Van Morrison In Concert 1967-1979
This list was provided to this blog by long time Van fan David Chance aka "DCat". Much thanks to him for all the great research he has done over the years. If you know of any other dates that are not on this list, please feel free to email me or write in comments section below. There will be another list covering 1980-2000s. 
1967
03/09/67 BuitenSocieteit Deventer The Netherlands
09/04/67 The Bitter End New York NY
09/11/67 The Scene New York NY (2 shows)
09/12/67 The Scene New York NY (2 shows)
09/13/67 The Scene New York NY (2 shows)
09/14/67 The Scene New York NY (2 shows)
09/15/67 The Scene New York NY (2 shows)
09/16/67 The Scene New York NY (2 shows)
09/17/67 The Scene New York NY (2 shows)
09/30/67 Earl Warren Showgrounds Santa Barbara CA
10/07/67 Hullabaloo Club Hollywood CA
10/13/67 The Family Dog Denver CO
10/14/67 The Family Dog Denver CO
10/17/67 Crystal Ballroom Portland OR
10/20/67 Avalon Ballroom San Francisco CA
10/21/67 Avalon Ballroom San Francisco CA
10/22/67 Avalon Ballroom San Francisco CA
11/11/67 ABC TV Studios - Los Angeles, CA 'American Bandstand'
??/??/67 Loser's South San Jose CA ???
1968
??/??/68 unknown location New York NY (TV appearance)
??/??/68 unknown location Boston MA (TV appearance)
11/21/68 Steve Paul's Scene New York NY (2 shows)
11/22/68 Steve Paul's Scene New York NY (2 shows)
11/23/68 Steve Paul's Scene New York NY (2 shows)
11/24/68 Steve Paul's Scene New York NY (2 shows)
Late-'60s Les Cousins London England ???
1969
01/31/69 Avalon Ballroom San Francisco CA
02/01/69 Avalon Ballroom San Francisco CA
02/02/69 Avalon Ballroom San Francisco CA
02/05/69 Whiskey-A-Go-Go Los Angeles CA
02/06/69 Whiskey-A-Go-Go Los Angeles CA
02/07/69 Whiskey-A-Go-Go Los Angeles CA
02/08/69 Whiskey-A-Go-Go Los Angeles CA
02/09/69 Whiskey-A-Go-Go Los Angeles CA
02/21/69 Grande Ballroom Detroit MI
02/22/69 Grande Ballroom Detroit MI
02/23/69 Grande Ballroom Detroit MI
??/??/69 The Gaslight Boston MA
??/??/69 The Catacombs Boston MA
05/01/69 The Ark (Lansdowne Street) Boston MA
05/02/69 The Ark (Lansdowne Street) Boston MA
05/03/69 The Ark (Lansdowne Street) Boston MA
07/20/69 unknown venue Newport RI "Newport Folk Festival"
08/29/69 Cafe au Go Go New York NY
08/30/69 Cafe au Go Go New York NY
08/31/69 Cafe au Go Go New York NY
09/15/69 Ungano's New York NY
09/16/69 Ungano's New York NY
09/17/69 Ungano's New York NY
09/18/69 Ungano's New York NY
10/21/69 Le Hibou Ottawa Canada
10/22/69 Le Hibou Ottawa Canada
10/23/69 Le Hibou Ottawa Canada
10/23/69 Le Hibou Ottawa Canada
10/24/69 Le Hibou Ottawa Canada
10/25/69 Le Hibou Ottawa Canada
10/26/69 Le Hibou Ottawa Canada
??/??/69 Queens College Flushing NY
??/??/69 Queens College Flushing NY
1970
02/01/70 Village Gaslight New York NY
04/03/70 Fillmore East New York NY (2 shows)
04/04/70 Fillmore East New York NY (2 shows)
04/11/70 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy NY
04/23/70 Fillmore West San Francisco CA
04/24/70 Winterland Arena San Francisco CA
04/25/70 Winterland Arena San Francisco CA
04/26/70 Fillmore West San Francisco CA
05/24/70 Autostade Montreal
06/16/70 Boston Tea Party Boston MA
06/17/70 Boston Tea Party Boston MA
06/18/70 Boston Tea Party Boston MA
06/19/70 Cole Field House College Park MD
06/16/70 Boston Tea Party Boston MA
06/17/70 Boston Tea Party Boston MA
06/18/70 Boston Tea Party Boston MA
06/19/70 Cole Field House College Park MD
07/11/70 Summer Theater Mountaindale NY
07/17/70 Downing Stadium Randall's Island New York NY "Pop Festival"
07/17/70 Downing Stadium Randall's Island New York NY "Pop Festival"
07/20/70 Wollman Skating Rink Theater Central Park New York NY "Schaefer Music Festival"
07/22/70 Harvard Stadium Boston MA "Schaefer Music Festival"
08/01/70 Powder Ridge Ski Area Middlefield CT "Powder Ridge Festival"
08/07/70 "Harmonyville Music Festival" Harmonyville NJ
08/27/70 San Diego Community Concourse San Diego CA
08/28/70 Civic Auditorium Santa Monica CA
08/30/70 Berkeley Community Theatre Berkeley CA
08/30/70 Berkeley Community Theatre Berkeley CA
09/23/70 Fillmore East New York NY (Bcast 11/10/70 on WNET-TV)
09/27/70 The Spectrum Philadelphia PA
10/02/70 Baldwin Gym Drew University Madison NJ
10/08/70 Fillmore West San Francisco CA
10/08/70 Fillmore West San Francisco CA
10/09/70 Fillmore West San Francisco CA
10/10/70 Fillmore West San Francisco CA
10/11/70 Fillmore West San Francisco CA
11/13/70 Academy of Music New York NY (2 shows)
11/14/70 Academy of Music New York NY (2 shows)
11/15/70 Academy of Music New York NY
11/16/70 Academy of Music New York NY
11/21/70 Electric Factory Philadelphia PA
12/18/70 Symphony Hall Boston MA
12/22/70 Symphony Hall Boston MA
12/22/70 Symphony Hall Boston MA
1971
02/02/71 War Memorial Gymnasium - University of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia Canada
02/04/71 Paramount Northwest Theater Seattle WA
02/10/71 Lion's Share San Anselmo CA
02/11/71 Fresno Exhibition Hall Fresno CA
02/12/71 unknown venue Santa Clara County CA
02/13/71 Berkeley Community Theatre Berkeley CA
02/22/71 Capitol Theatre Montreal Quebec Canada (2 shows)
02/??/71 Le Hibou (?) Ottawa Canada ???
02/26/71 Fillmore East New York NY (2 shows)
02/27/71 Fillmore East New York NY (2 shows)
04/15/71 Fillmore West San Francisco CA
04/16/71 Fillmore West San Francisco CA
04/17/71 Fillmore West San Francisco CA
04/18/71 Fillmore West San Francisco CA
04/30/71 Keystone Korner San Francisco CA
05/01/71 Keystone Korner San Francisco CA
05/02/71 Keystone Korner San Francisco CA
05/06/71 New Orleans House Berkeley CA
05/07/71 New Orleans House Berkeley CA (2 shows)
05/08/71 New Orleans House Berkeley CA (2 shows)
05/13/71 Inn Of The Beginning Cotati CA
05/14/71 Inn Of The Beginning Cotati CA
05/15/71 Inn Of The Beginning Cotati CA
05/16/71 Inn Of The Beginning Cotati CA
06/??/71 Matrix Club San Francisco CA (possibly 4/71 or 5/71)
06/??/71 Lion's Share San Anselmo CA (possibly 4/71 or 5/71)
07/04/71 Fillmore West San Francisco CA
09/05/71 Pacific High Recording San Francisco CA
09/17/71 Winterland Arena San Francisco CA
09/18/71 Winterland Arena San Francisco CA
09/25/71 Fairgrounds Expo Hall San Jose CA
10/03/71 University of California - Riverside Los Angeles CA
10/16/71 Pauley Pavilion at UCLA Los Angeles CA
11/05/71 Winterland Arena San Francisco CA
11/06/71 Winterland Arena San Francisco CA
1972
??/??/72 Ruthie's Inn Berkeley CA (as per Ronnie Montrose)
01/14/72 Boarding House Theatre San Francisco CA (2 shows)
01/15/72 Boarding House Theatre San Francisco CA (2 shows)
01/21/72 The Village San Francisco CA (2 shows)
01/22/72 The Village San Francisco CA (2 shows)
03/03/72 Berkeley Community Theatre Berkeley CA
03/25/72 Convention Hall San Diego CA
04/14/72 Freeborn Hall - University Of California at Davis CA
04/16/72 Civic Auditorium Stockton CA
04/19/72 Travelodge Theater In The Round Phoenix AZ (2 shows)
04/26/72 Granada Theatre Santa Barbara CA
04/27/72 Santa Monica Civic Santa Monica CA
04/28/72 Santa Monica Civic Santa Monica CA
05/05/72 unknown venue (possibly Paramount Theatre) Seattle WA
05/06/72 Salem Armory Auditorium Salem OR
05/07/72 Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver BC Canada
05/12/72 Macky Auditorium Boulder CO
05/13/72 Macky Auditorium Boulder CO
05/14/72 Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall Oklahoma City OK
05/16/72 Constitution Hall Washington DC
05/18/72 Carnegie Hall New York NY
05/19/72 Orpheum-Aquarius Theatre Boston MA
05/20/72 unknown venue Providence RI
05/21/72 Academy Of Music Philadelphia PA
05/??/72 Civic Auditorium Santa Monica CA
05/26/72 Winterland Arena San Francisco CA
05/27/72 Winterland Arena San Francisco CA
05/28/72 Winterland Arena San Francisco CA
05/29/72 Winterland Arena San Francisco CA
Summer 72 Desiderata Cabaret King's Beach Lake Tahoe CA
11/17/72 Bermuda Palms San Rafael CA (w/Joe McCord)
1973
01/??/73 Armadillo World Headquarters Austin TX (Thu)
01/??/73 Armadillo World Headquarters Austin TX (Fri)
01/??/73 Armadillo World Headquarters Austin TX (Sat)
01/??/73 unknown venue Arlington TX (Sunday)
01/??/73 Armadillo World Headquarters Austin TX (Mon)
02/15/73 Lion's Share San Anselmo CA (2 shows)
03/11/73 Marin Memorial Auditorium San Rafael CA
04/??/73 Shrine Auditorium Los Angeles CA
"Don Kirschner's Rock Concert"
04/??/73 Berekeley Community Theatre Berkeley CA
04/14/73 Fox Theatre Long Beach CA
04/15/73 Fox Theatre Long Beach CA
04/22/73 Lion's Share San Anselmo CA
05/08/73 Performing Arts Center Milwaukee WI
05/21/73 The Odyssey Room Sunnyvale CA
05/24/73 The Troubadour Los Angeles CA
05/25/73 The Troubadour Los Angeles CA
05/26/73 The Troubadour Los Angeles CA
05/27/73 The Troubadour Los Angeles CA
06/22/73 The Orphanage San Francisco CA
06/29/73 Santa Monica Civic Auditorium Santa Monica CA
07/07/73 Convocation Hall Toronto ON Canada
07/10/73 Syria Mosque Pittsburgh PA
07/12/73 Philharmonic Hall New York NY
07/13/73 Philharmonic Hall New York NY
07/14/73 Lenox Arts Center Tanglewood MA
(previously noted as 7/16/73)
07/19/73 Carre Theatre Amsterdam The Netherlands
07/20/73 De Doelen Rotterdam The Netherlands
07/22/73 Town Hall Birmingham England
07/23/73 Rainbow Theater London England
07/24/73 Rainbow Theater London England
"Old Grey Whistle Test" (BBC-TV and RTE-TV)
07/25/73 Colston Hall Bristol England
07/26/73 Free Trade Hall Manchester England
07/27/73 City Hall Newcastle-Upon-Tyne England
07/31/73 Carlton Cinema Dublin Ireland
08/20/73 The Orphanage San Francisco CA
08/21/73 The Orphanage San Francisco CA
Autumn/73 Carnegie Hall New York NY (Yorke pg.115)
11/02/73 RTE Studios Dublin Ireland "Talk About Pop" (RTE-TV)
12/01/73 Sports Arena San Diego CA
12/13/73 Texas Hall University of Texas - Austin TX
12/19/73 Keystone Berkeley Berkeley CA
12/21/73 Great American Music Hall San Francisco CA (2 shows)
1974
??/??/74 Anaheim Convention Center Anaheim CA
??/??/74 Celebrity Theatre Phoenix AZ (unconfirmed)
01/??/74 McFarlin Auditorium Southern Methodist University Dallas TX
(with Little Feat) --see 12/13/73 above
01/11/74 University of Houston Houston TX (2 shows)
01/13/74 Texas Hall University of Texas Arlington TX
01/16/74 Armadillo World Headquarters Austin TX
01/17/74 Cowtown Ballroom Kansas City MO
01/18/74 Ambassador Theatre St. Louis MO (2 shows)
02/01/74 Winterland Arena San Francisco CA
02/02/74 Winterland Arena San Francisco CA
02/12/74 unknown venue Oxnard CA (possibly 02/13/74)
02/15/74 unknown venue Portland OR
02/16/74 Paramount Northwest Theatre Seattle WA
02/17/74 War Memorial Gymnasium University of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia Canada
02/23/74 Waikiki Shell Honolulu Hawaii
03/07/74 Great American Music Hall San Francisco CA (2 shows)
03/14/74 Harvard Square Theater Cambridge MA (2 shows)
03/15/74 Felt Forum New York NY
03/16/74 Capitol Theatre Passaic NJ
03/27/74 Town Hall Birmingham England
03/29/74 Olympia Theatre Dublin Ireland (2 shows)
03/30/74 Olympia Theatre Dublin Ireland (2 shows)
04/01/74 unknown venue Paris France
04/02/74 unknown venue Mannheim W Germany
04/03/74 unknown venue Munich W Germany
04/04/74 unknown venue Frankfurt W Germany
04/05/74 'Ancienne Belgique' Brussels Belgium
04/06/74 Falconcenteret Copenhagen Denmark
04/08/74 Carre Theatre Amsterdam The Netherlands
04/09/74 unknown venue Groningen The Netherlands
04/10/74 Hammersmith Odeon London England
04/??/74 Sophie's Palo Alto CA
04/19/74 Great American Music Hall San Francisco CA
04/22/74 unknown venue Montreal Quebec Canada
05/01/74 Chico State College Chico CA
05/03/74 Humboldt State University Arcata CA
05/08/74 University Of Maryland Baltimore County MD
05/12/74 unknown venue Bridgewater MA
05/16/74 unknown venue Kent OH
05/17/74 Memorial Auditorium Sacramento CA ???
05/19/74 unknown venue University Park PA
06/30/74 Congres Montreux Montreux Switzerland "Montreux Jazz Festival"
07/08/74 Kongresshalle Frankfurt W Germany
07/10/74 TV Studios Bremen W Germany "Musikladen Extra"
07/20/74 Knebworth Park near Stevenage England "Bucolic Frolic: Knebworth Fayre"
07/29/74 The Orphanage San Francisco CA (PBS-TV)
08/28/74 The Orphanage San Francisco CA (2 shows)
09/02/74 Great American Music Hall San Francisco CA (2 shows)
09/03/74 Great American Music Hall San Francisco CA
09/13/74 Auditorium Minneapolis MN
10/16/74 unknown venue Columbus OH
10/17/74 Masonic Temple Detroit MI
10/18/74 Auditorium Theatre Chicago IL
10/19/74 Western Michigan University Kalamazoo MI
10/19/74 Hara Arena Dayton OH --as per attendee
10/20/74 unknown venue Flint MI
10/21/74 Maple Leaf Gardens Toronto ON Canada
10/23/74 Constitution Hall Washington DC
10/24/74 The Spectrum Philadelphia PA
10/26/74 Palace Concert Theatre Providence RI
10/27/74 Boston Music Hall Boston MA
10/28/74 Coliseum New Haven CT
10/31/74 Dome Arena Rochester NY
11/01/74 The Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden New York NY (2 shows)
11/02/74 Capitol Theater Passaic NJ (2 shows)
11/03/74 University of Maryland Baltimore MD
11/07/74 McFarlin Auditorium at Southern Methodist University Dallas TX
11/08/74 Music Hall Houston TX
11/09/74 Coliseum Austin TX
11/16/74 Anaheim Convention Center Anaheim CA
12/30/74 Keystone Berkeley Berkeley CA
1975
03/24/75 Great American Music Hall San Francisco CA (2 shows)
03/25/75 Great American Music Hall San Francisco CA (2 shows)
04/18/75 Sophie's Palo Alto CA
04/19/75 Great American Music Hall San Francisco CA (2 shows)
04/20/75 Great American Music Hall San Francisco CA (2 shows)
04/21/75 Great American Music Hall San Francisco CA (2 shows)
06/15/75 Civic Auditorium San Francisco CA All Day, All Night Boogie
06/26/75 Great American Music Hall San Francisco CA (2 shows)
06/27/75 Great American Music Hall San Francisco CA (2 shows)
1976
03/30/76 Shangri-La Studios Los Angeles CA
08/05/76 Odeon Theatre Birmingham England (guest of Eric Clapton)
08/06/76 King's Hall Belle Vue Manchester England
08/26/76 Apollo Victoria Theatre London England
11/24/76 Winterland Arena San Francisco CA
11/25/76 Winterland Arena San Francisco CA
1977
03/28/77 NBC Studios Burbank CA "Midnight Special"
06/15/77 Maunkberry's London England "Press Showcase"
06/??/77 The Speakeasy London England with Eric Burdon
06/??/77 Vara Studios Hilversum The Netherlands "Wonderland"
06/22/77 Vara Studios Hilversum The Netherlands
1978
08/??/78 Sweetwater Mill Valley CA (2 shows)
09/30/78 unknown venue Santa Clara CA
10/01/78 Coconut Grove Ballroom Santa Cruz CA (Our Times promo)
10/05/78 Old Waldorf Theatre San Francisco CA (2 shows)
10/06/78 Old Waldorf Theatre San Francisco CA (2 shows)
10/07/78 Old Waldorf Theatre San Francisco CA (2 shows)
10/??/78 unknown venue Boston MA
10/12/78 Wesleyan University Middletown CT
10/13/78 University of Connecticut Hartford CT
10/14/78 University of Vermont Burlington VT
10/15/78 The Paradise Boston MA
10/16/78 Orpheum Theatre Boston MA
10/20/78 Tower Theater Philadelphia PA (2 shows)
10/21/78 Orange County Community College Middletown NY
10/22/78 State University of New York Stoney Brook NY
10/23/78 Rutgers University East Rutherford NJ
10/26/78 O'Keefe Center Toronto ON Canada (2 shows)
10/27/78 unknown venue Buffalo NY
10/28/78 Music Hall Cleveland OH
10/29/78 Masonic Auditorium Detroit MI
11/01/78 The Bottom Line New York NY (2 shows)
11/02/78 The Palladium New York NY
11/??/78 The Palladium New York NY (guest of Johnny Winter)
11/04/78 NBC Studios New York NY "Saturday Night Live" (NBC-TV)
11/06/78 Constitution Hall Washington DC
11/16/78 Armadillo World Headquarters Austin TX
11/22/78 Blue Note Boulder CO
11/25/78 Royce Hall at University Of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles CA
11/26/78 The Roxy Los Angeles CA
11/27/78 Terrace Theatre Long Beach CA
11/28/78 Paramount Theatre Seattle WA (possibly 12/1/78)
12/01/78 Paramount Theatre Portland OR
12/02/78 Winterland San Francisco CA
1979
02/18/79 City Hall Cork Ireland
02/20/79 Whitla Hall Belfast N Ireland
02/21/79 Whitla Hall Belfast N Ireland
02/22/79 National Stadium Dublin Ireland
02/23/79 National Stadium Dublin Ireland
02/24/79 National Stadium Dublin Ireland
02/26/79 Hammersmith Odeon London England
02/27/79 Hammersmith Odeon London England
02/28/79 Hammersmith Odeon London England
03/02/79 Apollo Theatre Manchester England
03/04/79 The Guildhall Portsmouth England
03/05/79 The Dome Brighton England
03/06/79 Colston Hall Bristol England
03/07/79 New Theatre Oxford England
03/10/79 City Hall Sheffield England
03/11/79 Odeon Theatre Birmingham England
03/12/79 De Montfort Hall Leicester England
03/13/79 Assembly Hall Derby England
03/15/79 Odeon Theatre Edinburgh Scotland
03/16/79 Apollo Glasgow Scotland
03/17/79 The University Lancaster England
03/19/79 City Hall Newcastle England
Summer/79 unknown venue San Francisco CA area (David Hayes' wedding)
08/1?/79 unknown venue & location France (TV)
08/16/79 Les Arenes Frejus France
08/17/79 Theatre Mogador Paris France
08/19/79 The Grand Palace Brussels Belgium
08/23/79 Falconcenteret Copenhagen Denmark
08/26/79 Kalvoya Sandvika Norway "Isle of Calf Festival"
08/30/79 Sportpaleis Ahoy' Rotterdam The Netherlands
09/01/79 The Royal Highland Showground Ingliston, Edinburgh Scotland "Edinburgh Rock Festival"
09/18/79 Rancho Nicasio Nicasio CA (2 shows)
09/19/79 Rancho Nicasio Nicasio CA (2 shows)
09/23/79 Inn Of The Beginning Cotati CA (2 shows)
10/03/79 Curry Hicks Fieldhouse at University of MA Amherst MA
10/06/79 Capitol Theater Passaic NJ
10/07/79 Avery Fisher Hall New York NY
10/??/79 Capri Theater (or Capri Ballroom) Atlanta GA
10/11/79 Armadillo World Headquarters Austin TX
10/19/79 Hollywood Palladium Los Angeles CA
10/20/79 County Bowl Santa Barbara CA
10/21/79 Berkeley Community Theater Berkeley CA
16 comments:
Can't give you an exact date, but I know I saw him at an auditorium in downtown San Diego in summer of 1971. I remember this because it was the best concert I have ever been to.
You might want to compare dcat's list to the comprehensive list online at http://ivan.vanomatic.de/.
It's a fantastic resource and has been updated regularly over the years. Gunter Becker has done a great job with the Vanomatic site.
Got this email from Bruce - thanks! This is the additional info I hope other long-time fans can contribute:
Hi:
Here are a couple of Van shows I attended that are not listed on your current website:
February 1, 1970 - Village Gaslight (sometimes called "The Gaslight), NYC.
[It was incredible, as Van performed the brand new material from the yet-to-be-released Moondance album, with the same band as is found on the album]
?/?/1969 - Queens College, Flushing, NY. This was a short outdoor concert, and included a trombonist. It occurred during what was called "free hour" when no classes were scheduled. It was a sunny day. He played some songs from Astral weeks.
By the way, there is a rather complete listing of his past shows on a website called "songkick.com
"
Thanks so much - your website is great.
Bruce (a van fan since 1965). Just saw him recently in Atlanta.
Will try and reconcile Gunter's list with DCat's.
There were 2 Toronto Van concerts that I attended not on the list. There was 1 at Massey hall, and 1 at Convocation Hall. I'm thinking these concerts were in 1970 and 1971.
Regarding songkick.com:
If you look at the concert details you will mention that in 99.99% the "Event Source" is me...
Did Van play the Hilltop Festival in NH with the Velvet Underground?
Look here for poster
http://olivier.landemaine.free.fr/vu/live/1969/vu_poster_690802.jpg
The 5-8-74 was at University Of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) not College Park. Van only played 30 min got mad and left the stage.
Happy Birthday Mr. Morrison, my name is Nancy Lou Sirbu, caught you at the Avalon Ballroom, in 67 & 69. again at the Wiltern Theater 98/99. I live in Santa Barbara CA now will see you there! Missed Astral Weeks at the Hollywood Bowl last year because when Al Jarreau played his set at the Playboy Jazz Festival 2 years ago, a police chopper hovering ruined it, swore I would never go there again, so I am delighted that you are coming to SB,CA...come see our beautiful bevy of third generation "Tupello Honeys", my first son, Joe Cafarella III, lead singer for STEMM, was conceived in 1971 to Moondance & Crazy Love. I LOVE YOUR MUSIC ALWAYS HAVE, ALWAYS WILL, JUST ME, NANCY A/K/A KALAMITY MERMAID
For the record, the Oct. 31, 1974 gig was at the War Memorial in Rochester, N.Y., not the Dome Arena.
It was my first Morrison show, with memories of Van reclining across Pete Wingfield's grand piano during Twilight Zone. Van was spotted before the gig walking unrecognized among the fans on the floor, many of whom were in Halloween costumes and masks.
I saw Van at a basketball auditoreum at University of California Irvine in 1975. I don't remember the exact date but Roger McGuinn opened. They played on a small riser on the floor like a sock hop! Van had a swingin' little combo ~ organ, guitar, bass, drums. He played sax, harmonica, guitar and some organ. It was smokin' with a an R&B edge. General admission and I stood about 10 feet way. A great show. Never heard any shows with that line up.
I saw Van the Man in February 1971 at the Santa Monica Civic -- don't recall the exact date but John Hammond Jr. was the opening act. I saw him again in January 1972 at a tiny (under 100 capacity) club in Santa Cruz -- no opening act, but the emphasis was on "Tupelo Honey" songs. Both shows were unforgettable, esp. the Santa Cruz one, which was amazingly intimate. Van must have been friends with the owner.
I attended the Cork concert in February 1979, my first time seeing him live though I'd already been a fan for many years. I managed to take some pictures there, despite heavy security. A wonderful concert, followed by not such great ones in Dublin a few days later.
I was also at the show at UC, Irvine where Roger McGuinn opened. That was June 6, 1975 and that auditorium was called Crawford Hall. I was a freshman at UCI that year and sat on the floor with my girlfriend about 10 feet in front of the riser where Van was singing. For St. Dominick's Preview he essentially looked her in the eye and sang the song to her. Needless to say, she nearly melted! Great show. I vaguely remember that there was a violinist and a cellist who played on a couple numbers. Don't know if they were traveling with the band or UCI locals pressed into service. By the way, McGuinn has a great 12-string with a light organ under the pick guard that synched to what he was playing for some songs during his opening set.
Anonymous was wrong about the Oct. 31, 1974 gig. It WAS was at the Dome Arena in Henrietta, NY! (Just south of Rochester.) The Persuasions opened. I can still remember the jack-o'-lantern on top of one of the loudspeakers. Still of the best Van shows I have ever seen.
- Greg in Baltimore
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