29-November-2016
O2 Apollo
 Manchester, England

Barry sent in this review
Wintertime in England is coming and this frosty November evening in glamorous Ardwick Green almost justifies shelling out the sum of £65 at the merchandise stall located in the crowded foyer of the venue for the privilege of acquiring a Keep Me Singing blanket.The ragged glory of the art deco Apollo Theatre was a familiar haunt (of ancient peace) for Van during the 1980s and 1990s but tonight marks his first show back at this scene of countless former glories since 23rd February 2001 (and I confess that I boycotted that particular gig owing to the presence on stage of the egregious Linda Gail Lewis).The prompt 8.00pm start catches out quite a few tardy patrons, who proceed to miss out on the only two concessions to showcasing his latest album that Van would deign to make during his set. A mellow Higher Than The World ensues and then it’s an unwelcome nosedive into the cabaret arrangement of Have I Told You Lately, which even some forceful backing vocals courtesy of Dana Masters can’t contrive to redeem. Things then really start to pick up. For my money, Carrying A Torch remains an unjustly underrated gem from the Morrison oeuvre and Van and Dana Masters indubitably did it fulljustice on this occasion. It was splendid to hear outings for both The Mystery and Full Force Gale and then Van kicked things up an even higher notch via a superb rendition of Beautiful Vision, his head tilting right back as he gazed up at the rafters of the Apollo with asense of wonder and proclaimed “I can make it”.An excursion into Them territory duly pleased most of the attendees before Wild Night maintained the furious pace.Then comes the evening’s tour de force. A 10-minute In The Afternoon sees a transcendent Van heading off on a tangent down those ancient highways with the lights from the cars on the overpass via those heartfelt paeans to Joe Turner. Van issues intensepleas for “a shot of rhythm and blues” before repeatedly declaring “because it’s my life” and the workshop for the band culminates in excerpts of So Quiet In Here as he ushers the volume down to a level at which you could almost have heard a pin drop. You can feel the silence as he concludes matters with the simple instruction to “turn it all off.” Vintage stuff. In The Midnight witnesses Van corpsing momentarily as Dave Keary unleashes his falsettobacking vocals. However, from thereon the home straight largely comprises Van cruising along in jukebox mode as the crowd-pleasing hits are wheeled out in swift succession.The piano introduction of the enrapturing In The Garden serves to raise my spirits (it’s Van’s magnum opus – don’t even think of ever attempting to dispute that pronouncement with me). Alas, it merely unfolds into a sacrilegiously truncated interpretation, notwithstanding some adroit acoustic guitar flourishes from Dave Keary, and Sir Van is soon bound for the wings whilst intoning that familiar “no guru, no method, no teacher” mantra.

Gloria promptly comes around here as the inevitable encore. Van hangs around just long enough to hear her knock upon his door before vanishing into the Mancunian night. With the shackles now well and truly off owing to their master having abandoned the classroom,the band get to show off their chops one by one (aside from Dana Masters, who also departs prematurely having been tapped on the shoulder by Van’s trusty stagehand. Perhaps she’s on the same flight back to Belfast as the man himself?).Most of the audience seemed to revel in this elongated jam session but I freely admit to being a devout curmudgeon and I can’t help but feel somewhat short-changed as it goes on….and on. Life is simply too transient to have to endure any extended bass and drum solos.So, not exactly a golden autumn day to rank alongside those spellbinding Van concerts of yore at this venue but nonetheless a performance that still contained some memorable moments for any fellow Van purists. His voice remains a wondrous force of nature and in awretched year which has sadly seen the death of one of my other long-standing musical heroes, namely Mister Leonard Cohen, I draw immense solace from the fact that Van shows every desire to keep on singing.
-Barry Pikesley

Setlist
Too Late
Every Time I See A River
Higher Than The World
Have I Told You Lately (Vegas version)
Carrying A Torch
The Mystery
Full Force Gale
Tore Down a la Rimbaud
Beautiful Vision
Baby Please Don't Go/ Don't Start Crying Now/Custard Pie Blues
Here Comes The Night
Wild Night
In The Afternoon/Ancient Highway/Joe Turner Sings/Raincheck/Burn Baby Burn/Don’t You Make Me High/Shake, Rattle and Roll/So Quiet In Here
In The Midnight
Precious Time
Whenever God Shines His Light
Brown Eyed Girl
Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)
In The Garden
Gloria

Big Hand For The Band!
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards/Trumpet)
Mez Clough (Drums)
Dana Masters (Vocals)
Sumudu (Vocals)

Set time: 1h 35m.