words by Patty Riek
photos by Jon Bauer
Conspiracy of Beards closed out their season with an intimate Sunset Season Finale on Strawberry Hill in Golden Gate Park. Nestled amongst the swaying trees, the Beards’ voices lifted spirits. Working through their arrangements of Leonard Cohen’s work including “Famous Blue Raincoat,” “So Long, Marianne,” “Suzanne,” “Hallelujah,” and “Dance Me To the End Of Love,” canoodling audience members soaked up the songs with appreciation.
In addition to the beauty and meaning of the music itself, Conspiracy of Beards represents the best of fellowship and community – the fellowship of the men in the choir, the community and connections forged through the mutual appreciation of Cohen’s work. Cohen’s pieces grapple with many of the individual and social woes that continue to plague us. The Beards offer a reprieve from worldly concerns by giving a beautiful voice to them. A fitting season send-off to a beloved Bay Area choir!
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