Another (Im)Modest Proposal To Improve Cohen Concerts
Sharp-eyed readers may have noted that the graphics1 on this post are not, as they may first appear, photos of Leonard Cohen and his musicians rehearsing “If It Be Your Will” for their Chicago concert scheduled this fall. Careful inspection will, in fact, reveal that these are screenshots from a video of Nine Inch Nails‘ performance of Survivalism in Atlanta, GA, May 10th, 2009.
This excerpt from Nine Inch Nails Reinvents The Concert Video explains the significance of the video and indicates why it is being posted in a blog entry about Leonard Cohen’s concerts:
At first glance, the video may not seem that different from a lot of concert videos. Look closely, though, and you’ll see that this is a basically a glorified home movie. One shot, filmed by Rob Sheridan with a Canon 5d Mark II. Like a lot of things that NIN has been doing lately, it’s not immediately obvious how insanely innovative this is. Put a guy on stage with a relatively cheap HD video cameo, let him interact with both the band and the audience, and you’ve changed concert videos forever. There’s no reason that any band, not just Nine Inch Nails, can’t have an HD concert video made for all their shows.
NIN: Survivalism live w/ Saul Williams, Atlanta 5.10.09
The Leonard Cohen Concert Onstage Video Proposal
So, roust Albert Noonan,2 premier audience videographer of Leonard Cohen concerts, out of his seat in the audience and transport him and his camera onto the stage.3
The US performances may prove to be Leonard Cohen’s final concerts. Their memorial and entertainment value would be greatly enhanced if they were filmed from onstage by someone who is given over to Cohen’s music and who can move about and react to what is going at that moment in that show.4
I, for one, would prefer watching a performance filmed in that manner to viewing the adequate but somewhat mechanical “Leonard Cohen: Live In London” DVD.
There are, to be sure, legitimate concerns. No one, least of all me, wants a cameraman who would interfere with the performance, either intentionally (think wedding photographer) or unintentionally (think wedding photographer). The concert videographer would have to be someone who respects the music, who is careful and thoughtful, and who knows what to expect during the show – someone like, say, Albert Noonan. And, I realize many if not all of the concerts are being videotaped already so there could well be some contractual conflicts which would have to be negotiated – which is why performers employ hot shot entertainment lawyers. In any case, Nine Inch Nails made it happen; Leonard Cohen should follow their example.5
The Fan’s Ultimate Leonard Cohen Concert Video
The fundamental issue is that this kind of video would benefit the fans.
Those attending a concert would, I believe, be nothing short of ecstatic about the opportunity to procure and watch a high quality, unobstructed video of that show again and again.
And, there are many Leonard Cohen fans who desperately want to attend the concerts on the final leg of the World Tour, especially the last concert in San Jose, but are unable to attend or obtain tickets. As one of those fans, I maintain that the next best thing, short of a live broadcast, would be a video that goes from onstage to online as rapidly as possible.
_____________________- Click on graphics to enlarge [↩]
- Mr. Noonan, incidentally, knew nothing of this notion before I published it. Heck, he may not even think it’s a good idea. He would, in that case, be mistaken, but the point is that he is not an instigator, a co-conspirator, or even a passively cooperative participant. Depending on ones point of view, he is either a hero or a victim of this post. And, I suppose it is theoretically possible that someone else could shoot the video although that suggestion would be incomprehensible to consider and a mistake enact. [↩]
- And for goodness sake, give him free tickets to the concerts. Reviewers, news photographers, flacks, and various hangers-on routinely get comped to these shows; my bet is that Noonan’s videos generate at least as much positive attention to and good will for the World Tour concerts as any of those efforts. At this point, having proven his value, he shouldn’t have to pay hundreds of dollars in admission fees to help market the shows. [↩]
- For one thing, if roses, polka dot blouses, boxing gloves, and stethoscopes are going to be flying onto the stage, there should be proper video documentation. [↩]
- Yep, that’s another sentence I never anticipated writing. [↩]
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