Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Flaming Penguin - or How I learned to stop worrying and love the Leonard

Leonard Cohen, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways....

I've been listening to L. Cohen obsessively and without parental supervision for at least half of my life. I can sing many of his songs by heart and have even covered one (I so rarely do covers that this does really mean something.)

L. Cohen is playing tonight in Oakland, mere minutes from my house. Three nights sold out at $200 a ticket (average) Yikes. I love you Leonard, but love doesn't pay the rent (have you written that song already?)

Today on facebook I noticed a friend/VLfan's status:

"Jonathan Pirro is still deciding whether or not to usher Leonard Cohen tonight."

So I asked if I could also usher and he answered that his contact said "bring as many as you can""

I think that they are desperate and will take me in what I can throw together. Purple and red striped hair, blue nail polish, black dress, black stockings.

WRONG!

They wouldn't even let me in the building. They said I should come back tomorrow in the right clothes.

"You don't want to miss this show."

No I don't want to miss it. Thank you.

I've never been denied entry based on how I look before, it was very odd.

I will try again tomorrow I think because I do love Leonard Cohen enough to dress like a penguin for an evening. And I think I can thrift together enough of a penguin costume for an evening with my baritone baby.

Oh the trials and tribulations.....



And the outfit in question - how dare I!

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4 comments:

  1. All fingers crossed that you get in tomorrow. I myself would LOVE to go, but fate has other plans for the likes of me. So please do make it through the Usher Acceptance Gauntlet and have an amazing time that I may live vicariously.

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  2. That sucks! At least you get one more chance to see him. Lenard Cohen is indeed one of the best songwriters of our lifetime. It's an interesting experience to be judged/turned away from something based on appearances. It really makes you uncomfortable in your own skin, like suddenly you've discovered an new body part that is in some way wrong. I could only imagine how hard it must be when that judgment is evoked by an aspect of ourselves that cannot be changed by putting on a new outfit.
    Have a great time at the show <3

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  3. That is incredible! In that outfit you could usher in any opera house!
    Did you get to see the show int he end?

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  4. Marvellous show that Leonard Cohen puts on. Many who go to the tour suffer "georaphical and financial inconvenience" in your case perhaps that is sartorial inconvenience. ;-)

    Here's a Salon article on the great man in case you missed it http://www.salon.com/ent/music/feature/2009/04/17/cohen/index.html

    And a 42 minute vid with Himself. http://themusicslut.com/2009/04/leonard-cohen-chats-with-qtv/

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