Leonard Cohen concerts sell out in minutes

TICKETS FOR two Leonard Cohen concerts in Dublin in June sold out within minutes yesterday.

TICKETS FOR two Leonard Cohen concerts in Dublin in June sold out within minutes yesterday.

Just one date, June 14th, had initially been advertised for the Canadian singer-songwriter's first Irish appearance in 20 years. However, when tickets to the event, to take place at the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham, sold out in five minutes, another gig was added to the 73-year-old performer's schedule, for June 15th.

This also sold out yesterday afternoon.

Tickets for the first concert went on sale online and at ticket bureaux at 9am yesterday. Queues were reported at some outlets and booking sites struggled to cope.

READ MORE

June 15th was listed for Dublin when the schedule for Cohen's world tour was released last week, but did not feature in any of the local advertising for the artist.

A spokeswoman for promoters Pod Concerts and AEG Live defended the decision not to publicise the second concert before yesterday: "There's no point in putting a second gig on sale if the first concert isn't selling well."

The gigs will be the first in Cohen's European tour.

Paul Cullen

Paul Cullen

Paul Cullen is a former heath editor of The Irish Times.