19-September-2015
Sony Center
For The Performing Arts
 Toronto, Canada

Toronto Sun (Source)
Van still The Man at 70? You betcha.
Van Morrison, now in his first year as a septuagenarian, lived up to his longtime nickname Van The Man Saturday night during the first of two back-to-back shows at the Sony Centre.

The veteran Belfast belter seems to have defied time and still possesses a big, beautiful, soulful voice even if his physicality - he doesn’t move much or speak between songs - barely hints at the power within.
It’s only when he’s singing - soul, blues, gospel, rock, pop and jazz - that Morrison’s spirit really comes alive with rich, expressive vocals that seem to come directly from his heart.

Dressed in a suit, tie, fedora, and sunglasses with dim lighting making it hard to actually see him, the singer-songwriter began in a low-key, jazzy way playing saxophone (he later played guitar and harmonica) on the instrumental Celtic Swing followed by Close Enough For Jazz.

But then Morrison, accompanied by a tight five piece band, quickly picked up the pace with hits like Moondance and Days Like This, the latter which got fans clapping for the first time.

Finally seeming to relax, he followed up with a plenty of vocal improvisation and a potent mix of blues, rock and gospel selections big on jams.

Highlights included a cover of Baby Please Don’t Go (previously covered by his pre-solo ‘60s band Them), and his own I Believe To My Soul, Talk is Cheap, Whenever God Shines His Light, Wild Night and the very sexy Don’t You Make Me High, and finally The Burning Ground which saw him shuffle off stage while still singing.

Thankfully, he returned for the crowd-pleasing encore number Gloria, also by Them, with plenty of solos offered up by his musicians and the audience finally on its feet and clapping and singing along.

Sadly, there was no Brown Eyed Girl but it was a small quibble given the quality of music for an hour and 40 minutes delivered by a legend still going strong.
-Jane Stevenson

Setlist (Thanks Mike S.)
Celtic Swing
Close Enough For Jazz
Moondance
Days Like This
Baby Please Don't Go/Parchman Farm/Don't Start Crying Now
I Believe To My Soul
Talk is Cheap
Whenever God Shines His Light
Wild Night
In the Afternoon /Burn Baby Burn/Raincheck
Cleaning Windows
Motherless Child
And The Healing Has Begun
Precious Time
Magic Time
All in the Game/Time is Running Out/Burning Ground
Gloria

Big Hand for The Band!
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Bobby Ruggiero (Drums)
Dana Masters (Vocals)