04-Oct-08 Birmingham Concert Review

Stourbridge News:

Van's still the man
The legendary Van Morrison arrived on stage at The Symphony Hall on Saturday (October 4) promptly at 8pm. Wearing a dapper suit and hat he launched into the first number, Moondance, from his 1970s album of the same name.

The Belfast born singer songwriter, whose career spans five decades, played a string of classic tunes including Brown Eyed Girl and Have I Told You Lately.

There was a slight hint notoriously moody Van may have been just going through the motions speaking only once very briefly to the audience - but nothing can take away from the musical mastery of the great man himself and his accompanying ten piece band.

Die hard fans who had shelled out between £45 and £80 were clearly delighted as they grooved in their seats looking like they wanted to burst out of them at any moment.

The singer, who is a teetotaller after battling alcohol addiction during the 70s and 80s, has banned the sale of alcohol at his gigs because he doesn't like people getting up to go to the bar during the set instead preferring them to savour the musical experience. But this didn't seem to dampen the audience's spirit as they soaked up the polished performance.

Van rounded off the one and a half hour set with a rip roaring rendition of Gloria leaving the audience wanting, but not getting more.

-Helen Attwood

Here's a review from James:
Van was very much on form last night and the 1st hour was the best I have seen him in many a year, stretching out, playing with dynamics, bringing the hall to a silence, whispering and growling like only Van can. From the kick off, right up to In the Afternoon was Morrison at his very best. During the Ancient Highway section of In the Afternoon Van was agitated by something and cut the song dead - " dit ,dit ,DIT". However he then moved straight into a wonderful rendition of So Quiet in here. A song I have never heard live! Marvelous stuff! After soaring to these heights Van came down to earth with a bump, the agitations returned and he proceeded to play the rest of the set list as if on auto pilot. There were glimpses of the previous magic but the lion had gone. Healing was curtailed as was Rough God, Wavelength. Gloria had some nice Hookeresque moaning and guitar from Van but the night was over for him and for us with no encore in sight! Worth the inflated ticket price for the 1st solid hour but i am guessing not quite up there with Liverpool!
-James

Setlist:
Moondance
Fire In The Belly
Magic Time
Saint Dominic's Preview
It's All In The Game >You Know What They're Writing About
Ballerina
Keep It Simple
End Of The Land
In The Afternoon > Ancient Highway > Raincheck
So Quiet In Here
The Way Young Lovers Do
Have I Told You Lately
Wavelength
Rough God Goes Riding
Brown Eyed Girl
And The Healing Has Begun
Gloria

Big Hand For The Band!
Liam Bradley
Tony Fitzgibbon
Vanessa Haynes
Sarah Jory
Katie Kissoon
Paul Moore
Paul Moran
John Platania
Bobby Ruggiero
Neal Wilkinson