WHEN Glenna Garramone heard about legendary singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen’s passing, she went into a state of disbelief.
She had always wanted to meet Cohen.
“I wanted to have more of a connection and in the case when someone dies that becomes impossible,” she said.
Garramone was introduced to Cohen’s work at an early age. Both of her parents listened to his music.
“I can say Cohen was the soundtrack to my life. His music was always playing when I was a toddler,” she said.
Garramone said she thought other fans of the late musician must be feeling a similar loss to her own.
She called her friend Oliver Swain, with whom she had performed Cohen songs in a tribute show since 2011 as Tower of Song. The two decided to take Tower of Song on the road again and are touring Vancouver Island during their Leonard Cohen Tribute performance to mark his passing.
Garramone said the duo re-imagines Cohen’s work; they’re not a cover band. At times they stay true to the originals and other times they deviate, but still try to remain true to the essence of the original song.
“We try to do it differently, put our own spin on it,” she said.
Tower of Song kicks off the tour in Nanaimo at the Vault Café on Thursday (Dec. 8). The show begins at 9 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance from the café. The duo performs on Dec. 9 at the Dave Dunnet Community Theatre in Victoria, on Dec. 10 on Pender Island at Hope Bay Studios and at the Duncan Showroon in Duncan on Dec. 12. For more information about the duo or the tour please go to www.towerofsongmusic.com.