SF Leonard Cohen Festival Returns November 7 & 8 at YBCA
SF Leonard Cohen Festival Returns November 7 & 8 at YBCA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 2, 2025
CONTACT: Clay Eugene Smith
sfleonardcohenfest@gmail.com
510-213-2226
2025 SAN FRANCISCO LEONARD COHEN FESTIVAL RETURNS NOVEMBER 3RD, 5TH, 7TH, AND 8TH WITH A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE BY GRAMMY-NOMINATED SINGER-SONGWRITER PERLA BATALLA
SAN FRANCISCO (October 2, 2025) – The annual celebration of the work of the late troubadour, Leonard Cohen, returns to San Francisco November 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 8th. Conspiracy of Beards, the San Francisco-based Leonard Cohen tribute choir, will present the festival’s four evenings of programming, which includes performances by Perla Batalla, Genny Lim, Conspiracy of Beards, The Crux, Conspiracy of Venus, The John Mackay Trio, and the Red Room Orchestra. Venues for the festival include Great American Music Hall, November 3rd; The Lost Church, November 5th; and Blue Shield of California Theater at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA), November 7th and 8th.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3rd, Great American Music Hall – 8:00 pm
Red Room Orchestra, Conspiracy of Beards – A Tribute to Leonard Cohen and the Music of the Film “McCabe & Mrs. Miller”
The Red Room Orchestra presents an evening of music from filmmaker Robert Altman’s “McCabe & Mrs. Miller,” plus other Leonard Cohen cinematic classics, featuring Tom Ayres, Marc Capelle, Karina Denike, Petra Haden, Jess Ivry, Dina Maccabee, Genarro Pocaro, Pete Straus, and Conspiracy of Beards.
Formed by San Francisco producer and multi-instrumentalist Marc Capelle in 2017, the Red Room Orchestra is a collective of popular, jazz, classical, and electronic composers and performers who’ve played and recorded alongside the Bad Seeds, the Plastic Ono Band, Cibo Matto, Oingo Boingo, Sonic Youth, CAKE, American Music Club, Lou Harrison, the Steve Reich Ensemble, the Nels Cline Singers, Rodriguez, Iggy Pop, Tune-Yards, Bill Frisell, and more. They’ve offered live renderings of the music of David
Lynch’s “Twin Peaks,” reinterpretations of the soundtracks of Wes Anderson’s “Rushmore” and “The Royal Tenenbaums,” the Coen Brothers’ “The Big Lebowski,” Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Boogie Nights,” Hal Ashby’s “Harold and Maude,” Joel Schumacher’s “The Lost Boys,” and Alex Cox’s “Repo Man.” At “Netflix is a Joke: The Festival,” they were the house band for Seth Rogen’s live reads of “Seinfeld,” “When Harry Met Sally,” and “Clueless” at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. For SFFILM they composed and performed original scores for the short films from Stephen Parr’s Oddball Films archive. They have performed at The Chapel and the Great American Music Hall for SF Sketchfest, at Outside Lands, Clusterfest, and at Symphony Space in NYC. The Red Room Orchestra projects are co-curated and produced by SF Sketchfest’s David Owen.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5th, The Lost Church – 7:15 pm
Conspiracy of Venus, The John Mackay Trio – To the End of Love: An Evening of Leonard Cohen Interpretations
The San Francisco Leonard Cohen Festival presents an evening of instrumental and vocal interpretations of Cohen’s work through arrangements by Conspiracy of Venus and The John Mackay Trio.
Conspiracy of Venus is a San Francisco-based female ensemble of treble voices that sings contemporary music by icons of the singer-songwriter tradition, from artists such as Joni Mitchell to PJ Harvey. They also perform music by Duke Ellington, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, and original compositions by their arranger/director, Joyce Todd McBride. Recent projects include a series of arrangements of local singer-songwriters, including Brian Belknap, Rhys, and Paul Pot. They will be performing Joyce’s settings of the poetry of Bertolt Brecht at the SF International Arts Festival in 2026. Established in 2007, the group has performed at many of the Bay Area’s finest venues and has toured New York City twice. They are the sister choir to the men’s choir, Conspiracy of Beards. They are honored to present four pieces by Leonard Cohen for this program. Joyce Todd McBride’s arrangements celebrate the richness of the song texts, and her settings often play with the harmonic, rhythmic, and contrapuntal possibilities they conjure. The singers of Conspiracy of Venus come from a wide variety of musical backgrounds and bring considerable interpretive skill to these great songs.
Originally hailing from Toronto, Canada, but now making his home in the Bay Area, John Mackay has had a long career in the music business as an award-winning performer, composer/arranger, and recording artist. He has performed around the world to rave reviews, playing both his own music and the works of well-known composers and songwriters. John’s latest album, released earlier this year, features his trio performing original, highly energetic jazz arrangements of Leonard Cohen’s music.
KCSM, the Bay Area’s main jazz radio station, has given the recording steady airplay since its release last February.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7th, Blue Shield of California Theater at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) – 7:30 pm
Conspiracy of Beards, The Crux, San Francisco Poet Laureate Genny Lim – The Unified Heart of Leonard Cohen
San Francisco’s Conspiracy of Beards perform their new show, “The Unified Heart of Leonard Cohen” celebrating Cohen’s words, music, and contemplations on “The Order of the Unified Heart,” the symbol of two hearts intertwined that appears on the cover of the 1984 poetry collection, “Book of Mercy.” This book is said to have inspired the 1985 album, “Various Positions,” which includes some of Cohen’s most iconic songs, including “If It Be Your Will,” “Dance Me to the End of Love,” and “Hallelujah.”
The Crux is a mad scientist’s music laboratory, where songs are presented as theatrical experiments with an odd and beautiful intensity…Lullabies to drink your morning coffee to. Gospel songs for the faithless. Pirate shanties for people who get seasick. Swing music for the graceless.
The Crux has appeared as chain-rattling klezmer folk punks, an unhinged revival service, a theatrical film-noir jazz combo, and more.This band is a true North Bay institution with a revolving cast of musicians assembled and coaxed into action by regional impresario Josh Windmiller. The Crux will present Cohen’s “New Skin for the Old Ceremony” and other hits. San Francisco Poet Laureate, Genny Lim will open the evening with an original work inspired by the Buddhism reflected in Leonard Cohen’s poetry and music. Leonard Cohen’s Buddhist name was Jikan. Ms. Lim will be performing Dharma poems in collaboration with cellist Kathryn Bates, in tribute to Jikan.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8th, Blue Shield of California Theater at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) – 7:30 pm
Perla Batalla – A Letter to Leonard Cohen: A Tribute to a Friend
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Perla Batalla will bring her acclaimed show, “A Letter to Leonard Cohen: A Tribute to a Friend,” to the stage on Saturday, November 8th at the Blue Shield Theater at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. The program draws from Batalla’s recently released album and is a deeply personal and masterful homage to the legendary singer, songwriter, and poet, with whom she collaborated and toured for over a decade.
Batalla’s tribute stands apart from other interpretations, enriched by her direct, personal connection to Cohen, who guided and encouraged her early career. Her powerful and emotive performances have earned her a reputation as one of the world’s most sought-after interpreters of Cohen’s timeless music.
“Leonard was my dear friend and mentor,” says Batalla. “This project is a way to tell the story of my love and respect for him and to honor his legacy. When I perform his songs, I feel his presence, and I am reminded of his joyful and generous spirit.”
The album “A Letter to Leonard Cohen: A Tribute to a Friend,” which forms the basis for the show, was released in September 2024 to coincide with Cohen’s 90th birthday. It features Batalla’s unique and innovative reinterpretation of Cohen’s classic works, alongside two original songs, including “The L of Your First Name,” which reflects on her intimate friendship with the artist.
During the performance, Batalla weaves together Cohen’s iconic lyrics with her own distinct storytelling and musical arrangements. The production is dedicated to the late legendary music producer Hal Willner, who inspired Batalla’s collaborative approach.
This show is an elegant intersection of deeply personal tribute and fearless originality, showcasing Batalla’s talent as both an artist and a storyteller. It is an essential event for Leonard Cohen fans and anyone who appreciates masterful and heartfelt music.
“Battalla’s gorgeous, rich, contralto voice adds another layer of beauty to Cohen’s elegantly crafted songs.” – San Jose “Mercury News”
“…Batalla is blessed with an assured and matured vocal instrument, rich, sonorous, and deep….” – Joe Woodard, “Santa Barbara Independent”
About Perla Batalla: Perla Batalla is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter known for her powerful vocals and boundary-defying musical style. With a career spanning decades, she has performed in prestigious venues worldwide and released numerous critically acclaimed albums. Her deep friendship and artistic collaboration with Leonard Cohen have uniquely positioned her as a premier interpreter of his work.
For media inquiries: CONTACT: Clay Eugene Smith
510-213-2226
sfleonardcohenfest@gmail.com
https://conspiracyofbeards.com
The Conspiracy of Beards (COB) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that receives support from public and private funding sources. Donations/sponsorships to the 2025 SF Leonard Cohen Festival are gratefully accepted via this link https://conspiracyofbeards.com/donate/