I'm writing this four days after seeing Leonard Cohen in concert and I've been thinking about his performance frequently since then. Quite simply, his show at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, is the best concert I have ever seen -- and I've been to quite a few gigs, averaging around 100 every year for the past seven or so years.

Just weeks ago, Bruce Springsteen turned in a typically brilliant display at the RDS and Radiohead didn't disappoint at Malahide Castle, but neither concert was in the same league as Cohen's.

The gig mattered so much because for most attendees, it was their first time to see such an iconic figure -- the Canadian hadn't played Ireland in 20 years. It also mattered because there's a very strong chance that we'll never see the tour-shy 73-year-old again. The two-and-a-half hours felt like a beautiful farewell.

But its magnificence was sealed by the collision of Cohen's gorgeous deep vocals, his gifted musicians and his grace and humility -- the latter commodities are in pitifully short supply in this business.

During his spoken word rendition of comparatively recent song, A Thousand Kisses Deep, I can't have been the only one to feel that I was witnessing art of the highest possible form -- a handful of minutes by which I can measure all future performances.

Since his three gigs at the weekend -- and from what I've heard, Saturday and Sunday matched Friday all the way -- attendees have posted messages on the independent.ie website sharing their memories of such a remarkable occasion.

"What I witnessed was soul inspiring on every level," wrote one respondent. "I have never been so moved by a performance," posted another. "Everything about the night was magical," proclaimed a third. Thank you, Leonard Cohen, for memories that will never be forgotten.

n Timing is a curious thing. On Tuesday, the publicists for Electric Picnic announced that the festival had sold out completely on that very day.

It also was the day that the promoter of Electric Picnic, John Reynolds, went on the offensive to counter some alarming newspaper reports that suggested that the festival stood a risk of not going ahead as a result of a dispute between his company POD Concerts and the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO).

IMRO had been seeking €432,000 in outstanding royalties from POD, but Reynolds has been quick to put his side's case forward. "POD Concerts is in dispute with IMRO over certain issues relating to the high fees charged by IMRO to it for 'public performance' of music which are in addition to the fees paid to the artists to perform," he says. "IMRO is seeking to charge POD Concerts for performances from non-music artists involved in the Electric Picnic.

"POD Concerts have been in longstanding discussions with IMRO about the issues, however IMRO has recently chosen to issue proceedings rather than mediate the disagreement. IMRO had previously refused payment from POD Concerts for the amounts now in dispute."

It's a row that's likely to rumble on and on.

n And while we're on the subject of festivals, further tickets are going on sale for Oxegen today. Some punters are likely to be confused by this, having believed that the three-day festival was already sold out.

But we're told by promoter MCD that the extra tickets have being put on the market to counter the touts. It's a trend that we've being seeing plenty of lately, but if a portion of tickets are being deliberately held back, should promoters be so quick to say their events have sold out, when clearly that's not the case?

n Hard Working Class Heroes takes place in Dublin over three nights on the weekend of September 12-14.

Bands keen to take part should apply before July 2 and photographers interested in partaking in an accompanying exhibit also need to apply online by the same date.

For further details consult, www.hwch.net

n A special event is taking place at the Academy, Dublin, on July 4, with the aim of raising money for former staff member Lana Kurashidze who needs €15,000 for a life-saving operation. The 23-year-old Latvian used to work as a hostess in the precursor to the Academy, Spirit, and was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer 18 months ago.

All proceeds from the night will be donated to the operation fund and a number of items will be raffled, including Oxegen tickets. DJs Jane Kenny, John Power and Karen will man the desks and admission is €15. n

- John Meagher