A book analyzes the ins and outs of the most atypical concert of the Canadian in Spain
In an unusual event from the 1980s, famed singer Leonard Cohen performed in Binéfar, a small town of 8,000 in Huesca, Spain, on June 11, 1988. At the height of his popularity due to «First We Take Manhattan,» Cohen didn’t perform a simple singer-songwriter recital but arrived with a full band, as he had recently done in San Sebastián. This concert, subsidized by the local council, is now the subject of a detailed book «The Year We Boycotted Leonard Cohen» by sociologist Josep Espluga Trenc. The book reveals the controversy surrounding the concert, as the decision to bring Cohen to Binéfar was made by Mari Carmen Pérez, a councilwoman from the right-wing Aragonese Party (PAR), which was supporting the minority Socialist government. Interestingly, Binéfar, a prosperous, rock-loving town, had its own strong band, Los Proscritos, and had also contracted Radio Futura and Siniestro Total in 1988. However, the popular music groups of the town, who were bringing El Último de la Fila that year, considered Cohen’s performance a concession to the past and an excessive expense that would lead to expensive tickets and the placement of chairs for a non-rock audience. Promoters faced difficulties, especially on a national scale where Binéfar was often overlooked. The concert was better received in nearby capitals, with support from the legendary Plácido Serrano in Zaragoza. However, local media in Binéfar were hostile. The result? Only 2,500 of the 5,000 available seats were filled, mainly by the older, well-dressed community. Musicians maintained a boycott or listened from outside. Unaware of the conflict, Cohen delivered a generous performance with two encores. Despite the controversy, Cohen won over an unexpected fan. Local truck driver José Nogués, who knew nothing of Cohen, met the singer at a café and invited him for Somontano wine and a plate of ham. Nogués, initially a fan of Los Chichos, attended the show and became a follower of Cohen. Now retired, Nogués remains a fan of Cohen, proud of the singer’s Prince of Asturias award and confident that a Cohen concert today would sell out.
