Saint Dominic’s Flashback
Van Morrison’s Classic Album, Forty Years On

A new book, Saint Dominic's Flashback, by Peter Wrench takes a look back on Van's 1972 masterpiece, Saint Dominic's Preview. Now available on Amazon.

Van Morrison is a unique talent: one of the finest and most distinctive vocalists in rock music. He is notorious for his impatience with journalists and analysis, for his grumpiness and his unpredictability – veering constantly between the good, bad and utterly extraordinary, across half a century in the business…

How best to get a handle on him? At the this point in his career a deep dive into some of the specifics can be more illuminating than an overview that skates across the surface.

Now, forty years after the release of his classic album Saint Dominic's Preview, comes an in-depth look at its 42 minutes of music and how they were put together. Drawing heavily on the memories of the musicians and technicians who made the record, the book shines a spotlight on Morrison's art and his working methods – and provides a fascinating perspective on the wider music scene of the early seventies.

This is a record that deserves detailed attention. It is one of Van’s most satisfying and wide-ranging collections with a succession of amazing tracks – from the focused drive of ‘Jackie Wilson Said,’ through the glorious emotional workout that is ‘Listen To The Lion’, to the synthesiser-rich tone-poem ‘Almost Independence Day’. Each song is closely examined and assessed.

And there are some great stories about how the album came to be made: from the hirings and firings to amazing flashes of creativity – with walk-on parts for everybody from Bob Dylan and the Band to Lee Michaels’ cheetahs. This is a book for everyone with an interest in Van Morrison’s music.

The author runs the Eden On The Line music website and his previous writing includes The Night Of The Round Stable, a novel for children. He is co-owner of the Tom Thumb Theatre in Margate.

The book is published by FeedARead and is available in paperback and on Kindle.

05-December-2012
Cabaret Supperclub
 Belfast, Northern Ireland

Setlist (Thanks Damien)
Celtic Swing
Satisfied
Magic Time
Open the Door (To Your Heart)
Born To Sing
Rambler Blues 
Got To Go Back
Lonely Avenue
Crazy Love
Dead or Alive
Goodnight Irene
Did Ye Get Healed
Ballerina
Help Me

28-November-2012
Bridgewater Hall
 Manchester, England

Setlist
Celtic Swing
A Town Called Paradise
Born To Sing
Open The Door (To Your Heart)
Days Like This
These Are The Days
Only A Dream
Got To Go Back
Baby Please Don't Go
Enlightenment
Whenever God Shines His Light
St James Infirmary
Moondance/My Funny Valentine
Brown Eyed Girl
Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)
Precious Time
Crazy Love
Help Me
Benediction
Gloria

27-November-2012
Philharmonic Hall
 Liverpool, England

Liverpool Echo (Source)
BY ALL accounts Van Morrison likes playing at the Philharmonic.

And while he's not someone who exactly wears his heart on his sleeve (unless he's feeling the wrong way out), you could be quietly confident he enjoyed last night's gig.

And certainly so did the full house that awaited his every note, mumble and wail. From the outset no-one was in any doubt that they were in the presence of a true master of his craft, and throughout he had the hall in the palm of his hand.

Dressed in his trademark dark suit, hat and shades (you could wear that outfit to a fancy dress party and people would guess you'd come as Van The Man), he took to the stage, saxophone in hand, to lead the seven-piece band through a musical journey through the years from present all the way back into the past.

The sound was the distinctive blend of jazz and blues, every instrument blending faultlessly while each still distinct and clear. The clarinet, trumpet and sax – blue if ever sounds and colours could be matched up – were perfect for the full-mooned winter's night.

The early numbers such as Born To Sing poured out effortlessly, in such a relaxed, laid back way you'd have thought they were playing themselves, while numbers such as If In Money We Trust had a sinister feel to them (not least because his mic kept slipping while he was sat at the piano, and despite the roadie's efforts to fix it, more than a few in the audience were fearful he would walk off the stage in a strop).

But he seemed in genuinely good mood – and even said thank you to the audience after the stomping Baby Please Don't Go.

It was in the latter part of the show that the real crowd pleaders came: the fabulous Did Ye Get Healed? with its haunting circular sax and clarinet riff, the beautifully optimistic Days Like This, and Moondance and Brown-Eyed Girl. But hits like those aside, you know you're in the presence of a master when they can write a song with lyrics so simple yet clever as 'Who can I turn to if you turn away from me?'

He is a modern classic, and a genius still at the top of his game after all these years. 10/10:
-Marc Waddington

Setlist
Celtic Swing
A Town Called Paradise
Born To Sing
If In Money We Trust
Open The Door (To Your Heart)
Enlightenment
Here Comes The Knight
These Are The Days
Did Ye Get Healed?
Stranded
Magic Time
Baby Please Don't Go
Who Can I Turn To?
Moondance/My Funny Valentine
Precious Time
Days Like This
Brown Eyed Girl
In The Garden
Help Me

Big Hand for The Band!
Chris White (Saxophone)
Alistair White (Trombone)
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Jeff Lardner (Drums)

18-November-2012
Wales Millennium Centre
 Cardiff, Wales

Buzz Mag (Source)
Renowned for his unpredictability and cantankerous disposition, there was slight trepidation that Van Morrison was not going to be on top form on Sunday at Wales Millennium Centre, a venue so perfectly designed for musical excellence. However, fears were soon quashed upon Morrison’s entrance. He emerged playing the sax soulfully to join the already extensive band – encompassing brass, strings, percussion and piano – in a delightful intro to the show.

The music ensued with It Was Only A Dream in which the Northern-Irish musician provided confirmation that he has still got ‘it’ – ‘it’ being the unique, superbly clear and warm vocals together with a magnificent blend of jazz, blues and soul. Morrison, who released his 36th album this year, Born To Sing: No Plan B, has flitted between folk, gospel, blues and country in his long career, but it is apparent that soul and jazz have remained the sheer core of his music.

Clad in his standard black hat, shades and suit get-up, Van The Man exhibits his musical finesse as he takes on the role of composer to his faultless band – every flawless solo was accompanied by a risibly nervous glance to their boss to see if it was up to scratch.

The crowd erupted upon hearing the intro to Brown Eyed Girl, and Sinatra-esque Moondance was also met with ovation as it eventually came to a euphoric close in what can only be described as a musical explosion. Babe Please Don’t Go and Jackie Wilson Said presented further harmonious skill and both highlighted the illimitable strengths of the band’s brass element.

There was minimal crowd interaction, however, this was to be expected if you are accustomed to Morrison’s aloof character. An encore is a near impossibility as the absolute second the music ended the lights come on as if to say “don’t even think about it”. Despite this, Morrison displayed his unparalleled talents as composer, singer and performer at his Cardiff show to confirm that he is in actual fact The Man.
-Eleanor McKeon

02-November-2012
Europa Hotel, Belfast
Northern Ireland

Shana Morrison

Our roving Van fan Brendan sent in this review
Having witnessed the magnificent Sligo concert 5 days earlier, I had no real expectation that this intimate concert could scale such heights but incredibly it ran it pretty close. Apart from the brilliant music, what made this concert really unique was Van’s rapport with the audience throughout the show. It was clear that he really relished playing in his hometown and I have never seen him so relaxed and in such good humour.

Photo via Pablo

The concert (predictably) started 20 minutes early when Shana Morrison took the stage to provide a short but enjoyable set as the diners nearly choked trying to finish their dinners and desserts before Van arrived on stage.

After opening with A Town Called Paradise, Van told us we would never hear that song on the radio. He then introduced Thanks For The Information (which was tremendous-particularly the guitar and brass) and told us we would NEVER hear that on radio as he reckoned it was too subversive. The Drumshambo Hustle was one we might hear as he knew it had been played at least once and credited Irish TV/Radio presenter Marty Whelan. Van told us a lot of the material tonight would be drawn from the No Guru album which was certainly music to my ears. Throughout the evening Van joked with the band and audience and invited requests,asking the audience to tell him what we wanted as that’s what he was there for! At one stage he asked if there were any actors in the audience “apart from the cowboys!”

Musically,there were many highlights including a superb Foreign Window,the afore mentioned Thanks For The Information, The Warm Feeling, That’s Life, a brilliant duet with Shana on Sometimes we Cry (it gets more powerful all the time) before a real gem was produced-a near 10 minute version of Pagan Heart which proved a real show stopper. Crazy Love, Ballerina (during which Van reckoned a superb trombone solo had to be OMG) and another duet with Shana on Whenever God (Cliff) Shines his Light took us nicely towards the finish which involved a thunderous version of Help Me with Van leaving the stage chanting “Its too good to stop now!”.

It certainly is Van !
-Brendan Hynes


Setlist (Thanks John M)
A Town Called Paradise
Thanks For The Information
Drumshanbo Hustle
Open The Door (To Your Heart)
Sometimes We Cry
Got To Go Back
Who Can I Turn To
That's Life
Oh The Warm Feeling
These Are The Days
Foreign Window
Whenever God Shines His Light
Pagan Heart
Moondance
Crazy Love
Ballerina
Help Me

Shana Morrison Setlist (Thanks Pablo)
God Must Love Me
Roses
I Am A Rose
Your Love Keep Lifting Me Higher

28-October-2012
Knocknarea Arena 
Sligo, Ireland

Our Irish Correspondent, Brendan, sent in this review
Driving from Dublin to Sligo on Sunday I had a great sense of anticipation about what lay ahead. Ever since this particular evening of music and poetry was announced it was clear that this was likely to be quite a different performance with the 'emphasis on words' according to the publicity. Having heard a preview of some of the material in Canterbury last week, which certainly whetted my appetite even more, I was somewhat concerned that the performance might suffer from the omission of the band’s brass section as the Sligo Live publicity material had clearly indicated that Van was to be accompanied by a rhythm section only.Such concerns were quickly removed upon entering the arena as it was clear that the full band would be performing after all.

The tickets had indicated that there would be no support but Shana Morrison took to the stage at 7.35 pm for a short but enjoyable set to set things up nicely for Van who arrived on stage 5 minutes ahead of the scheduled 8.00 pm start time. It was clear that there was going to be nothing predictable about this performance.

Van opened with a lively version of A Town Called Paradise before moving onto a sublime Foreign Window. This was followed by a couple of songs off the new album including Open The Door which actually fitted in with the type of material performed on this special night. Van draw very heavily on the No Guru, No Method, No Teacher album including Oh The Warm Feeling, Got to Go Back,Tir Na Nog (when did he last play that?) and the always magnificent In the Garden which was a real show stopper. This was quickly followed by a beautiful Haunts of Ancient Peace (with Van on piano) after which most of the audience were in some sort of trance I reckon. The seldom performed Coney Island was followed by a terrific duet with Shana on Sometimes We Cry before Ballerina was delivered to a tumultuous reception. Celtic Excavation merged into a beautiful Into the Mystic which was then followed by Moondance and Crazy Love. Hyndford Street brought proceedings to a close all to early (the usual annoying 90 minute curfew had been reached) with Van leaving the stage to a five minute standing ovation. He did not return for an encore but Gloria would probably have been somewhat out of place among this material.

For those Van Morrison fans who favour the mystical material over any of his other work this was quite simply a concert made in heaven. Superb.
-Brendan Hynes

Irish Times
HEY SAID it would be a night of lyrics and poetry with “Emphasis on Words” but it was probably no surprise that, as always, Van Morrison let the music do the talking when he topped the bill at the Sligo Live festival last night.

He was early – in fact he strode on to the stage in the Knocknarea Arena at IT Sligo five minutes before schedule – much to the shock of those scurrying in the door up to 20 minutes later.

It must be hard being a performer when your dad is, literally, the Man, but Van’s daughter, Shana, a US-based singer-songwriter was not just the support act last night. She also provided backing vocals and father and daughter delighted the crowd with a double act on Sometimes We Cry from his 1997 album The Healing Game.

The evening started with a few numbers from the new album Born to Sing: No Plan B but it was the familiar lyrics from the spoken song Coney Island – “Out all day bird watching/And the craic was good”– which drew the first animated cheers of recognition from a crowd which spanned all generations .

Not only was Van early but he clearly enjoyed himself. While George Ivan Morrison isn’t famous for banter and over-the-top exuberance, there was very little evidence of his grumpiness or as the PR material put it “noted reserve” last night.

Although Van being Van there was just a little bit of impatience at the end towards one of his musicians who got a reproving command of “long notes” as the 90-minute set came to a close.

‘There were plenty of treats for the diehard fans – Moondance got the loudest cheers but there were also favourites like Crazy Love and Into the Mystic which had old fans in raptures. The real treat at the end was On Hyndford Street named for the Belfast street where he was born which, like Coney Island, is a spoken song. There had been rumours that Van would share with audiences some of the autobiographical and literary influences in his songs, but fans were happy enough he stuck with the music.

Before he left, he did introduce his daughter but there was no encores. For the 1,200-strong audience, however, there are plenty of good memories and a night when Van did really deserve the sustained applause and the standing ovation which continued long after he was gone.
-MARESE McDONAGH

Belfast Telegraph
Van Morrison and daughter shine in Sligo

What is it about Sligo and legendary singer-songwriters in hats?

Last night in a sold-out Knocknarea Arena at IT Sligo, veteran singer songwriter, Van Morrison (67) invoked the spirit of WB Yeats and held a rapturous audience in thrall.

He was following in the footsteps of Canadian troubadour, Leonard Cohen, who wove magic in two memorable concerts at nearby Lissadell House in 2010.

Both icons acknowledge the deep influence of Yeats on their illustrious careers. Marking the special occasion, and indicating a new departure for the singer, who is continually reinventing himself, Morrison showcased his most ethereal music.

The night began with the singer powerhousing through a set of songs from his newest album 'Born To Sing -- No Plan B', beginning with 'A Town Called Paradise'.

Adding a touch of glamour to the night was his talented singer-songwriter daughter, Shana, who supported the artist and joined him on stage providing backing vocals.

The pair performed a duet on 'Sometimes we Cry'.

Morrison's partner and former model, Michelle Rocca and their family accompanied the Belfast born singer to Sligo and watched the gig from the wings.

He was the headline act in the Sligo Live Festival, which despite the recession, drew record crowds to scores of venues all over the town throughout the Bank Holiday Weekend.

On Saturday night, singer/songwriter Joan Armatrading played to a capacity crowd in the same venue.

Morrison has been described as an 'Irish poet' and 'an enigma shrouded in Celtic Garb'.

Last night there were glimpses of all but it was Morrison, the romantic mysticist, who triumphed.
-Anita Guidera

Setlist
A Town Called Paradise
Foreign Window
Born To Sing
Open The Door (To Your Heart)
Oh The Warm Feeling
Tir Na Nog
Got To Go Back
These Are The Days
Coney Island
Sometimes We Cry (w/Shana Morrison)
Ballerina
In The Garden
Haunts of Ancient Peace
Celtic Excavation/Into The Mystic
Moondance
Crazy Love
On Hyndford Street

23-October-2012
Marlowe Theatre 
Canterbury, England

Setlist
Foggy Day In London Town
Brown Eyed Girl
Only A Dream
Born To Sing
Got To Go Back
Oh The Warm Feeling
These Are The Days
A Town Called Paradise
Drumshanbo Hustle
Baby Please Don't Go
Thanks for The Information
The Lion This Time
Magic Time
Moondance
Sometimes We Cry
Days Like This
Ballerina
Benediction
Enlightenment

20-October-2012
Europa Hotel 
Belfast, Northern Ireland

Setlist
Bye Bye Blackbird
Only A Dream
Let's Get Lost
Who Can I Turn To
Open The Door To Your Heart
Mystic Of The East
Baby Please Don't Go
Brown Eyed Girl
Moondance
Precious Time
Enlightenment
How Can A Poor Boy
KeepMediocrity At Bay
That's Life
All In The Game/Burning Ground
In The Garden
Ballerina
Benediction
Star of the County Down

03-October-2012
Ronnie Scott's 
London, England

Photos via Paolo

Mike reviews the 4 gigs over 2 days at Ronnie Scott's
So now that the haze has passed, here's my quick re-cap of a brilliant two night stand at Ronnie Scott's famed jazz club in London. This was a much anticipated return in the very intimate setting of this renowned venue, circa 1959 after around a 5 year absence.

Of course the event was quickly sold to Ronnie's "Premium" members - those who buy a membership and have the opportunity to partake in special events before the general public. Unfair that may be, the house was filled with jazz and music fans who appreciate a great artist and a great performance. They got both in the 2 night, 4 gig stand by VM.

Really, Van is very suited to this kind of environ these days. With a compact jazz band of really spectacular proportion --- the young Chris and Alistair White on horns, the great Paul Moran leading and playing piano and trumpet, percussion by Rod Quinn, great bass from Paul Moore, superior guitar work from Dave Kearny, Jeff Lardner magic on drums -- and Van moving from sax to piano to guitar, to harp, integrating jazz standards with brand new material and some long form Van classics -- each gig took on it's own personality and each was decidedly different. Much to the delight of many, even the expected was unexpected and some of the endless classics that appear and re-appear did just that.

And for some, the lack of a rousing Gloria may have been hoped for. My personal sense was that Van was playing to this room, a jazzy, quiet, hushed but then uproarious group, when the mood suited the audience. Gloria was perhaps too electric, too boisterous, too rousing. And Van likes the classics so what better venue than Ronnie Scott's to play That's Life, Who Can I Turn To, Bye Bye Blackbird, Foggy Day in London Town, St. James... and add a touch of blues....Take Your Hand Outta My Pocket, Help Me... and some well tested favorites like Into the Mystic (long extended), All in the Game (workshop version/then No Plan B, then Burning Ground -smoldering!), Jackie Wilson Said, Moondance of course but not every gig, BEG - a couple times to open and "get this out of the way", and a couple interspersed but lapped up by the audience, lovely Enlightenment, one revisit with Precious Time, and a couple times with Them (Baby Please Don't Go/Here Comes the Night).

But he did the new album right. Each gig, Open the Door, Mystic of the East, a couple Close Enough for Jazz (much lauded), and one Pagan Heart and the final closing number of the run was a lush and beautiful Ballerina....

It is notable that Van chatted more in these gigs than most any other --- A number of his "grumpiest gigs in town" commentaries but most notable was this just before Open the Door during one gig. Van said, "By way of explanation of this new material.... I had NO intention of releasing this. I had NO intention of EVER releasing another new album. But met Don Was - who is the President of Blue Note. Don liked this and said "I've got to release this" .... So you can thank Don Was for this...." And then he played Open the Door (To Your Heart) which is really a nice new "hit", getting good crowd response and lots of airplay. In fact, BTS is now in ALL Starbucks stores across the USA --- a very interesting and unexpected distribution for Van Morrison, which will give this new release tremendous exposure like no other previous release. Who knows whether that may cement in his mind the notion of future releases. He's got a wealth of material in the can as most of us know and there's really no reason not to let a record company take on the risk if they so choose. That would make we Van fans, very happy indeed. The album debuted in the UK at number 10 on the UK charts. Next week we will know how it enters the US market. But records don't sell like they used to and record companies are struggling. The real money for an artist in on tour. We know Van gets offers from all over the USA and elsewhere so it's up to him.... He seems very content and very comfortable staying close to home, playing gigs in environments he can control and this may be where he finds himself going forward. Expect some US dates eventually but until that time, there are a wealth of opportunities to see Van in Europe and he's back to touring again after a year sabbatical so we should be happy for him and happy to have him back, recording, singing, creating and memorizing us with his immense talent.

And what about that band? All-stars.
-Mike S.


Setlist (Early show) Thanks Mike S.
Bye Bye Blackbird
Only a Dream
Foggy Day in London Town/I Get a Kick Outta You
Into the Mystic
Open The Door (To Your Heart)
Mystic of the East
Real Real Gone/You Send Me
That's Life
Who Can I Turn To?
Brown Eyed Girl
Pagan Heart
Baby Please Don't Go
Take your Hand Out Of my Pocket
Moondance

Setlist
Bye Bye Blackbird
Only A Dream
I Get a Kick Outta You
Who Can I Turn To
Precious Time
Open The Door (To Your Heart)
Can't Stop Lovin You
Early In The Morning
Take your Hand Out Of my Pocket
Jackie Wilson Said
All In The Game/Burning Ground
Brown Eyed Girl
Ballerina

02-October-2012
Ronnie Scott's 
London, England

London Evening Standard
Curmudgeonly Van Morrison brings moments of 'raw intensity' to audience of legendary Ronnie Scott's

“Welcome to the grumpiest gig in town,” said Van Morrison, midway through last night’s show at Ronnie Scott’s.

The singer’s status as something of a curmudgeon is the stuff of legend but he has reason again to smile of late. Born to Sing: No Plan B — his first album of original material since 2008’s Keep It Simple — has met with near-universal praise.

The record sees the Northern Irishman rail against everything from economic folly to “phoney pseudo-jazz”. It’s the most irritated he’s sounded in years — and also the most alive.

Backed by a sensational seven-piece band, Morrison began last night’s show with a jazzed-up take on Brown Eyed Girl. “We like to get that one out of the way early,” he said, only half-jokingly, to chuckles from the well-heeled crowd.

There were a number of solos on the night — from saxophone to trombone to guitar — but Morrison’s voice was the highlight. Whether crooning his way through Only A Dream or filling Born To Sing with some inspired skatting, at 67 he remains one of the world’s most distinctive vocalists.

While this was essentially supper-club jazz, performed to a seated audience, there were moments of raw intensity. Goldfish Bowl saw Morrison attack celebrity culture and its attendant “psychic vampires”; Burning Ground built to a transcendent crescendo.

“Got no plan B, no safety net,” sang Morrison over the rush of drums and brass.

On this kind of form, he needs neither.
-Rick Pearson

Setlist (Early show)
Brown Eyed Girl
Only A Dream
When the Leaves Come Falling Down
Open the Door (To Your Heart)
Mystic of the East
Close Enough for Jazz
Gold Fish Bowl
Days Like This
Who Can I Turn To
Born to Sing
Enlightenment
All in the Game/Burning Ground/No Plan B
Help Me
Moondance

Setlist (Late Show)
Brown Eyed Girl
Only A Dream
Yo
Open the Door (To Your Heart)
Mystic of the East
Close Enough for Jazz
Who Can I Turn To
St James Infirmary
Enlightenment
Poor Boy
Early In The Morning/Rock Me Baby
Put Your Hand In My Pocket
Baby please don't go
Here Comes The Night
Jackie Wilson Said
Help Me
Moondance

Van Morrison In Conversation With Producer Don Was

Van Morrison talks to record producer Don Was, who produced his new album, Born to Sing: No Plan B, which draws on his early blues influences. They also discuss how the sounds of the modern world have changed the way we listen to music

Official Video For Title Track From Van Morrison's New Album & Preview Of 
Born To Sing: No Plan B

BORN TO SING: NO PLAN B Album Preview

Available for pre-order at Amazon.com

Source: Van Morrison's Official Youtube Channel

21-September-2012
Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Scotland

Stephen sent in this review
A remarkable concert for a number of reasons. Performances of Going Down To Monte Carlo, "25k from Nice", and "At The End Of The Rainbow". Van doing "I Get A Kick Out Of You" was new to me at least. Not the least remarkable aspect was Van frequently coughing off-mike and it having no effect on his singing whatsoever. As remarked on last week he seems newly energised by his hometown performances a fortnight ago and his right hand was punching the air all set. He seemed especially appreciative of solos with frequent "yeahs" shouted towards the musicians. One especially tortuous trombone solo saw him venture into the realm of text speak, stepping up to the mike and stating "OMG!" to the great amusement of the audience. Before "Game" he said: "We'd like to continue with the workshop. With over seventy songs in the set it's hard to decide what to play." In the event the workshop never really went anywhere but the constant intoning of "time stood still/time is running out/it's a long way from May to September" was simply mesmeric. As the band settled into a groove he said at one point "1950's - my favourite" in a clearly appreciative manner. Other highlights; a roared "Here come the fuzz!" during Ballerina - a superlative version - and the introduction to Help Me; "we want to finish with a blues because ...we like it." He added during the song "the guy who wrote this was into the basics". Another was "When The Leaves Come Falling Down", most likely inspired by being "in Paris in September" only last week. It was interesting to compare the show with the one I saw on Holywood Road two weeks ago. Jackie Wilson wasn't the raucous singalong it was then and nothing really sent "shivers down the spine" like On Hyndford St just before the end that night. To balance matters there was no late arriving VIP area in front of me holding aloft their mobile phones to capture their Van experience. I'm sure that is what led to the dire threats from security tonight about mobile phones and cameras, after four songs from the new album made it on to you tube soon after Aircraft Park. Reflecting on these two quite different shows I'm now eagerly anticipating my pre-order copy of Born To Sing dropping through the letterbox in the next couple of weeks.
-Stephen McGinn

STV.com
With a reported meteor shower as his grand finale, a few hours after the Glasgow date of his tour for his 34th studio album, it'll never be know if 'Van the Man' even knew he was even in the UK last night, but he certainly timed it right.

Throwing Brown Eyed Girl straight into the Royal Concert Hall, and getting the expectation of that ghastly wedding wedding standard out of the way, his performance was immaculately backed by a seven-piece jazz band. His delivery so laid back, it took four songs to work out that he could indeed still be bothered, the practitioner of jazz improvisation kept it cool for cats in his delivery, hidden somewhere beneath the wide brim of his hat and dark glasses. Slurring his smooth, syncopated vocal as he pleased, and with jazz solos batted around the band from double bass to trombone and back again, the delivery of his biggest hit was far from the garish wedding anthem.

Barely allowing time for the largely Oil of Olay crowd to diffuse their cheers, Van Morrison rushed the set straight into the relaxed waltz of Only A Dream, his vocal showing no signs of wear, and tear and providing steep competition for his alto sax playing. The instrument, known for its smooth charms, initially seemed more jagged when laid next to the vocal of the renowned singer-songwriter.

Throwing what seemed to be more vitality into the set, but what actually turned out to be a hand gesture for water, the first release from his new album, Open the Door (To Your Heart), steered the set into new terrain, with the multi-instrumentalist taking to the piano for this number. With photography and mobile phones banned in the audience, the crowd, aside from the odd toilet break, were entirely wrapped up in the set, a hush in the auditorium, with barely a need to applaud given the rapid transition from track to track.

Selecting the set as they went, even leaving the bass player in the lurch on a rapid spring into Close Enough For Jazz, with barely any audience interaction, in one rare moment, the 67-year-old told fans, "There's so many songs in the repertoire, it's hard to know what's in the set." Although this regimented approach between songs could have appeared clinical, it was accepted that Van the Man wasn't there for good humour, his performance solely focussing on his musical talents, and enough charisma packed into his vocal delivery to make up for any shortfalls in personality.

Gearing the crowd into a zealous stomp (confirmed from the quaking ceiling of the toilets which lie beneath the stage), and quickly after, reclining into Who Can I Turn To, where a hushed end made you suddenly very aware of your own breath, the one and a half hour show certainly delivered. His impressive band were one that would have been a marvel to watch, whether they were backing Van the Man, or a tv talent show disaster.

Covering the Cole Porter classic, I Get A Kick Out Of You, it was hard to tell if an emotionless Van Morrison still got the same kick out of the industry that made him, but Glasgow certainly seemed to get a kick out of him last night.
-Kirstin Lynn

Seltlist
Brown Eyed Girl
Only A Dream
Open The Door To Your Heart
Going Down To Monte Carlo
Close Enough For Jazz
End Of The Rainbow
Baby Please Don't Go
Here Comes The Night
Early In The Morning
Don't Start Cryin' Now/Custard Pie
Who Can I Turn To?
It's All In The Game (World Stood Still/Long Way From May to September)
Jackie Wilson Said
I Get A Kick Out Of You
Precious Time
When The Leaves Come Falling Down
Ballerina
Help Me
Gloria

14-September-2012
The Olympia, Paris, France

Here's Mike's review
Well Van must like Paris because he stormed into this gig with a fervor. After a light set with Shana and his band Van took the stage at around 8:30. 

Getting the usual Brown Eyed Girl out of the way early to an appreciative full house he began weaving in the recognized favorites with a couple off the new release which he referenced before lighting at the piano. Both Open the Door and Mystic of the East are becoming crowd pleasers judging by audiences reaction and this was their third outing this past week so 3 for 3. I'm waiting to hear Going Down to Monte Carlo live as its my prediction that this could stretch out beautifully in live performance... Before that Only a Dream and Here Comes the Night and Please Don't Go were nicely delivered.

Fever was jazzy then Enlightenment something a bit different. He then announced Game, told a story about its origin then said if it went well there'd be You Know What Their Writing About and if that went we'll they'd begin the workshop and No Plan B and if that went well we'd go off to the Burnin Ground. Well it all went well indeed and for over 15 minutes we explored all those musical territories together.

Then Sir Cliff came back in Whenever Sir Cliff Shines His Light...and after Moondance Van returns to the piano for a lovely Haunts of Ancient Peace that didn't end... Just stunning.

In the Garden was up next and he said it was recorded here in Paris? Ballerina up next followed by Help Me which he tore into then brought down to a hush and finally Gloria which has now turned into a long band jam giving Van a chance to return to Belfast whilst they each take a solo and have the crowd rocking for a finale that leaves us all in awe of this exceptional group of musicians.

And by the way the band thought this gig tonight in Paris was one of the best three they'd ever performed together.

I'd have to say that this week we heard two of the finest in East Belfast-- very nicely honed for the hometown and here in Paris--- where the leaves come falling down and Angelou still may reside.
-Michael S.

Setlist
Brown Eyed Girl
Only a Dream
Baby Please Don't Go
Here Comes the Night
Early in the Morning/Going Down Geneva
Open the Door (To Your Heart)
Mystic of the East
Fever
Enlightenment
All In Th Game/No Plan B/Burning Ground
Whenever God Shines His light
Moondance
Haunts of Ancient Peace
In the Garden
Ballerina
Help Me
Gloria

Big Hand for The Band!
Chris White (Saxophone)
Alistair White (Trombone)
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Jeff Lardner (Drums)
Rod Quinn (Percussion)
Special Guest - Shana Morrison (Backing Vocals)

13-September-2012
Mitsubishi Electric Halle Dusseldorf, Germany

Petra sent in this review
Van’s first Germany concert in 4 years, since Berlin in May 2008 …

At that time his setlists were dominated by the – then – new album ‘Keep It Simple’... Later that year and throughout 2009, we Europeans witnessed his triumph on the ‘Astral Weeks’ tour in the USA and Canada, but from a distance only and with some sadness and jealousy, for not being there ... During the first half of 2011 we were worried about the total lack of gigs before Van finally showed up at the London Feis in June. In 2012 we are relieved to see Van back to the stage for good, although by far most of the many gigs take place in the UK and Ireland. By now, the Vanatics in America and continental Europe are shuffling their feet with impatience, eager to see him back in their countries. But tonight Van The Man is finally back to Germany – the only gig in our country – what a great day !

Before and after the show we are meeting up with a bunch of German and Dutch “Vanatics” in a pub near the venue. It’s good to see some old friends again after years and to make new ones – to name only a few: Günter, Joost, Brenda, Bert, Rainer, Harm, Ben … And we are missing Nosey who had to cancel his little continental tour.

The Mitsubishi Electric Halle in Düsseldorf with some 5000 seats is not a new venue – people used to know it as Philipshalle before it was renamed. And long-standing Van fans may be aware that Van performed here many times over the years.

Anticipation is in the air tonight. Most of the shows Van did lately sparkled with rare and early self-penned songs seldom heard live - surprises are the rule these days. And we know we will hear some songs of the new album Van is going to release in a couple of weeks. So what will be the mix this evening ? And what will be Shana Morrison’s role on stage ? Can we hope for some duets with her dad ?

First, lovely Shana is on stage as a support act, together with Van’s band. And nobody will deny she is a visual asset to Van’s gentlemen club, beautiful dress and all ... And she’s got a voice to sing … She does 5 solo songs, sometimes with the drummer acting as a background singer – and she will stay on stage for the rest of the evening, doing background singing for Van.

At 8:20 Van is on stage – in pinstripe suit and matching dark shirt. He starts with his all-time crowd pleaser ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ - together with the Big Joe Williams hit ‘Baby Please Don’t Go’ and ‘Here Comes The Night’ by Bert Berns this is Van’s tribute to his early career with the band ‘Them’ – to much acclaim by the audience.

‘Early In The Morning’ is surprisingly followed by the BB King standard ‘Rock Me Baby’ – not sure if I ever heard this one from Van.

Then we get one song from the new album: ‘Open The Door To Your Heart’, with Van playing keyboards.

‘I Can’t Stop Loving You’ is sung and played with much feeling – maybe a bit too much of that - it inspires Van to the muttered comment “Sounds like Bert Kaempfert maybe” – funny self-criticism …

‘Close Enough For Jazz’ is an instrumental which some of you may know from the 1993 album ‘Too Long In Exile’ – only that Van has added lyrics for the new album following a brilliant jazzy sax intro.

And then ‘Born To Sing’ – another one of the new album. This song has a driving rhythm and rich sound, lots of horn play including a clarinet part and Van on sax – might become one of my favorite tunes of the new CD if it sounds like this as a studio version.

‘All In The Game’ is merging again into ‘You Know What They Are Writing About’, ‘Make It Real One More Time’, ‘No Plan B’ and finally ‘Burning Ground’. Van lingering on the ‘Burning Ground’ part is a stunner – again and again he repeats the words ‘…I make you watch me pick up the sack’. A tour de force for Van, band and listeners.

Time to relax – what would be suited better than the meditative ‘In The Garden’. It wouldn’t be Van if there was no change in the lyrics again. This time it is the words “I treasured and I dug you”. He repeats it several times, and sings then “… and we prayed in the midnight hour to the holy guardian angel”.

‘Old Black Magic’ is a new song which Van does in duet with Shana – interesting rhythm – almost with an old fashioned Bossa Nova feeling …

A bit too predictive for my taste is the end of the show – once again the Sonny Boy Williamson hit ‘Help Me’ with Van leaving the stage blowing his harp, only to return with ‘Gloria’ one last time – everybody knows this is the end of the concert …
To be honest – I hate this part of the evening – so much feverish anticipation, preparation and emotion come to a sudden end – 90 minutes bliss we were given are gone in a moment … How I wish for encores - which never come. Or for surprising songs to end the show, for anything which might delay the inevitable end of the evening with Van. But this is unavoidable after exactly 90 minutes – merciless and always too early, leaving me wanting for more …

At least, his ‘Gloria’ tonight is pepped with some bars of Bo Diddley’s ‘Who Do You Love’. But he quits the stage still during ‘Gloria’ - leaving us alone with his band moving into a heavy-metal like cacophony in sound and volume. Then it’s all over …

All in all it was a good and solid concert, the band and Shana were great, Van in fine voice. Maybe it was only me – but I was missing one of those very special magic moments we long to experience and share with Van ... Maybe my expectations were a bit too high …
-Petra S.

Setlist (Thanks To Ben)
Brown Eyed Girl
Only a Dream
Baby Please Don't Go
Here Comes The Night
Early In The Morning/Rock Me Baby
Open The Door (To Your Heart)
I Can't Stop Loving You
Close Enough For Jazz
Born To Sing
Enlightenment
All In The Game/Burning Ground
In The Garden
Ballerina
Old Black Magic
Help me
Gloria/Who Do You Love

Big Hand for The Band!
Chris White (Saxophone)
Alistair White (Trombone)
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Jeff Lardner (Drums)
Rod Quinn (Percussion)
Special Guest - Shana Morrison (Backing Vocals)

08-September-2012
Aircraft Park
East Belfast Arts Festival
Belfast, Northern Ireland

BBC: Radio Ulster
When I was a little boy, the air over Belfast Lough was busy with Short Skyvans, Blackburn Buccaneers and the Avro Vulcans with their bold, delta wings. They were being tested, fixed and finessed. My dad worked at Sydenham Air Yard and I felt that he was personally responsible for their worthiness in those skies.

Many of the adults I knew were working on planes, hired by the shipyard or in one of the engineering works nearby. A lucky few were in the drawing offices or some other tidy location but mostly it was about the dirt and the din and the dynamic of the east. I still remember my grandfather's shins, mottled with bruises, and the metal shreds in my dad's hands.

The noise and the scale of that era has largely gone. But on this September occasion, you trust that Van Morrison has not forgotten. It's imprinted in his music. You hear it in the lyric of 'Into The Mystic' when he sings about the foghorn wailing him home as the saxophone starts to swell. And therefore we've all come to Aircraft Park, part of the inaugural East Belfast Arts Festival, blessed by sunshine and hoping that Van Morrison might also feel a sense of occasion and place.

We'll not assume too much from Van, but indeed, the artist seems to be sharing some of that sentiment with us this evening. He opens with 'Brown Eyed Girl' and soon there's the autumnal vista of 'Orangefield'. The band is throbbing skillfully, the singer's daughter Shana is steering the harmonies and there's a very delighted audience beneath the canvas. We hear the shimmering invitation of 'Moondance' and a version of 'Jackie Wilson Said' that officially perks the night.

He sings the old blues stomper 'Help Me' with apparent delight and during 'Star Of The County Down', his arms are pointing out the map references like a giddy traffic cop. All of this is pure value but the transcendence happens during 'On Hyndford Street', a homage to the backstreets off the Beersbridge Road. On the recorded version it's all about the reverie and the powerful Sunday silence. But tonight he's riffing and reminiscing like Jack Kerouac or Allen Ginsberg. Those beat guys were writing poetry with a jazz attitude, loving the sax of Charlie Parker as much as they admired a word-slinger like Walt Whitman. And so Van channels his memory out of those same viaducts, taking us way, way back and simultaneously so high. Moment of the year, I'd say.

'Gloria' is lashed out with such authority and emphasis that you know an encore won't be optional. A major musical figure, back in his own parish, singing it home and exciting your soul. That's where it comes from, man.
-Stuart Bailie

Photo via Christine

Van added four new songs from his forthcoming album Born To Sing: No Plan B to the setlist.

Setlist
Brown Eyed Girl
That's Entrainment
Orangefield
Days Like This
Baby Please Don't Go
Here Comes the Night
How Can APoor Boy
Keep Mediocrity at Bay
Open the Door (To Your Heart)
Mystic of the East
Enlightenment
Close Enough For Jazz
Born to Sing
Whenever God Shines His Light
Old Black Magic (w/Shana Morrison)
Sometimes We Cry (w/Shana Morrison)
Jackie Wilson Said
Moondance/My Funny Valentine
Star of the County Down
Help Me
Hyndford Street
Gloria

Big Hand for The Band!
Chris White (Saxophone)
Alistair White (Trombone)
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Jeff Lardner (Drums)
Rod Quinn (Percussion)
Special Guest - Shana Morrison (Backing Vocals)