AEG Live Confirms Leonard Cohen?s North American Tour - First U.S. Dates in 15 Years

AEG Live Confirms Leonard Cohen?s North American Tour - First U.S. Dates in 15 YearsNEW YORKNY-AEG/LEONARD-COHEN

As Leonard Cohen took to the historic Beacon Theatre stage Thursday in New York for his first stateside performance in fifteen years, AEG Live announced a run of North American engagements including nights in New York, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles and a sunset performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California. Tickets for some dates go on sale to the public beginning Friday, February 27^th, 2009 with additional on sale dates following on March 2^nd and March 9^th, 2009. For ticket sale information visit www.LeonardCohen.com.

The North American engagements will extend the phenomenal series of performances Mr. Cohen performed recently in the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The performances have been overwhelmingly received abroad; with over 80 five star reviews. As the London Daily Telegraph plainly stated, it is "an extraordinary night of music."

As he has been throughout his most recent tour, Mr. Cohen will be joined by Sharon Robinson and the Webb Sisters ? who have wowed crowds around the world with their rich and complementary background vocals. Also joining Mr. Cohen on stage are Roscoe Beck (bass, vocals), Neil Larsen (keyboards & Hammond B3 accordion), Bob Metzger (electric, acoustic & pedal steel guitar), Javier Mas (bandurria, laud, archilaud, 12-string acoustic guitar), Rafael Gayol (drums, percussion), Dino Soldo (sax, clarinet, dobro, keys).

"We are delighted to finally bring this phenomenal tour to the USA. Having spent the last 12 months touring the world, from Romania to Australia from London to Rome, America will now get the opportunity to see the show that has enthralled over 750,000 concert goers across the world to date. Not one to miss lightly,? commented Rob Hallett, President of International Touring / AEG Live.

?AEG Live is honored to continue this extraordinary journey with Mr. Cohen. Now it's time to take North America,? added Elliott Lefko, Vice President, Goldenvoice/AEG Live.

Columbia Records has previously announced that, on March 31, 2009, they will release Leonard Cohen's Live In London, a musical chronicle of the legendary singer-songwriter-musician-poet's historic July 17, 2008 concert at London's O2 arena.

Additionally NPR will broadcast select songs from Leonard Cohen's Beacon Theatre performance at www.nrp.org on Wednesday, February 25.

LEONARD COHEN NORTH AMERICAN DATES

About AEG Live:

AEG Live, the live-entertainment division of Los Angeles-based AEG, is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance, touring for a variety of programming, and multi-media production. AEG Live, the nation?s second-largest concert promotion and touring company, is comprised of special event, broadcast and exhibition divisions, fourteen regional offices, and numerous state-of-the-art venues nationwide. The company?s national promotion arm is currently producing tours and productions including Bette Midler ?The Showgirl Must Go On? and Cher at The Coliseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas; and ?Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs?. Recent and upcoming concert tours include Justin Timberlake, Bon Jovi, Hannah Montana, Spice Girls, Prince, Britney Spears, Kenny Chesney, So You Think You Can Dance, Paul McCartney, High School Musical, American Idols Live and The Color Purple. Goldenvoice, the company?s Southern California-based regional promotion division, created and operates the award-winning annual Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival as well as Stagecoach: California's Country Music Festival. The company operates Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie in Texas, Nokia Theatre Times Square, Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE and the recently opened Club Nokia. For more information, go to www.aeglive.com.