16-January-2016
Shrine Auditorium
 Los Angeles, USA

Billboard

Van Morrison’s amazing list of musical accomplishments -- songs like “Brown-Eyed Girl,” “St. Dominic’s Preview,” “Gloria” and “Tupelo Honey,” as well as the albums Moondance and Astral Weeks -- have earned the Belfast, Ireland, native a deserved place in both Rock And Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

So a rare tour from Morrison should be treated as a momentous event. And it felt that way at night two (Saturday, Jan. 16) of his sold-out stand at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium, even before he brought out fellow icon Sir Tom Jones in the middle of the set for two songs of music royalty uniting.

Fans were understandably excited as Morrison, saxophone around his neck, was brought onto the Shrine stage by his five-piece backing band just moments after the 8:00 p.m. start time. “Ladies and gentlemen, Van Morrison,” his drummer said, welcoming the icon on stage.

At the top of his game Morrison is equal to any act. This was one of those nights. Opening with the jazz instrumental “Celtic Swing” followed by “Close Enough For Jazz,” which found Morrison ending the song with a resounding, “Oh yeah,” showing his jazz cat status, Morrison and his band established they could have just as easily been on stage at the Village Vanguard or Blue Note as the Shrine on this night.

Considered maybe the greatest “blue-eyed soul singer,” Morrison showed why repeatedly on this night, from the playful back and forth exchange he showed with his backup singer on the Ray Charles cover “I Believe To My Soul” and the gorgeous following number “Magic Time.” Other early highlights included a magnificent “Love in the Afternoon” and a raucous “Baby Please Don’t Go.”

The one question with Morrison shows in the past has been how engaged the singer would be.

Notoriously press shy Morrison has sometimes shown that same private side on stage, so when he does open up it is a big deal. Tell diehard Morrison fans that on this night he stood in the middle of the stage and did movie star impressions and you’ll see jaws drop on the floor.

Maybe it was having longtime friend Jones join him for the magnificent “Sometimes We Cry” and “I’m Not Feeling it Anymore” or maybe it was daughter Shana Morrison accompany him vocally on “Rough God Goes Riding” and “That Old Black Magic,” but Morrison was as playful as you’ll see him in concert, showing off his impressions of actors Clint Eastwood, Robert De Niro and Cary Grant at one point.

While the impressions and special guests were both fun and invigorated the crowd, Morrison’s voice is all that is needed for a magical night. In the same way musicians, as they get older, learn control of their instrument, his voice was in peak form, as he showed during one impressive stretch in the medley “It’s All in the Game/Time Is Running Out/Waiting Game/No Plan B/Burning Ground,” taking his vocals intentionally from smooth to gravelly and back within seconds.

Morrison’s voice remains one of the greatest musical instruments in rock today. So much so that if you are compiling a musical bucket list sitting in the audience watching Van “The Man” stand in the center of stage, his voice effortlessly soaring as he delivers “Into the Mystic” should be top ten for sure. So a lot of fans in L.A. got to cross something special off their list on this unforgettable night.
-Steve Baltin

Setlist
Celtic Swing
Close Enough For Jazz
I Believe To My Soul
Magic Time
Wild Night
Baby Please Don't Go/Parchman Farm/Don't Start Crying Now
In the Afternoon
Enlightenment
Sometimes We Cry w/Tom Jones
I'm Not Feelin It Anymore w/Tom Jones
Moondance
Rough God Goes Riding w/Shana Morrison
Old Black Magic w/Shana Morrison
All In The Game/Time is Running Out/Waiting Game/No Plan B/Burning Ground
Ballerina
In the Mystic

Big Hand for The Band!
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Bobby Ruggiero (Drums)
Dana Masters (Vocals)
Shana Morrison (Guest Vocals)

15-January-2016
Shrine Auditorium
 Los Angeles, USA

Los Angeles Times (Source)

At the end of a week that began for many pop music fans with feelings of shock and loss at the death of David Bowie, another widely esteemed musician arrived in Los Angeles with a performance that reminded us why we value and feel so deeply connected to certain artists.

Van Morrison, who turned 70 in August, is less than two years Bowie’s senior. Yet the singer and songwriter from Belfast, Northern Ireland, may seem more the elder statesman because he came into the public eye with his band, Them, during the early part of the British Invasion, well before Bowie’s presence began to be felt.

His first of two shows this weekend at the 6,300-capacity Shrine Auditorium on Friday, launching a new U.S. tour leg, was a masterful exploration of music as something that reaches deeper than what is measured by sales charts.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, of course, has had his fair share of songs and albums that clicked commercially earlier in his career, and he dolloped several of those into his 105-minute show.

But it was as though he used hits of yore -- including “Moondance,” “Wild Night,” “Brown-Eyed Girl” and “Baby Please Don’t Go” -- as bait to pull the packed audience to the deeper album tracks spanning half a century of his writing, recording and performing that served as the emotional and spiritual core of his show.

Morrison opened, in front of a tight, jazz-rooted, five-member band -- keyboadist-trumpeter and musical director Paul Moran, guitarist Dave Keary, bassist Paul Moore, drummer Robbie Ruggiero and singer Dana Masters -- blowing his alto sax on the instrumental “Celtic Swing.”

From there he took on a variety of roles: lead singer, harmonica player, rhythm and, occasionally, lead guitarist.

His rendition of “And the Healing Has Begun” was particularly comforting for those still feeling raw about Bowie’s death, as Morrison sang about the restorative power of music:

And we’ll walk down the avenue again

And we’ll sing all the songs from way back when

And we’ll walk down the avenue again

And the healing has begun

As he often does in concert, he used the basic framework of his recorded versions of songs as a springboard to in-the-moment vocal and instrumental exploration. He opened songs up, riffed and extemporized, marrying the technical dexterity of a seasoned jazz musician with the emotional acuity of a veteran blues artist.

He reached beyond his own extensive song catalog to assay “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child,” hewing closer to Paul Robeson’s version than to the Richie Havens rendition more familiar to those who grew up in the age of Woodstock.

He reworked even his own most familiar songs, not in the frequently unrecognizable way that Bob Dylan often re-imagines his classics, as if consciously defying fans to sink into mechanical singalong mode, but to make them relevant to who he is now.

In place of the bouncy R&B lilt he originally came up with for “Brown-Eyed Girl,” he recast it this time with a decided jazz swing rhythm. “Moondance” also veered even more into jazz than his recorded version with inventive yet smartly straightforward sections he played on his alto sax in tandem with trumpeter Moran.

Perhaps the most illuminating new version of one of his signature songs was his approach to “Baby Please Don’t Go.” When he recorded it in 1964 with Them, when he was in his late teens, it was a forceful, desperate plea from a young man on the verge of adulthood.

Fifty years later, he sang Joe Williams’ blues standard with a vastly more restrained yearning, a wish filtered through the acceptance that comes with the experience of knowing that life sometimes has something else in store than what we have in mind.

Morrison's daughter, singer Shana Morrison, joined him briefly mid-set for a spirited arrangement of “That Old Black Magic” that seemed inspired by the Louis Prima-Keely Smith version. At one point, Morrison sang one of his lines, casually flicked his thumb in his daughter’s direction for her to pick up the song from there. It was a joyful moment of father-daughter communication, the master seeming to challenge her to “now show me what the student has learned.”

The pièce de résistance was his performance of “It’s All in the Game,” an early 20th century melody written by future U.S. Vice President Charles Dawes, given lyrics in 1951 by songwriter Carl Sigman and popularly recorded in 1958 by Tommy Edwards.

Morrison’s version has little in common with Edwards’ lovely but relatively straightforward performance. Morrison uses it almost as Buddhists use “om” as a chant to help them connect with a higher realm.

He stretched each line, twisting, turning, repeating words and syllables, so when he reached the line “and your heart will fly away,” Morrison led listeners with him along his transcendent path.

It wasn’t, however, as if Morrison, who returns to the Shrine Saturday night, spent the night with his head in the clouds. For an artist who is notoriously prickly, who has often spent time on stage tongue-lashing band members when they didn’t deliver what he had in mind, Morrison was in an uncommonly jocular mood, making quips to the audience and to his fellow musicians.

All in all, Morrison’s performance was a thoroughly invigorating celebration of music, and by extension, of life that arrived just when many of us needed it most.
-Randy Lewis

Setlist
Celtic Swing
Close Enough for Jazz
Magic Time
Baby Please Don't Go/Parchman Farm/Don't Start Crying Now
In the Afternoon/Burn Baby Burn/Raincheck
Motherless Child
And The Healing Has Begun
Thanks For The Information
Moondance
Old Black Magic w/Shana Morrison
Rough God Goes Riding w/Shana Morrison
Wild Night
Whenever God Shines His Light
Brown Eyed Girl
In The Midnight
All In The Game/Burning Ground
Into The Mystic

Big Hand for The Band!
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Bobby Ruggiero (Drums)
Dana Masters (Vocals)
Shana Morrison (Guest Vocals)

20-December-2015
Nells Jazz And Blues
 London, England
Evening Show

Brendan sends in this review
After all the excitement surrounding the afternoon show it was perhaps unsurprising that the evening show started in a very sedate manner. However, when the opening three numbers consisting of Celtic Swing, Sack of Woe and Centrepiece/Corrine Corrina(none of which rose above the level of mediocre) were followed by Days Like This and Precious Time the prospect of a really disappointing set list loomed largely. Mercifully, Van then played Enlightenment and following repeated requests by dedicated fan Pamela Kendix he finally capitulated and performed the always treasured Foreign Window to great acclaim. When a terrific Tore Down A la Rimbaud followed, the concert was back on an upward curve. Sometimes We Cry was well delivered and enthusiastically received quickly followed by What Am I living For? from the country album. Early In the Morning/Rock Me Baby were powerfully delivered and really lifted proceedings. The only song repeated from the matinee show followed in the form of In The Afternoon which once more was fantastic and was thankfully afforded total reverence by the audience. There were also a couple of comedic moments included on this occasion with Van telling us the ancient highway was actually the MI 5 before quickly correcting the reference to the M5 but not before the band and audience had erupted with laughter. When Van had moved into a segment of Don't You Get Me High and referred to 'when you feel my leg' an enthusiastic chap appeared to be volunteering and shouted up to Van who quickly retorted "not you" much to everyone's amusement! Cleaning Windows was good to hear again but suffered significantly once more from the absence of the brass section. In my view the band are restricted considerably by the reduced band numbers as there is a predictability and inevitability which sees every musical break in songs consist of a guitar solo followed by a piano/organ solo (or vice versa) apart from the occasional trumpet solo by Paul Moran who obviously has to stop playing the piano/organ at that point in the song to the detriment of the overall sound. From a musical viewpoint it is hard to understand why Van chose to eliminate the brass section which has been a constant and I daresay key element of his music throughout almost the entirety of his career but the decision has certainly not resulted in enhanced concert performances.

Van strapped on his guitar for Why Must I Always Explain but didn't really bring it to the level of previous renditions and Ballerina which followed was dogged by some sound problems which Van was clearly unhappy with but it nevertheless included a fine trumpet solo from Paul Moran. In The Garden brought proceedings to an end but Van departed quite early without ever getting really engrossed leaving the band to play out the last six minutes without him which they did with each taking extended solos and Paul Moore's one on bass being particularly good.

Set time was 84 minutes with Van really pushing the boat out by staying on stage for 78 minutes.

-Brendan Hynes

Setlist
Celtic Swing
Sack O Woe
Centerpiece/Corina
Days Like This
Precious Time
Enlightenment
Foreign Window
Tore Down A La Rimbaud
Sometimes We Cry
What Am I Living For
Early in the Morning/Rock Me Baby
In the Afternoon/Raincheck/Burn Baby Burn
Cleaning Windows
Why Must I Always Explain
Ballerina
In the Garden

Big Hand for The Band!
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Bobby Ruggiero (Drums)
Dana Masters (Vocals)

20-December-2015
Nells Jazz And Blues
 London, England
Matinee Show

Brendan sent in his review
Early arrivals for the third of Van Morrison's four weekend shows were met by closed doors and signage indicating a repossession of the premises. There was talk of bailiffs inside the premises and I had a vision of Van throwing himself in front of the doors to stop the band's equipment being seized but with the show eventually going ahead we were denied such a sight!

The show started with an alternative instrumental apparently called Bags Groove which was followed by Who Can I Turn To? which featured a great trumpet solo from Paul Moran. Moondance also saw Paul excel on piano and he was really hogging the limelight as he also excelled on trumpet during a powerful I Believe To My Soul. Sometimes I Feel Like A motherless Child went down a storm with Van's electric guitar contribution getting an ovation. Things I Used To Do was a pretty pointless addition to the set but Take Your Hand Out of My Pocket which followed was certainly welcomed and featured great guitar from Dave Keary and an absolutely incredible organ solo from Paul Moran (is there no end to this man's talent?). Think Twice Before You Go and Whenever God Shines His Light raised the tempo and were well received before Carrying A Torch afforded Dana Masters a chance to shine on vocals. Van briefly alluded to the bit of drama earlier in the afternoon before appropriately playing In The Afternoon.Yet again this was the show stopper as Van took us an extended journey down the ancient highway to the overpass before finishing with the repeated line"sitting pretty at the end of the line "to an enraptured ant totally hushed audience. Phenomenal! Magic Time and Baby Please Don't Go/Parchman Farm/Don't Start Crying Now were well performed but contained no surprises. All In The Game included some Hawaiian guitar sounds from Dave Keary which greatly pleased Van who departed the stage shortly after leaving the band to play on for a further 5 minutes or so. Paul Moore played some intricate bass but the drum solo which followed was simply a time filler.

My overall feeling was that the show which lasted just 81 minutes was very short but also very sweet.

-Brendan Hynes

Setlist
Bags Groove
Who Can I Turn To
Moondance
I Believe To My Soul
Motherless Child
Things I Used To Do
Take Your Hand Outta My Pocket
Think Twice
Whenever God Shines His Light
Carrying A Torch
In the Afternoon/Burn baby burn
Magic Time
Baby Please Don't/Go Parchman/Don't Start Crying Now
It's All in the Game

Big Hand for The Band!
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Bobby Ruggiero (Drums)
Dana Masters (Vocals)

19-December-2015
Nells Jazz And Blues
 London, England
Evening Show

Brendan Hynes sent in this review
This show had a somewhat erratic start as an instrumental number was quickly abandoned after a few notes to be replaced by Celtic Swing. Unlike the previous runs of shows at this intimate venue the setlist did not deviate greatly from the standard and pretty predictable shows of recent months with the exceptions being Sack of Woe, Wild Night and Take Your Hand Out Of My Pocket (which included a great organ solo from Paul Moran). Highlight of the show was undoubtedly In The Afternoon which saw Van become totally engrossed and providing us with one of those moments we always hope for and savour. The ancient highway was certainly fully utilised tonight and after Van went into Burn Baby Burn territory it ended with him humming for quite some time to the band's laid back accompaniment. Wonderful! The rest of the set was somewhat predictable but was played with considerable vigour by both Van and the band so the energy level never flagged.

After Brown Eyed Girl was somewhat surprisingly played,the opening strains of Gloria which followed indicated that the show was over already. Set time was a paltry and unacceptable 80 minutes (Van was gone after 74 minutes) and quite honestly if Van is either unable or unwilling to do two full shows he should confine himself to one show per day as the audience at each show just end up being shortchanged. The much criticised standard 90 minute set length is miserable enough without cutting it even further.

Two more shows await on Sunday and one hopes for a few rare nuggets to be unearthed during them.

-Brendan Hynes

Setlist
Celtic Swing
Sack O Woe
Motherless Child
Carrying A Torch
Wild Night
Sometimes We Cry
Think Twice Before You Go
Take Your Hand Outta My Pocket
Keep It Simple
Whenever God Shines His Light
In the Afternoon/Burn Baby Burn
Baby please Don't Go/Parchman Farm/Don't Start Crying Now
I'm Not Feeling It No More
Brown Eyed Girl
Gloria

Big Hand for The Band!
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Bobby Ruggiero (Drums)
Dana Masters (Vocals)

20-November-2015
3 Arena
 Dublin, Ireland

Brendan Hynes sent in this review
This was Van's first full concert show back in Dublin since the particularly triumphant one back in early 2012. Despite being seated in the front row it was my misfortune to encounter probably the most ignorant and noisy group of people (who were visitors from abroad) I have ever had to endure at a seated concert in the row behind who talked and laughed loudly throughout the entire concert (apart from the first two songs which they missed as they were still stocking up their drinks at the bar). Repeated requests to desist were met with derisory responses and they informed me that "Man,this is a rock concert" as an explanation. They reserved the maximum level of talking and laughing for the quietest numbers particularly And the Healing Has Begun, All In The Game and In The Garden. Wonderful!

The concert itself started pretty tamely with Van racing through Celtic Swing, Close Enough For Jazz, Magic Time, Days Like This and Keep It Simple in quick succession none of which reached any great heights in my opinion. A really strong version of Playhouse brought both the band and audience to life and featured a brilliant trumpet solo from Paul Moran. Sometimes We Cry featured a strong duet with Dana Masters with Van also playing some tambourine. The Baby Please Don't Go/Parchman Farm/Don't Start Crying Now/Custard Pie medley went down a treat and was notable for Van's change of wording during Parchman Farm to Communion Wine which he attributed to someone changing his script. Before embarking on In The Afternoon Van asked the audience if they were alright and if the people up the back could hear. While Van brought us down the ancient highway and onto the overpass that's as far as we got and the song ended quite abruptly before it really went anywhere. Talk Is Cheap was pretty ordinary fare but Not Feeling It Anymore was anything but with Van swaying over and back at the microphone and his feet shuffling as he sang.The audience loved this one and roared their approval. Things I Used To Do did very little for me but was followed by a strong Why Must I Always Explain with Van on electric guitar. The guitar stayed on for a welcome rendition of And The Healing Has Begun which didn't go on for as long as I would have liked but was great while it lasted. Whenever God Shines His Light was well delivered and received prompting a few dancers to emerge from the crowd. All In The Game got as far as No Plan B but not much further so we were not transported to the Burning Ground on this occasion as Van quite quickly departed the stage. Van returned for a lively Help Me before asking for a "big hand for the band" and exiting once more. As the annoying 90 minute mark had not yet been reached Van did return once more for a welcome and well received In The Garden which saw Van invoke the help of the 'holy guardian angels' before the 'no guru no method no teacher' chant after which he departed into the night leaving the band to excel with splendid solos culminating in Dana doing some great vocal work which drew a storm of approval from the audience. The reaction at the end was so strong that it prompted keyboard player Paul Moran to take an audience photo for posterity. Set time was 1h 37m.

-Brendan Hynes

Set List
Celtic Swing
Close Enough For Jazz
Magic Time
Days Like This
Keep It Simple
Playhouse
Sometimes We Cry
Baby Please Don't Go/Parchman Farm/Don't Start Crying Now/Custard Pie
In The Afternoon
Talk Is Cheap
Not Feeling It Anymore
Things I Uses To Do
Why Must I Always Explain
And The Healing Has Begun
Whenever God Shines His Light
All In The Game
Help Me
In The Garden

Big Hand for The Band!
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Bobby Ruggiero (Drums)
Dana Masters (Vocals)

16-November-2015
Europa Hotel
 Belfast, Northern Ireland

Brendan Hynes sent in this review
This was the second night of Van’s ‘Cleaning Windows’ gigs which were promoted on the basis of Van playing that particular song and others. No real surprise then that he didn’t in fact play Cleaning Windows tonight.

The show opened with an instrumental called Allow Me which was a nice deviation from the usual and somewhat predictable Celtic Swing opener. Symphony Sid which followed was well delivered and featured Dana Masters prominently on vocals. Sack of Woe included nice guitar and organ solos from Dave Keary and Paul Moran respectively before Van informed us it was time for some John Lee Hooker as he embarked on a lively Think Twice Before You Go. Higher Than The World brought us some welcome mysticism and was followed by a nice and somewhat varied rendition of Magic Time. The only problem was that Van seemed to be the only one unaware of the new ending as he stood wielding his saxophone for his usual solo only for Paul Moran to give the signal to the band to stop which they duly did. Van didn’t seem too pleased but sure it will keep him on his toes! Carrying A Torch was as good as ever and was followed by a stomping version of Wild Night which pleased American visitors and Van debutants Tim and Christine at our table no end. Keep It Simple saw Van become really engaged with the song culminating in him swaying repeatedly over and back at the microphone as he sang with real purpose.

Fresh from the great Bluesfest duet with Tom Jones last week on Not Feeling It Anymore the song made a welcome return to the set list tonight and it was a simply blistering rendition which brought many in the audience to their feet. It was probably the highpoint of the night! Baby Please Don’t Go/Parchman Farm/Don’t Start Crying Now were well played and went down well. In The Afternoon was another long and really good version which included Van deliberating at one point with Paul Moran about a place in Cornwall and asking him if he knew where it was. Van continued in jovial vein for a while before concluding that “this is good stuff”. Whenever God Shines His Light fairly moved at pace and included some interplay between Bobbie on drums, Dana with some percussion and Van on tambourine. Van again included some tambourine on Sometimes We Cry which featured great vocals from Dana earning her a well deserved ovation. Ballerina featured great Spanish guitar from Dave Keary earning an outstretched arm of recognition from Van who departed the stage shortly afterwards before returning for Gloria.This was a very long version largely I suspect down to a time filler required to bring the set time up to 90 minutes following a somewhat early departure by Van but it was another tremendous band performance including Paul Moore laying down some really intricate and funky bass lines, Paul Moran alternating between synth and organ and finally Dana performing tremendous vocal acrobatics.

The show lasted exactly 90 minutes and saw Van in quite good humour including asking Paul Moran to get the band to laugh at his jokes before then telling him to “fire them”. It was a solid enjoyable show which should set Van and the band up nicely for the big Dublin show next Friday.

-Brendan Hynes

Set List

Allow Me

Symphony Sid

Sack of Woe

Think Twice Before You Go

Higher Than The World

Magic Time

Carrying A Torch

Wild Night

Keep It Simple

Not Feeling It Anymore

Baby Please Don’t Go/Parchman Farm/Don’t Start Crying Now

In The Afternoon

Whenever God Shines His Light

Sometimes We Cry

Ballerina

Gloria

Big Hand for The Band!
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Bobby Ruggiero (Drums)
Dana Masters (Vocals)

11-November-2015
Euskalduna Auditorium
 Bilbao, Spain

Setlist
Celtic Swing
Close Enough For Jazz
Higher Than The Wold
Days Like This
If You Only Knew
In The Midnight
Wonderful Remark
Sometimes We Cry
Playhouse
Precious Time
Enlightenment
Keep It Simple
Baby Please Don't Go/Parchmarn Farm/Don't Start Crying Now
In The Afternoon
Moondance
Think Twice Before You Go
Whenever God Shines His Light
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
And The Healing Has Begun
Gloria

Big Hand for The Band!
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Bobby Ruggiero (Drums)
Dana Masters (Vocals)

10-November-2015
Teatro Circo Price
 Madrid, Spain

Setlist
Celtic Swing
Close for the Jazz
Brown Eyed Girl
Days Like This
Precious Time
Baby Please Don't Go/Parchman Farm/Don't Start Crying Now
That's Life
If You Only Knew
Early in the Morning/Rock Me Baby
Think Twice Before You Go
I Believe To My Soul 
Moondance
Enlightenment
In The Afternoon
Magic Time
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
Whenever God Shines His Light
Help Me
Ballerina

Big Hand for The Band!
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Bobby Ruggiero (Drums)
Dana Masters (Vocals)

08-November-2015
The O2
 London, England

Photo via Alan L.

Brendan Hynes sent in this review

Van Morrison and Tom Jones at O2 Arena, London 8th November 2015.

This was a much anticipated concert which brought together two septuagenarian music legends still performing great music so late in their careers.

First onstage was Van Morrison who started rather tamely with Celtic Swing and Close Enough For Jazz before a wonderful Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child got the show properly under way. A powerful Early In The Morning/Rock Me Baby went down a storm with the blues festival audience and featured a great organ solo by Paul Moran. In the Afternoon which followed was a great extended version the early part of which was marred for me by the now almost obligatory group of ignorant people talking loudly until I asked them to desist in no uncertain terms which mercifully had the desired effect. Playhouse fairly moved at pace and included nice guitar from Dave Keary and piano by Paul Moran. Days Like This and Precious Time brought somewhat of a lull to proceedings for me but were well received. Baby Please Don't Go/ Parchman Farm/Don't Start Crying Now went down a storm as usual and featured Van singing the first two songs in the medley almost entirely through cupped hands and harmonica. I Can't Stop Loving You and Magic Time were well delivered but nothing exceptional but that cannot be said of All In The Game which followed and it was once again magnificent. This version saw Van return to the mantra of No Plan B/No Safety Net/This Is It before telling us over and over that Time Is Running Out. Van shuffled off stage still singing in the wings only to return for an encore and telling us he wanted to bring on his old friend Tom Jones. While waiting for Tom's arrival on stage Van informed us that for this show he had given us a mixture of the club sets and the bigger concert sets which pay the bills. Former band member Leo Green also joined proceedings on stage to play some great saxophone which certainly enhanced the band's sound. The first duet with Tom was a really strong slow blues number Sticks and Stones(I've Been Abused) which was followed by That Lonesome Road which saw Van become very amused by the depth of Tom's vocals. Finally we got a terrific performance of Not Feeling It Anymore which of course Tom also recorded back in the 1990s.As the song came to it's conclusion Van and Tom departed to great acclaim leaving the band to finish off aided in no small part by a blistering extended saxophone solo by Leo Green. I thought this song was the end of Van's involvement for the night but surprisingly this did not prove to be the case.

Tom Jones set opened with an incredible Burning Hell from his Praise and Blame album and his set drew heavily on material from that album and his Spirit In The Room and Long Lost Suitcase blues/soul/gospel albums . Tom's voice is simply phenomenal and at 75 really defies human logic. A cover of Leonard Cohen's Tower of Song was absolutely superb while Didn't It Rain brought the audience to their feet. Tom still managed to include a bluesy version of Sex Bomb while a calypso version of It's Not Unusual had the unfortunate effect of encouraging a troop of women to try to storm towards the stage only to be turned back by security staff who may have had worries on health and safety grounds about the possibility of injuries being caused by flying underwear.

When Tom returned for his encore he told us that Van was coming on to sing some more songs which was quite a surprise. The first duet performed was a fine version of the Chuck Willis number What Am I living For with both in fine voice as they traded vocals. The second number was the dreaded Goodnight Irene. This is a song I never desire to hear and whenever I do I hope it's the last time a singer will feel the need to say goodnight to Irene but alas.... Tom reminisced about first meeting Van in London in 1965 and attempted a number of times to engage Van in conversation but quite hilariously most of Van's responses were of the one word variety such as 'yes'and 'no'. Van kept asking after each song "what's next" and they were about to do the up tempo Strange Things from Tom's Praise and Blame album when the drummer intervened and said they had forgotten Sometimes We Cry. I for one am most grateful for his intervention because while I have heard Van sing this song with various singers over the years none come anywhere close to the sheer power with which Tom delivered his contribution. Van was suitably impressed too as he shouted "one more time" for a repeat chorus at the end. The aforementioned Strange Things brought the night's proceedings to a very lively end after almost 3 hours of top quality music leaving the audience very satisfied at the unique experience they had enjoyed which may never be repeated.

-Brendan Hynes

Setlist (Thanks Lynn C.)
Celtic Swing
Close Enough for Jazz
Motherless Child
Early In The Morning
In The Afternoon/Burn Baby Burn
Playhouse
Days Like This
Precious Time
Baby Please Don't Go/Parchment Farm/Don't Start Crying Now
I Can't Stop Loving You
Magic Time
All In The Game/No Plan B/The Waiting Game
Sticks And Stones w/Tom Jones
Lonesome Road w Tom Jones
I'm Not Feeling it Anymore w/Tom Jones

Tom Jones Set
What Am I Living For w/ Tom Jones
Goodnight Irene w/ Tom Jones
Sometimes We Cry w/ Tome Jones
Strange Things w/ Tom Jones

Big Hand for The Band!
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Bobby Ruggiero (Drums)
Dana Masters (Vocals)
Leo Green (Saxophone)

The Complete Them 1964-1967 Three CD Set From Sony Legacy Coming in December

Pre-Order from Amazon.

The Complete Them 1964-1967, a 3-disc anthology, is the most thorough collection of Van Morrison's early studio and live performances ever assembled. It includes all material recorded for the first two Them albums - The Angry Young Them (1965) and Them Again (1966)- in addition to singles, demos, live sessions, alternate takes and rarities, many of them long unavailable or previously unreleased.

All tracks have been newly remastered for this collection and the package includes a 16-page booklet featuring an insightful new commentary on Them provided by Van Morrison.

Disc: 1
1. Don't Start Crying Now
2. One Two Brown Eyes
3. Baby Please Don't Go
4. Gloria
5. Philosophy
6. Here Comes The Night
7. All For Myself
8. One More Time
9. How Long Baby
10. Mystic Eyes
11. If You And I Could Be As Two
12. Little Girl (album version)
13. Just A Little Bit
14. I Gave My Love A Diamond
15. You Just Can't Win
16. Go On Home Baby
17. Don't Look Back
18. I Like It Like That
19. I'm Gonna Dress In Black
20. Bright Lights, Big City
21. My Little Baby
22. (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66
23. (It Won t Hurt) Half As Much

Disc: 2
1. Could You Would You
2. Something You Got
3. Call My Name (album version)
4. Turn On Your Love Light
5. I Put A Spell On You
6. I Can Only Give You Everything
7. My Lonely Sad Eyes
8. I Got A Woman
9. Out Of Sight
10. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
11. Bad Or Good
12. How Long Baby
13. Hello Josephine
14. Don't You Know
15. Hey Girl
16. Bring 'Em On In (album version)
17. Richard Cory
18. Friday's Child
19. The Story Of Them Part 1
20. The Story Of Them Part 2
21. Times Getting Tougher Than Tough
22. Stormy Monday Blues
23. Baby What You Want Me To Do

Disc: 3
1. Don't Start Crying Now (demo)
2. Gloria (demo)
3. One Two Brown Eyes (demo)
4. Stormy Monday Blues (demo)
5. Turn On Your Love Light (alternate version)
6. Baby Please Don't Go (Take 4)
7. Here Comes The Night (Take 2)
8. Gloria(Live on BBC's "Saturday Club")
9. All For Myself(Live on BBC's "Saturday Club")
10. Here Comes The Night(Live on BBC's "Saturday Club")
11. Little Girl (version one)
12. Go On Home Baby (Take 4)
13. I Gave My Love A Diamond (Take 8)
14. (It Won't Hurt) Half As Much (Take 2)
15. My Little Baby (Take 1)
16. How Long Baby (Take 1)
17. One More Time (Take 14)
18. Gloria(Live on BBC's "Saturday Club")
19. Here Comes The Night(Live on BBC's "Saturday Club")
20. One More Time(Live on BBC's "Saturday Club")
21. Call My Name (single version)
22. Bring 'Em On In (single version)
23. Mighty Like A Rose
24. Richard Cory (Alternate Version)

27-September-2015
Heineken Music Hall
 Amsterdam, Netherlands

Photo via Heineken Music Hall

De Telegraaf
The decor Van Morrison Sunday had taken to the Heineken Music Hall, or rather the total lack of it, says everything. The Northern Irishman (70) is a musician, not a circus artist. Acted upon
An evening with Van Morrison called the concert Sunday evening and the large concert hall was packed for the occasion put chairs. An easier way to enforce attention is not natural, but the veteran had at least also for the show. The initial one minute 20.00 and the final applause was still before ten at least, um, brave.
For nothing else in its decor than a dark curtain Van began his saxophone. Almost modest, if one of them among his concentrated, yet versatile band, he first heard in Close enough for jazz that he still has his distinctive voice. With the classic Moondance - in 1970 - then he subtly reminded us that we had to deal with someone with very respectable record.
So on sax, guitar or harmonica. From his voice at times used as an instrument. On learning of course no shortage. Just as diversity. A jazzy start followed sweetness á la Days like this, which again was continuation of solid blues as jakkerende Baby please do not go.
For the neutral observer will be a little austere, perhaps even boring have done. Certainly the lover of all these different sides of Van came largely into their own. Without distraction and without even a breather between songs showcased The man where he has been almost half a century is praised for. And the best news is that after Sunday we physically for years seem to enjoy it.
-Bart Wijlaars

Setlist (Thanks Wim D.)
Celtic Swing
Close Enough For Jazz
Moondance
I Believe To My Soul
Days Like This
Precious Time
Carrying A Torch
Think Twice Before You Go
Talk Is Cheap
Baby Please Don't Go/Don't Start Crying Now
Enlightenment
Wild Night
In The Afternoon
Magic Time
Whenever God Shines Hos Light
Brown Eyed Girl
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
And The Healing Has Begun
Help Me
Gloria

20-September-2015
Sony Center
For The Performing Arts
 Toronto, Canada

Dan Murray sends in his thoughts on night two in Toronto

Magic Time in Toronto
During two powerful shows at Toronto's Sony Centre for the Performing Arts over the weekend, Sir George Ivan Morrison demonstrated his continued vitality as supreme soul-sender and improvisational marvel.

I have been whining for a good year now that I thought Van had cut back considerably in the past year on his classic improvisational skills, musical dynamics and pure, unvarnished passion.

There were times of brilliance, but I thought things were becoming much too routine. I chalked it up to age, and death, and the ghosts, as poet John Berryman put it.

But the Cyprus Avenue birthday gigs showed major signs of the Van performance style I have known and will always love. The afternoon show finale of Ballerina, And the Healing and Garden were terrific songs delivered with drive and beauty.

The finale of Hyndford Street in the evening set summed up the day in gorgeous, dramatic style.

And then on to Toronto three weeks later, where a combination of a lovely venue, a great audience, pristine sound, a performer completely committed to the cause, and a finely tuned band added up to two wonderful evenings of music.

The sound of surprise as the music unfolded, the passion, the drama were all back in full force, and a relaxed Van sang with as much authority as I have ever heard.

The sets lists featured a diverse mix of Van tunes in the first half, nicely paced. The second half of the show brimmed each night with Morrison in full vocal flight, the lights of the cars on the overpass, shining like diamonds in the night, driving all night long, until the sun comes up.

Burn baby Burn, you're gonna make me high.

Morrison used all of his classic imagery, nature-based and mystical. I believe there was even a reference to his young children, as he repeated over and over "Daddy, take me down, please, to the burning ground. Daddy, take me across the river, across the water. Daddy, please."

The shows opened with the traditional songs to warm up the pipes, merely pleasant.

Then he mixed things up in the middle of the gigs, doing songs ranging from the greasy, grinding blues of Talk is Cheap and Keep Mediocrity at Bay and I Believe to My Soul, to a propulsive, sweeping version of Motherless Child, guitars strummed hard, and a wonderful, woozy In the Midnight.

The All in the Game both nights was epic, so much new revealed, despite the fact that he has sung it so often. The way he formed the words into exquisite shapes: "Make it real one more time....one more, one... one.... one... one."
"And you take my hand, and you walk with me, and sometimes it feels, like eternity."

Can it be said any better? And how much more pleasurable to hear it sung by a voice that is truly blessed. Van's enunciation at these gigs was the best I have ever heard.

The Ballerina was exquisite in its beauty and clarity.

The shows ended with Gloria, which the audience loved, and the great band absolutely pulverized it as Van got into his limo and took flight again.
-Dan Murray

Setlist (Thanks Mike S.)
Celtic Swing
Close Enough For Jazz
Moondance
Days Like This
Precious Time
Talk Is Cheap
Keep Mediocrity at Bay
Carrying A Torch
Enlightenment
Magic Time
Whenever God Shines His Light
In the Midnight
In the Afternoon/Raincheck
Think Twice Before You Go
Baby Please Don't Go/Parchman Farm/Don't Start Crying Now
Ballerina
And The Healing Has Begun
It's All In The Game
Gloria

Big Hand for The Band!
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Bobby Ruggiero (Drums)
Dana Masters (Vocals)

19-September-2015
Sony Center
For The Performing Arts
 Toronto, Canada

Toronto Sun (Source)
Van still The Man at 70? You betcha.
Van Morrison, now in his first year as a septuagenarian, lived up to his longtime nickname Van The Man Saturday night during the first of two back-to-back shows at the Sony Centre.

The veteran Belfast belter seems to have defied time and still possesses a big, beautiful, soulful voice even if his physicality - he doesn’t move much or speak between songs - barely hints at the power within.
It’s only when he’s singing - soul, blues, gospel, rock, pop and jazz - that Morrison’s spirit really comes alive with rich, expressive vocals that seem to come directly from his heart.

Dressed in a suit, tie, fedora, and sunglasses with dim lighting making it hard to actually see him, the singer-songwriter began in a low-key, jazzy way playing saxophone (he later played guitar and harmonica) on the instrumental Celtic Swing followed by Close Enough For Jazz.

But then Morrison, accompanied by a tight five piece band, quickly picked up the pace with hits like Moondance and Days Like This, the latter which got fans clapping for the first time.

Finally seeming to relax, he followed up with a plenty of vocal improvisation and a potent mix of blues, rock and gospel selections big on jams.

Highlights included a cover of Baby Please Don’t Go (previously covered by his pre-solo ‘60s band Them), and his own I Believe To My Soul, Talk is Cheap, Whenever God Shines His Light, Wild Night and the very sexy Don’t You Make Me High, and finally The Burning Ground which saw him shuffle off stage while still singing.

Thankfully, he returned for the crowd-pleasing encore number Gloria, also by Them, with plenty of solos offered up by his musicians and the audience finally on its feet and clapping and singing along.

Sadly, there was no Brown Eyed Girl but it was a small quibble given the quality of music for an hour and 40 minutes delivered by a legend still going strong.
-Jane Stevenson

Setlist (Thanks Mike S.)
Celtic Swing
Close Enough For Jazz
Moondance
Days Like This
Baby Please Don't Go/Parchman Farm/Don't Start Crying Now
I Believe To My Soul
Talk is Cheap
Whenever God Shines His Light
Wild Night
In the Afternoon /Burn Baby Burn/Raincheck
Cleaning Windows
Motherless Child
And The Healing Has Begun
Precious Time
Magic Time
All in the Game/Time is Running Out/Burning Ground
Gloria

Big Hand for The Band!
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Bobby Ruggiero (Drums)
Dana Masters (Vocals)