Customer Reviews
Heartrendingly beautiful - By: L. Christensen, 24 Oct 2003 
I've been a Cohen fan as far back as I can remember. I had a feeling I wouldn't be disappointed by this album, since Cohen's live backup singers are legendary, & I was right. These are without a doubt the most beautiful & emotional versions of the songs ever recorded, & I find it impossible to listen to the album as mere background music; as soon as the music starts playing, I can't help but close my eyes & just let the music envelop me completely.
The songs "Bird on a Wire" & "Sisters of Mercy" are worthy of special mention. The tempo is lower, the saxophone sexier & the vocals deeper & more intense than ever before, & the result defies description. I would have gladly paidin blood to be at the show where they were recorded.
I heartily recommend this album to all, it is beyond fantastic.
The best live album ever? - By: , 06 Nov 2001 I'm not usually a fan of live albums. They often contain little more than badly recorded, inferior versions of tracks you probably already own. So this live collection comes as a welcome exception to the rule.
Simply put, this album is stunning. It contains many of Leonard Cohen's best loved songs, all played to perfection by world-class musicians & recorded with pin-drop clarity. The songs were recorded on various tours during the 80s & early 90s but the album hangs together as if they were all recorded on the same night.
Particularly effective are the understated but arresting guitars, & the backing vocals providing a silky counterpoint to Cohen's world-weary tones.
This was the album that introduced me to Leonard Cohen & I have to say, I haven't found a better version of any of these songs anywhere. This is, for me, the best live album ever made, & one of my all time top five albums, period.
