Live Review: Leonard Cohen

At the opening violin chords of Dance Me To The End Of Love, Leonard Cohen dropped to his knees, feeling every rise and fall with his adoring audience on their level. Impeccably dressed Cohen thanked the crowd for endangering their household budgets to come see the show; they thanked him with several standing ovations throughout the night.

The 79-year-old artistic juggernaut has lost none of his passion for performing. “I don't know when we'll see each other again, so tonight I promise we'll give you everything we've got,” he smirked. Even his banter with the crowd was poetic, delivering phrases and jokes with perfect timing and an element of wisdom and theatre amplified by Cohen's age.

Quick to move the spotlight away from himself Cohen introduced each band member by name and city of origin. The band repaid Cohen with flawless playing and by enjoying it all as much as he did. Long-time collaborator and co-writer of Everybody Knows, Sharon Robinson led the backing vocals.

Through gritted teeth and closed eyes he poured out songs from each phase of his enviable career for an hour and a half, had a half-hour intermission, and did it again with three encores thrown at the end for good measure.

With his golden voice Cohen growled out I'm Your Man, making it sound sexier than any 79-year-old should be able to, and for tonight he truly was Sydney's man. It was great to see biblical epic Hallelujah appreciated by people who didn't think Jeff Buckley wrote it. This master wordsmith gave Sydney a lesson in showmanship, modesty and, of course, lyrical ability. Chelsea Hotel was remembered well and sung straight back at him while Suzanne sounded as good live as it does on vinyl.

Forever suave, Cohen only took his sharp black hat off for the stellar moments of the evening; a moving violin solo from Alexandru Biblitchi, Sharon Robinson's interpretation of Alexandra Leaving, Javier Mas playing the 12-string bandurria and for the final bow and goodbye to the deeply appreciative Sydney Entertainment Centre audience.