Dylan has a secret code with his audience. If someone came from the moon and watched it they might wonder what was going on. In this particular case he had his back to one half of the audience and was playing the organ, beautifully I might say, and just running through the songs. Some were hard to recognize. But nobody cared. That’s not what they were there for and not what I was there for. Something else was going on, which was a celebration of some kind of genius that is so apparent and so clear and has touched people so deeply that all they need is some kind of symbolic unfolding of the event. It doesn’t have to be the songs. All it has to be is: remember that song and what it did to you. It’s a very strange event.

http://www2.macleans.ca/2008/06/12/cohe ... ylan-show/

[sturgess66]

Tipperary Anne - just found this somewhere else - posted on YouTube yesterday from show in Zagreb -
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-P5w4ng-S4

I would go - if you have never seen him. . Just like your experience seeing Willie Nelson - it will not be like going to a show with Leonard Cohen and his wonderful musicians and singers - but nothing is ...

[TipperaryAnn]

Thank you Sturgess for going to the trouble of finding those interesting reactions to Bob Dylan. I have never found him very appealing, musically or in any other way, and "Baby" on Utube didn't do much to change my mind ! I think his songs often sound better in cover versions. The opposite to Leonard; I think no one performs his songs as well as he does ! Still, I suppose it is an opportunity to see him, in case he doesn't pass this way again. ( Although he's "young", comparatively, 69 recently ) And I see you weren't sorry you went. People say his concerts are always different, that there's no set formula, so it's luck of the draw whether you get him on a good night or not ! It will be in a sports arena, unfortunately, Rugby grounds. it clashes with our local summer Show here, which might be more entertaining ! Willie Nelson had a good rapport with his audience, and smiled a lot - not Dylan's way, apparently. As usual, Leonard's comments were well worth reading. I suppose they all have a kind of "code" with their audience, really - you could tell the REAL W Nelson fans from those of us who were just checking him out !

[Gerry]

Hi Ann, i've been a big fan of both Leonard and Bob Dylan since early 70s. Both are genius songwriters, but a world apart, in concert. I've all of of Dylan's work on cds and a lot of dvds and i would still go see him in concert in Dublin, which i did do last year at the O2 and he was very good. But even with his most popular songs, it sometimes takes a while for you to recognise what he is playing, as he changes arrangements frequently. I, for sure, would not put you off going to see him in Limerick, but dont go with high expectations. Just go and experience a Dylan show.
On the other hand, i cant wait to see Leonard again in Lissadell. He just keeps getting better, doesn't he? Agreat rapport with the audience also which Dylan doesn't do.
But if you go i would love to hear how the concert went.

All the best, Ann

Gerry

[TipperaryAnn]

Don't go with high expectations. Just go and experience a Dylan show.

That's interesting, Gerry, thanks. As a real fan of Dylan you would probably appreciate his concert more. I suppose the more familiar we are with the music the more we enjoy it; certainly in the case of Leonard, as you say, each concert seems better than the one before ! (I just hope he is wise enough to stop while that is still the case - not before Lissadell, of course !)
Would prefer an indoor venue, still... If I get there I will certainly post an account here.