New Zealand’s own Leonard Cohen tribute band Imperfect Offering is presenting a full programme of Leonard Cohen songs in Kerikeri and Whangarei in early 2019. The focus will be on Cohen’s life journey through his music on his first album Songs of Leonard Cohen in 1967 to his last album You Want it Darker released just weeks before his death in 2016. With a story that spans from a Jewish upbringing in Montreal, through Greek Island life with his muse Marianne to New York’s artist hang-out Chelsea Hotel to a Zen Buddhist sanctuary on Mount Baldy, Imperfect Offering will present the best songs from this journey.

Imperfect Offering was formed by lead singer Peter McMillan in 2014 from established rock, jazz and classical musicians. Initially meant as a one-off performance modelled on Cohen’s own concerts in New Zealand, there was such a hugely enthusiastic audience response that the band expanded into bigger venues and became a nine-piece line-up. In 2018 Imperfect Offering performed in sold out shows to standing ovations on a tour of North Island. Venues have included Ascension Wine Estate Matakana, Q Theatre Auckland City, St Andrews on the Terrace Wellington, Meteor Theatre Hamilton, MTG Century Theatre Napier and the Concert Chamber of the Auckland Town Hall.

Imperfect Offering includes five singers, violin and even balalaika. They appeared on TVNZ News on the event of Cohen’s death in November 2016 and was selected to be represented on the official Leonard Cohen website Cohencentric.  Their growing repertoire includes the astonishing “Hallelujah”, “Suzanne”, “Chelsea Hotel”, “The Future”, “Bird on the Wire” and songs from Cohen's extraordinary last album You Want it Darker.  Audiences have said: 

“Fantastic night plus a full house and standing ovation”

“Great show. Seamless mix of decades”

“A rich tapestry of music played by talented musicians”

“Makes the spirit soar”

The name Imperfect Offering is inspired by Cohen’s ‘Anthem’

"Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in”.

Further Information: www.imperfectoffering.co.nz