22-Mar-08 Bristol Concert Review

Long time fan, Pat checks in with his review:

I think this is the biggest band i have ever seen playing with Van. I think there were twelve of them on the stage including Van and they sound great. I think Bobby Ruggerio is the musical director now and must run the band through their paces when Van is busy in the afternoons with his lawyers. Whatever you say about Van though he doesn't skimp on his musicians. It must cost a fortune to keep this lot on the road.I did bring a notebook to write down the set list but when i looked at it on the way home i couldn't read my own writing. It was just a lot of drunken scribble. Sorry if i have forgotten some songs. I think the first song they did was This Love Of Mine. Sarah featured on steel guitar and i know some of the fans don't like her sound but i think she is great. Real Real Gone was next i think followed by Stranded which featured some fabulous piano playing. Then there was a great version of Wild Night followed by Tupelo Honey and Why Must I Always Explain.WHAT A BAND! i wrote in my notes so i must have enjoyed that one. School Of Hard Knocks followed which is one of my least favourite songs off the new album. Then Entrainment which i really like with Van on ukulele. Keep It Simple was next and sounded superb, it is a great song.End Of The Land had some great guitar from John Platania. Song Of Home isn't one of my favourites. Bright Side Of The road followed with Sarah featured on the banjo. Jackie Wilson Says followed but i have heard it often enough thank you. Georgia On My Mind was great with some supurb keyboard playing.

Then it was Moondance so i nipped to the gents and went for a quick ciggie out in the street.When i got back the security wouldn't let me in till the end of the next song which i think was Who Can I Turn To. Lover Come Back was great as was Soul which Van played some great saxophone on. Then it was Brown Eyed Girl which took me right back to 79 when i first saw Van at this venue. The next song was the one i had been waiting for,Behind The Ritual which is brilliant and the audience loved it although i think most of them wouldn't be familiar with it. I bet Keep It Simple will sell a few copies in the Bristol area this week. The proceedings were brought to a close with Gloria which was great. What a great night it was. Thanks Van!


Evening Post:
Van Morrison: Colston Hall"Good evening, I'm Van Morrison. It's great to be back in Bristol, thanks for your support. Any requests?"

Only joking. As anyone who's ever seen Van the Man on stage will know, he gives the impression that he'd rather be having root canal surgery than be entertaining the legions of fans who have paid vast sums to watch him, and this sold-out show was no different.

He may only have Lou Reed as competition in the race to be rock's grumpiest man, but it's easy to forgive him when he dips into one of music's finest back catalogues.

Although he doesn't make great records any more, new album Keep It Simple has some good stuff on it and it worked well live; with the title track and Lover Come Back the pick of the bunch.

And of course there was also lots of old stuff, with Bright Side Of The Road benefiting from the unexpected addition of banjo, and excellent versions of Jackie Wilson Said, Moondance and, best of all, Tupelo Honey. Songs old and new were delivered in a voice that's as powerful and soulful as ever, although Van seems to often eschew words altogether in favour of a combination of scat jazz and mumbling.

They finished with the harmonica-driven Gloria, a song that managed the rare feat of being uplifting and downright menacing at the same time.

There's also a wonderful, subtle touch of theatre in a Van Morrison show; the little nods and gestures to members of his note-perfect 10-piece band - with the star being Sarah Jory, whose pedal steel guitar was outstanding and who elevated handclaps to an artform - the man who runs on to move Van's glass of water a few inches, the fact that I think Van looked at his watch at one point (surely not?).

Although Van gave the impression that he'd rather be somewhere else, he was in a minority of one.

8/10

-PAUL DALLISON

Setlist:
This Love of Mine
Real, Real Gone
Stranded
Wild Night
Tupelo Honey/Why Must I Always Explain
School of Hard Knocks
That’s Entrainment
Keep It Simple
End of the Land
Song of Home
Bright Side of the Road
Jackie Wilson Said
Georgia
Moondance
Who Can I Turn To
Lover Come Back
Brown Eyed Girl
Behind the Ritual
Gloria

Big Hand For The Band!
John Platania, Mick Green, Sarah Jory, Paul Moore, Neal Wilkinson, Bobby Ruggiero, Paul Moran, Tony Fitzgibbon, Crawford Bell, Karen Hamill