27-April-2016
Wang Theatre
Boston, USA

Long time Van fan, Dan Murray, shares his thoughts on Van's Boston gigs:

Blessed in Boston

These were Van’s first appearances in his old Boston stomping grounds since August 2009, so the pent up anticipation was keen.

The Wang Theater audience was hopped up and excited, and Van reciprocated with two beautifully paced shows that spanned all his strengths: The power and subtlety in the most enduring voice of his generation, the constantly evolving and inventive phrasing, the extended codas on the workshops, the sweet sound of surprise. The band was with him all the way in its contribution to the songs, sounding much greater than the sum of its parts.
Shana got both gigs started with 3 songs each night while the audience wandered in and settled down. She featured some of her father’s songs: Lovely versions of Angeliou and Sweet Thing. In a tribute to Prince, she offered a passionate version of Purple Rain in which she showed how far her voice has advanced in tone and expression.

The band assembled in the wings waiting for Morrison to arrive each night. On Night 2, Dana Masters was jogging in place as she worked off some nervous energy. 

The band entered the stage and Van was right behind them at the stroke of 8, possibly a minute or two early on the second night, as is his wont.

Celtic Swing, the traditional instrumental opener of late, was taken at a sprightly place and set the tone nicely for Van’s vocal entrance on Close Enough for Jazz, a smooth warmup tune. These songs have been paired for quite some time now, and there are those who are hankering for a change. But I realized in Boston how nicely they work for Van to get his bearings and get down to business.

From there, the set lists each night varied nicely.
On Night 1, we got a lovely Magic Time and In the Midnight before the first real surprise of the night.

Van’s buddy Chris Farlowe was in town, and joined Van for a rousing take on Born to Sing, much more expressive than the studio version. Farlowe, when used properly as in Boston, is an engaging and invigorating presence for Van. He knows his part well and the audience loved him. We know we can’t say the same thing about some of the hardcore fans’ attitude toward Farlowe. But in Boston it worked.

Shana then came on stage for a duet on the old chestnut That Old Black Magic, which at times seems to have run its course. Not this night. It frothed and foamed and spun and twirled and Paul Moore’s fingers were doing the tango and the jitterbug on his electric bass. 

“That was fun, that was fun,” Van said.

The lustful blues of Rock me Baby was up next, signaled by Dave Keary’s bell-like electric guitar, and Van turned this one into pure sex, cherry faced in that Hollywood bed.
“Roll-a-me, roll-a-me, roll-a-me, roll-a- me, just like a wagon wheel!” Yow.

The sets both nights featured a great mix of love songs and ballads like Someone Like You , Carrying a Torch, Into the Mystic and Enlightenment. There were also the familiar and much loved up tempo tunes such as Wavelength, Wild Night, and Brown Eyed Girl. We even got Kingdom Hall on Night 2 as a tribute to Prince.

All were expertly delivered with joy and conviction. I am not sure I have ever seen Van as energized as he was on Night 1, a little less so on Night 2 but still seriously into the music. One fan referred to Van’s body language as “startlingly animated.” He bent and swayed and reared back and sang his heart out. He made love to that golden mike stand.

The workshops on both nights were the full course. On Night 1, In the Afternoon was rich and creamy, with more sex, and lots of longing, Van ending up feeling really good rocking in that same old boat on a golden autumn day. “Feels good to me!” one audience member shouted back.

All in the Game/Burning Ground never wears out its welcome. About 12 minutes of emotional testimony on those ineffable feelings of being immersed in life and in love, ending with Van taking his loved one’s hand and going across that river of no return. No Plan B, no safety net, This is IT!

Special moments on Night 2 were a terrific blues medley with Farlowe that started with Stormy Monday and spontaneously combusted into Take Your Hand out of My Pocket, Little Red Rooster and finished up with Going Down Slow, Van pleading: “Please write my mother And tell her the shape I'm in, Tell her to pray for me, and Forgive me, and forgive me, forgive me for my sins.”

Van and Chris nailed this one. One of the most exhilarating moments of the evening.
Van also did a great duet on Rough God Goes Riding with Shana.

This provided a forum for the comedy segment of the show, with Van doing his rough god comes riding in “just like” Di Niro, Pacino, and Eastwood impersonations. 

The unexpected final name check went like this:
“OK this one is really gonna… be very difficult, but, as we’re in America we really need to know. 

“Ok, (Van extends his hand in a thumbs up and thumbs down gesture) …just like Donald Trump” (some cheers and lots of boos). “Make up your mind. If you keep going like that, it’s gonna be, it’s gonna be a Clinton if you keep going like that, so. Just like Bill Clinton” (clicks his tongue a couple times). “Bill goes: A-A-A-A-A-men!”

Draw conclusions at your own risk.

Another rolling version of Afternoon had Van doing little leaps and yelps at the mike stand as he luxuriously took the song even further than Night 1. Van told the crowd that if it feels righteous, if it feels good, if it feels right, DO IT.

An authoritative version of Thanks for the Information was like hard blue crystal, Van ending with a whispered coda of : “Thanks for the information, thanks for the memories.” Over and over. Sweet sensation running across the shoulders and up the back of the neck.

There was even a new verse. It was that kind of night:
“Thanks for the information, never give a sucker an even break.
Thanks for the memories, whenever I’ve had all I can take .
Thanks for the warning -- up front, up front -- there’s a danger sign in the road.
Thanks for the meditation, just have to keep on rolling along.”
Game on Night 2 gave us a new twist, with September Song taking over the middle portion of this epic. 

“On a high and windy hill, two lovers kissed, and the world stood still. It’s a long, long way from May to September, and the days grow short, when you reach, when you reach September, and the autumn weather turns the leaves to flame, and I ain’t got time for the waiting game.”

Making it real one more time, again and again.

Both shows ended with a joyous version of Stand by Me, Farlowe assisting, before the band took the show out with an extended instrumental raveup.

Big hand for the band!
It’s easy to take Paul Moran for granted on the keys and the trumpet. His playing is so virtuosic and integrated into the music. He is spot on, always. 

Dave Keary on guitar can play gentle and rough and has the perfect tone for every solo.
The rhythm section of Bobby Ruggiero on drums and Paul Moore on bass anchor the proceedings. Bobby’s drumming is cracking and precise; Moore appears much more relaxed on the bass and was even playing strong melodic lines at times.

Dana Masters on background vocals got to shine by taking verses on some of the ballads and a very nice one on Symphony Sid. She got to scat ecstatically on Stand By Me and the audience loved it.

It was great to hang with the gang, as always, faces both new and familiar.
Boston is one boss town. Even if the lighters at the local convenience story had only two choices: Patriots or Red Sox. Not even a solid color available. A totalitarian sports town.
What a week to see a master at work and at the very top of his game, vital and engaged. It can’t always be that way, for Van or me or anybody. After all, as Van’s song says, we’re only human. How can we not be attached. 

At these shows, Morrison's commitment was total.
Even if he never did pick up that guitar.
-Dan Murray

Setlist (Thanks Mike S.)
Celtic Swing
Close Enough For Jazz
Symphony Sid
Magic Time
By His Grace
Carrying a Torch
Rough God Goes Riding w/Shana Morrison
Stormy Monday/Blues Medley w/Chris Farlowe
Thanks For The Information
Kingdom Hall (Prince dedication)
Wavelength
Someone Like You
Wild Night
In the Afternoon
Whenever God Shines His Light
Help Me
All In The Game/September Song/Burning Ground
Stand By Me w/Chris Farlowe

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