The Songs of Leonard Cohen

Event information

"Some of the most atmospheric and emotive music you will ever hear" - The Independent

‘There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in’ Cohen’s most memorable and visionary line from his song ANTHEM. If ever there was a sentence in modern poetry to reflect on and give hope and understanding to us all, it is this line. This Concert begins with ANTHEM.

Songwriter Leonard Cohen was an unflinching character, with an exact sense of prose, wry humour, and the courage to wrestle with the unspoken, forgiving human frailty and indulgence with the stroke of each word. His music befriended an entire generation. Within every line of his writing, Leonard Cohen has been challenging us to listen more carefully, speak more thoughtfully, think more deeply and recognize our own vulnerability. Our World misses him very much.

With a lifetime reputation of performing in this exact way and an undying love of the ‘pure song’ Keith James gives you a concert of Cohen’s amazing material in the most intimate and sensitive way imaginable, exposing the solitary inner strength of his greatest songs in their original perfect form. Keith has performed almost 500 concerts of Leonard Cohen songs to more than 200,000 people. This has proved to be ‘life changing’ and one of the greatest honours in Keith's 50 year career in music.

Included in the concert are Cohen songs including Famous Blue Raincoat, Sisters of Mercy, Suzanne, Bird on a Wire, and Hallelujah, alongside rarer and profound writing such as If it Be Your Aill, Joan of Arc, and Secret Life. Also included are Keith’s dramatic performances based on the work of Federico Garcia Lorca – Cohen’s greatest influence.

"Not to be missed" - Mark Radcliffe
"Brave enough to play the music he truly believes in" - Bob Harris
"Keith James has become a pillar of trust. A sublimely intimate and engaging voice" - Sunday Times