Review: Leonard Cohen gets thumbs up

Leonard Cohen

The O2

*****

Poet crooner Leonard Cohen may be back on the road to replace the millions he has lost through pension fraud, but there was not an ounce of resentment in the 73-year-old's unforgettable performance at the 02 last night.

In fact, the crown prince of miserabilism was on positively effervescent form, bopping and bantering his way through a hit-packed three-hour set.

His sparse folk tunes including 'Bird on a Wire' and 'Who By Fire' were transformed into irresistible jazzy blues by his talented backing band, the latter benefiting from a gorgeous flamenco guitar introduction.

Only 'Suzanne' was stripped down, with just the velvet-voiced Cohen on guitar accompanied by his radiant backing singers the Webb Sisters and long-time collaborator Sharon Robinson.

Like his recent performances at Glastonbury and the Manchester International Festival in June there was to be no 'Chelsea Hotel'.

But the devoted audience were more than placated with a rousing, sing-a-long version of the much-covered 'Hallelujah' and an extended encore which included 'Sisters Of Mercy' and, inevitably, 'So Long, Marianne'.

- Hugh Reilly