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The life of Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist Leonard Cohen will be celebrated at a commemorative concert in Matakana on May 5.
A nine-piece band based in Auckland has put together a two-hour show that pays tribute to arguably one of the world’s greatest singer-songwriters of recent times.
Band leader and lead vocalist Peter McMillan says the band formed in late 2014 as a tribute band and then put together the commemorative show, Imperfect Offerings, following Cohen’s death in November 2016.
“We’ve played a number of venues around the North Island, including a sellout concert at the Q Theatre in Auckland, and the response has been great,” Peter says. “People are familiar with his music because it speaks to the human experience – love, death, inner suffering, sexuality, religion and just trying to make your way in the world.”
The band includes musicians from jazz, classical, country and rock backgrounds, who play a range of instruments, including the violin and balalaika.
With a huge body of work to choose from, the show includes favourites such as Suzanne, Bird on the Wire, Everybody Knows and his best-known song, Hallelujah.
“The name Imperfect Offering is inspired by Cohen’s lyric in Anthem, ‘Ring the bells that still can ring, forget your perfect offering, there is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in’.”
There are limited tickets for this one-show only event at Ascension Wine Estate.
Leonard Cohen’s last show in NZ was in 2013.
Info: imperfectoffering.nz
Ticket Giveaway
Mahurangi Matters has a double pass to give away. Send entries to news@localmatters.co.nz, with Cohen in the subject line. Competition closes noon on 30 April 2018.
