Concert Review Belfast 07-Feb-07

Belfast Telegraph On Waterfront Hall
Van - all about the music
Thursday, February 08, 2007
By Chrissie Russell
Van Morrison is a musician but not a performer. For a man who has spent so much of his life on a stage, he never looks comfortable in the spotlight and during his performance at Belfast's Waterfront Hall last night he was often standing in dim light, behind keyboard or with his back turned to the
audience. The music was as magical as ever. More recent songs
and tracks from the forthcoming Van Morrison at the Movies album blended comfortably with firm favourites like Moondance, Have I Told You Lately
That I Love You and Gloria. As is so often the case, it was these tunes that drew the greatest response and energy from the crowd, although only one member of the audience felt compelled to leap from her seat and dance
along to the fabulous rendition of Brown Eyed Girl. The legendary vocal range and lyrical dexterity is still there, though at times it felt strained, and Morrison seemed to be sucking throat lozenges and
drinking an unbelievable amount of water throughout the performance. He was supported by a nine-piece backing band who responded instantly to the slightest movement of the maestro's hand. The bass player, in particular,
displayed hugely impressive rhythmic and technical skill, but all musicians were given ample opportunity to display their talents in instrumental solos throughout the night. Musically, the evening was a delight, but the only
dud note was Morrison's lack of interaction with the audience. There were a few comic asides - he jokingly rebuked his backing singers on their
diction and admitted his lyric 'can't see the trees for the wood' made no sense but 'rhymed better that way' - but by and large he moved rapidly from
number to number, barely pausing to acknowledge the crowd's applause.
The crowd responded, and became more hesitant in joining in. But then, with Van Morrison, it isn't about an interactive performance or about the
accolades, it is, and has always been, about the music.

Belfast Today On Waterfront Concert

Hero's welcome for Van the Man at Waterfront
Northern Ireland's biggest musical export came home
last night for two sold-out shows in Belfast's
Waterfront Hall.
Van Morrison, the east Belfast boy who became an
enigmatic music legend, received a hero's welcome
from the home-town crowd.
The idiosyncratic live performer, whose concerts
tend to vary in quality, could do no wrong last
night as an eager audience enjoyed a considered
show from the 61-year-old.
With a career spanning four decades, three dozen
albums and covering a range of styles including
folk, blues, soul, celtic music and skiffle, there
was plenty of material to draw on.
And the set list didn't disappoint, featuring an
eclectic range of songs that showed Van's
versatility as a performer and a songwriter.
The Northern Ireland shows come in the run-up to
his new album, At The Movies, a collection of all
Van's songs which have been used in film
soundtracks.
It includes standards such as Gloria, Days Like
This and Moondance, and is set for release on
Monday.
The star's contribution to the cinema is set to be
marked by a US-Ireland Alliance award which will be
presented to him by Al Pacino at a special ceremony
in Los Angeles.
The notoriously gruff singer has gained a
reputation as a recluse among the Press, something
that has been put down to his desire to focus on
songwriting rather than cultivating a public image.
Despite his media-wary attitude he has given plenty
of revealing interviews to music magazines over the
years.
"I'm basically a working musician doing the same
thing as when I started out, except that I'm better
and more successful," he told Rolling Stone
Magazine in 2005.
"But I'm doing the same thing I've been doing for
over 40 years now. It's what I do. It's who I am."
His classic song Brown Eyed Girl was famously among
those on US President George Bush's iPod, testament
to his enduring appeal on both sides of the
Atlantic.
Van acknowledged the President as a fan, but added
he would have preferred it if it was a new song.
After the Belfast shows, Van will leave to begin an
extensive tour of North America.
08 February 2007

Setlist:
Bright side of the road
Real real gone
Don't worry about a thing
Stranded
You come around
There stands the glass
Stop drinking that wine
Moondance
I can't stop loving you
Precious time
St Jmes Infirmary
Have I told you lately
Help me
Wild Night
Healing has begun
Brown eyed girl
Gloria