Tuesday 18 November 2008

O2 SEE LEONARD COHEN LIVE


'Baby I have been here before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you.
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a lonely Hallelujah.'
Leonard Cohen

Last week I went with both my brothers to see Leonard Cohen at the O2 Arena in London. I ain't ashamed to admit that when this brilliant man of seventy-something years dropped to his knees and sang Hallelujah, I blubbed like a baby. And my older brother blubbed. Everybody blubbed except my little brother who saved his tears for Famous Blue Raincoat.

It's not often I nick off to a concert but when Leonard's in town you have to put work to one side and sit in opened-mouthed awe at his genius.

The above pic was done at rapid speed (probably took 30 minutes) in pen and ink and got a bit messy but is a welcome distraction from all the black and white book illustrations I've been doing so much of lately. If you'd like to see an earlier post relating to more Leonard Cohen goodness by way of a charcoal portrait I've done, you can do so by clicking here.


There's a new Leonard Cohen drawing on my Drawing and Painting blog here.