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