Derry Concert Review 02-June-06

Genius Van delivers a top class performance
A balmy June evening and a vintage Van the Man on stage is a recipe guaranteed to be as pleasingly sweet as Tupelo honey.
And so it was at the acoustically impressive East Wall venue when Van Morrison and his most admirable backing musicians and singers provided a set which perfectly displayed a broad spectrum of the talents that Ulster's music genius possesses.
It was laidback to begin with, like the evening itself.
He swiftly wove his spell over us with Magic Time, Everythings Gonna Be Alright and Back On Top Again.
There was spontaneous approval from the audience when he began the familiar Moondance. The tempo was gradually mounting and there was a most powerful version of You've Gotta Stop Drinking That Wine, Sonny Boy. Van's fiddle player, pianist and lead guitarist were all prominent in this number, all three music artists supreme in their own right.
Van then ventured into C&W mode with My Bucket's Got A Hole In It and then gave such a superlative version of the classic Your Cheatin' Heart that I'm sure Hank Williams was looking down from heaven with angelic approval.
The audience adored Bright Side of the Road and there was more approval from them when he began singing Days Like This though why they clapped along throughout Brown Eyed Girl I couldn't quite fathom. To me its a romantic, nostalgic solo singer's song; not a happy-clapping, singalong type number.
Van the Man afficianados were beside themselves with delight when he launched into Saint James Infirmary, from his What's Wrong With This Picture? album.
This hour and a half set – about the same length of time as a World Cup football match, without the extra time or penalties – came to an end with G-L-O-R-I-A, a show stopper if ever there was one.
When we came out into the night after this exceptional Van gig it was still daylight and a golden sunset was saying farewell to us over the Donegal hills. It was the perfect end to a perfect day and it was naturally developing into a marvellous night for a moondance.
IAN STARRETT
06 June 2006