12-Jun-10 Norwegian Wood, Oslo, Norway Concert Review

Correspondent Michael C. sent this review:

Mellow musical magic
A crowd of around 6,000 had gathered on Saturday evening to welcome Van back to the Norwegian Wood festival, scene of some of his memorable concerts during the late 1990s.

The persistent rain of the previous 24 hours had mercifully stopped by nine when the gig commenced. The stage is located at the base of a gentle sloping field and the concert area forms a natural amphitheatre. A perfect setting for Van and his fantastic band, aptly compared by one Norwegian reviewer to a jazz/folk/blues chamber orchestra

Highlights this year were a beautifully lilting “Fair Play”, another marvellous rendition of “Moondance” – how many times have I heard this song live, and yet always with a new arrangement – plus a fresh take on “Baby Please Don’t Go” that merged into “Parchman Farm”. There was in fact a nice blend between the crowd pleasers and the surprises.

On a personal note, there is one number I would love to hear this particular band perform: “Autumn Song” from “Hard Nose The Highway”. Has it ever been played live, I wonder? It certainly stems from that same mellow period as the “Veedon Fleece” repertoire, which has been a notable feature of this and recent concerts.

Throughout the performance Van’s voice was powerful and evocative, his phrasing and inventiveness as compelling as ever. The ninety minutes were over all too soon, but we were treated to a tremendous finale with one of my, and many other fans’ all-time favourites, the exquisite “In The Garden”. Van slowly left the stage, leaving his superb, hard-working band to play on for a little while longer to the accompaniment of some rapturous applause.
-Michael C.

Jens sent in his review:
Had been raining all day. Dark clouds covering the sky. Looked like an evening one could not expect much from. Suitable for staying in doors with a bottle of wine and a mystery story. Raymond Chandler's "The Killer In The Rain". There are two artist capable of catching magic. One by words, Chandler, the other by music, Van Morrison.

Last time Van played in Oslo, the magic was wearing thin. One could have been better off listening to muzak in an elevator. Now, some years later, with the rain pouring down, attending an outdoor concert by the very same Van was not tempting. But tickets had been bought, other engagements canceled and being a student at the school of hard knocks, there was no talk off turning back.

Right before the concert started, the rain stopped. The clouds did not lift, but the darkness kind of drifted away. One by one the musicians entered the stage. Jay Berliner sat quietly down on his stool. David Hayes picked up his bass. It all happened so casually the audience did not pay much attention. Then Van entered the stage and the evening became full of magic. It was poetry, rythm and blues, jazz, rock and more poetry; in the voice, the words and all the time in each and every note.

The music carried us from the etheric dreams of Astral Weeks to the confinement of Parchman Farm. From up above Bukka White tipped his hat. Sonny Boy appeared in Help Me, and walked with us through a short visit to Lonely Avenue, before we were transcended in the garden, wet with rain. A phenomenal concert. If you don't know what a 'killer in the rain' looks like, then watch out for a guy with hat, sunglasses, a long scarf around his neck, playing a white guitar.
-Jens D.

Setlist (Thanks Michael C.)
Northern Muse (Solid Ground)
Brown Eyed Girl
Fair Play
The Mystery
Astral Weeks->Purple Heather
Moondance
Have I Told You Lately
Into The Mystic
Talk Is Cheap
Keep It Simple
School of Hard Knocks
Baby Please Don't Go->Parchman Farm
Playhouse->Lonely Avenue
Help Me
Ballerina
In The Garden

Big Hand For The Band!
Jay Berliner-electric guitar
David Hayes-double bass
Bobby Ruggiero-drums
Tony Fitzgibbon-violin, viola
Richie Buckley-flute, saxophone
Paul Moran-grand piano, trumpet & organ