28-April-07 Atlanta Concert Review

Van Morrison. Chastain Park. Saturday night.

As the moon rose over the roof of Chastain Park’s amphitheater Saturday night, Van Morrison gave the sold-out crowd a little hometown homage. He’s been singing “Georgia On My Mind” at previous stops on his on-and-off tour in recent months, including Oxford, England, a couple of weeks ago. So it
wasn’t like he was trying to curry favor with the audience. As if - he’s Van Morrison.

He took the old sweet song slow and stately at first, then let his exquisite 10-piece back-up band take a few solo breaks, and then escalated to a full-throated roar to bring it home. He sang “Georgia” like he wanted to swallow it whole, so that no one else could ever sing it; for just a
couple of transcendent minutes, it was Van’s song only; not the state’s, not Hoagy’s, not even Ray’s.

A couple transcendent minutes here, a few more there, and pretty soon they add up to an amazing evening. Morrison, a singer who’s seemed
disconnected from his live audiences lately according to many reports (even as his connection to the music has stayed strong), seemed to relax
about a half-hour into his 90 minute set, his first in Atlanta in many moons.


He started slowly, just saying “Thank you,” for the applause. Then he might mention what the next song was going to be. At one point, he seemed to crack a small joke. For most performers, this is just
business. For the frequently sullen Morrison, who’s been known to sing for stretches with his back turned to the audience, it was like inviting
everyone onstage for hugs.

But even Van Morrison has his limits. No matter how loose he got, he never unbuttoned either button on his two-button suit coat.

At age 61, Morrison exudes vigor and passion onstage; his voice was as strong as anyone could wish, and he seemed to relish that, playing with
his vocals, slurring, scatting, belting, caressing. He tossed off a bouncy “Real, Real Gone” and folded in a few bars of Sam Cooke’s “You Send Me” at the end; re-fashioned “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?” into a jaunty swing number that stripped it of its schmaltz; channeled that Satchmo gravel-voice thing he does on “Bright Side of the Road.”

There were enough hits to please those who only know him from the radio (“Moondance,” “Brown Eyed Girl”) and some bones tossed to those who like to
be surprised, like Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Help Me.”

Even the notoriously chatty Chastain audience seemed more attentive than usual. It was a fantabulous night to make music, and to listen to it. Maybe it was the moon.

-By Phil Kloer