29-Feb-08 Cologne Concert Review

Here is Petra's take on the show:
Just one bad thing to be mentioned: The Palladium is an unseated hall. While it is a challenge yet bearable to stand for hours and hours – particularly if you are not that young anymore – I definitely loathe being stuck in a crowd of insensitive people holding plastic beer cups, shouting, whistling and having to fight for a little space and view.

But actually this was annoying during Shirley Grimes’ support act only – once Van is on stage all pain recedes to the darkness ...

Good to see John Platania and Katie Kissoon to be back to Van’s band. And it soon becomes obvious that this is going to be a good evening. What a pleasure to sense, watch and hear how this band enjoys playing together! And – big surprise – so does Van tonight !

Van doesn’t talk much to the audience in Cologne (just compare to the Francfort review !) but he smiles a lot, jokes with the band, and although he is sitting on a chair throughout a part of the show he appears to be in good mood, voice and condition.

The starter ‘This Love Of Mine’ with Van playing sax is followed by some well-known titles before he introduces his band members during ‘Moondance’ giving each of them the opportunity to lay down a beautiful solo. Sad to say he does not mention the excellent background singers, the same occurs the next evening in Francfort.

It’s now we get to hear the new album – all 11 Van-penned songs never heard before !!!
They are undoubtedly great, with Van playing sax and harp on just a few of them. Van wanted to ‘Keep It Simple’ as the album title suggests – maybe this is part of it ?

‘Don’t Go To Nightclubs Anymore’ is a superb blues, ‘Song Of Home’ sounds very Irish, ‘School Of Hard Knocks’ is another classical Morrison complaint about the bad world. ‘That’s Entrainment’ and ‘Behind The Ritual’ might become my personal favourites of the new album.

‘Bright Side Of the Road’ brings us back to familiar ground. Van does a lot of vocal tricks on several songs making everybody smile. Then he turns his back to the audience for such a long time the band members start laughing, slightly embarrassed as it seems ... Funny to see Van play ukulele on ‘Keep It Simple’ and ‘Behind The Ritual’.

‘Bring me my nightshirt’ - ‘Help Me’ is an appropriate closer for a fine evening. Surprise – no crowd pleasing Glorias and brown eyed girls around – who cares ? Van seems to be content with his audience tonight, even says ‘Dankeschoen’. And we were in fact grateful for a good concert.

Another surprise to me was the – for a Van concert - unusual young audience in both places, many of them around 20. It was a pleasure to watch how they visibly enjoyed the music – some of them with their eyes closed, enraptured expression on their faces. Who would have thought that Van is going to attract another generation with his music? Maybe last year’s Best Of releases are the reason? Or the Movies album, the re-released old cd’s? You can only guess but it’s great anyway!

Sometimes Van sings ‘It’s just a job, you know, it’s not sweet Lorraine ...’ But who believes after a show like tonight? ‘Magic Time’ would be the right title ...

You folks out there in the United States, UK, Spain and wherever Van tours next may look forward to great shows if it’s going to be like here tonight ...

Here's Uwe's review:
It was a rainy day in good old Cologne, but inside the old factory building the sun was shining....

Van was in a very good singing and playing mood and the band followed the instructions of the master well.

Van was very relaxed (sometimes performing sitting on a chair) and was joking throughout the concert with the members of the band.

But as well he was arranging the band (f.i. when he wanted the drummer to use brushes instead of drum-sticks or when he wanted the string-player (excuse me that I don't know his name at he moment) to play the violin instead of the mandolin to get the correct sound....) and "forced" them to give their best, just as he did !!!

So it was a great evening and my wife and me were glad to be there.

All the best
-Uwe

Setlist:
1. This Love Of Mine
2. Magic Time
3. Playhouse
4. (Shot Of) Rhythm ‘n’ Blues
5. Stop Drinking
6. I Can’t Stop Loving You
7. Moondance
8. How Can A Poor Boy
9. School Of Hard Knocks
10. That’s Entrainment
11. Keep It Simple
12. Don’t Go To Nightclubs Anymore
13. Lover Come Back
14. Soul
15. End Of the Land
16. Song Of Home
17. No Thing
18. Bright Side Of The Road
19. Precious Time
20. Behind The Ritual
21. Help Me

Big hand for the band!

Steel guitar, slide guitar – Sarah Jory
Electric, acoustic guitars – John Platania, Mick Green
Bass – Paul Moore
Keyboards – Paul Moran
Fiddle – Tony Fitzgibbon
Percussion – Bobby Ruggiero
Drums – Neal Wilkinson
Trumpet – Crawford Bell
Background vocals – Katie Kissoon, Karen Hamill
Sax, harp, ukulele – Van