Hal Willner – Came So Far For Beauty, Dublin

2006, October 4 & 5 – An Evening of Songs by Leonard Cohen, Point Depot, Dublin, Ireland

A three hour show celebrating the work of Leonard Cohen at the Point Depot in Dublin as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival, curated by Hal Willner.

Hal Willner’s Came So Far For Beauty – An Evening of Leonard Cohen Songs was originally commissioned in 2003 by the Celebrate Brooklyn Performing Arts Festival with support from the Canadian Consulate General New York.

With: Anjani, Antony, Laurie Anderson, Perla Batalla, Steven Bernstein, Rob Burger, Charlie Burnham, Nick Cave, Julie Christensen, Jarvis Cocker, David Coulter, Don Falzone, Gavin Friday, The Handsome Family, Robin Holcomb, Briggan Krauss, Maxim Moston, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Beth Orton, Lou Reed, Chris Spedding, Kate St John, Teddy Thompson, Kenny Wollesen.

Gavin tackles Cohen’s difficult and ubiquitous “Hallelujah” together with Mary Margaret O’Hara and the pair take the song to places it hasn’t seen before. During the intermission their performance is much discussed. In the second half of the show, Gavin cheekily dedicates “Everybody Knows” to the Irish Taoiseach (PM) Bertie Ahern.

Setlist (October 5):

1. Avalanche – Nick Cave
2. Seems So Long Ago Nancy – Robin Holcombe
3. One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong – Lou Reed
4. A Thousand Kisses Deep – The Handsome Family
5. The Guests – Antony
6. Dear Heather – Laurie Anderson
7. My Secret Life – Laurie Anderson, Antony, Perla Batalla & Julie Christensen
8. Who By Fire – Gavin Friday, backing vocals by Antony
9. Hallelujah – Gavin Friday & Mary Margaret O’Hara
10. Blue Alert – Anjani
11. Dress Rehearsal Rag – Nick Cave
12. The Stranger Song – Lou Reed
13. So Long Marianne – Beth Orton
14. Tonight Will Be Fine – Teddy Thompson
15. Death Of A Ladies Man – Jarvis Cocker & Beth Orton

Intermission

1. Because Of – Mary Margaret O’Hara
2. The Window – Mary Margaret O’Hara
3. I Can’t Forget – Jarvis Cocker
4. Sisters Of Mercy – Beth Orton
5. Joan of Arc – Lou Reed & Julie Christensen
6. Closing Time – Robin Holcomb, Julie Christensen & Perla Batalla
7. Bird on a Wire – Perla Batella
8. Chelsea Hotel #2 – Jarvis Cocker
9. Waiting For the Miracle – Teddy & Kami Thompson
10. If It Be Your Will – Antony
11. Famous Blue Raincoat – The Handsome Family
12. Suzanne – Nick Cave, Perla Batalla & Julie Christensen
13. Never Got To Love You – Anjani
14. Everybody Knows – Gavin Friday
15. You Know Who I Am – Antony & Laurie Anderson
16. Anthem – Perla Batalla & Julie Christensen
17. The Future – Teddy Thompson
18. Memories – All

Encore

1. Winter Lady – All the ladies