LEONARD Cohen, the undisputed bard of the bedsit, made a triumphant return to the south coast, delivering a masterclass performance that many of today’s singer, songwriters would to do well to emulate.

From the opening chords of Dance With Me, the sprightly 78-year-old had the sold out audience in the palm of his hands.

Cohen’s magic is in his words and the way he delivers them, from the melancholy strains of his classic Bird on a Wire to the brooding bassdriven Darkness, from his most recent album Old Ideas, the lad from Montreal shows a power and intelligence, that has been the foundation of his long and popular career.

To beautifully enhance his own soft and deep tone, Cohen has surrounded himself with a band of musicians, who are undisputedly at the top of their game.

With bass player and musical director Roscoe Beck at the helm confidently and easily steering the band through Cohen’s wide and varied repartee, the whole ensemble is a fine example, of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

Cohen is not only a true professional but a true gentleman to boot, comfortably and happily backing away from the spotlight, to give his long-time backing singer and co-writer Sharon Robinson, a chance to showcase her subtle and mesmerising vocal talents on the beautiful and haunting Alexandra Leaving.

An act of chivalry he is more than happy to repeat, later on in the set, with his other two backing singers, Charley and Hattie Web, for the sublime If It Be Your Will.

With a set lasting nearly three hours, albeit with a brief intermission, Cohen’s enthusiasm and stamina, proves that age is merely just a state of mind, energetically moving, and at times almost skipping around the stage this old age pensioner shows no signs of giving up what he evidently loves to do, and that is to share his words and music, with an evergrowing and appreciative fan base.

Highlights in the second portion of the evening’s performance, included an outstanding rendition of the extremely popular Famous Blue Raincoat, but it was always going to be Hallelujah, that would raise the biggest reaction from the audience, delivering the song with so much emotion and feeling, he quite rightly showed, that despite the numerous other versions around over the past few years, only he could deliver it to such a spine-tingling level enough to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

As he almost danced from the stage after the third encore of the evening, and the house lights came up, it was evident that everyone in the Windsor Hall, had witnessed a performer and a band of the highest quality.