07-July-2019
The Roundhouse 
London, England

Brendan's take on Night 2 at The Roundhouse
Van Morrison at Innervisions Festival,Roundhouse, London, July 7th,2019

Van's second consecutive night at this festival commenced once more with Gonna Send You Back To Where I Got You From which I felt was a superior version to that of the night before. Ain't Gonna Moan No More featured great trumpet playing by Paul Moran and included an extended saxaphone solo by Van to bring the song to a conclusion. Just A Little Bit was introduced by Van as a song he started playing when he was about twelve and it featured some terrific harmonica playing by special guest James Hunter. It Once Was My Life, Days Like This and Have I Told You Lately were all played in rapid succession before Van put on his acoustic guitar to deliver a magnificent Saint Dominic's Preview to a tumultuous reception. After listening to this masterpiece I pondered once more on why such high quality material generally plays such a limited part in Van's live repertoire but on this particular night I was unaware at that stage of the joys that lay ahead later in the performance. Chris Farlowe guested once more on a fine performance of Transformation before a blues medley of Stormy Monday, Lonely Avenue and Early In The Morning saw both Van and Chris share the vocals, ably assisted by some great guitar and organ by Dave Keary and Paul Moran respectively. A run of jazz infused numbers consisting of Broken Record, Moondance and Symphony Sid was interrupted only by another strong version of Sometimes We Cry. In The Afternoon was really good once more despite the worst attempts of the loud talkers in the audience to try and ruin it for everyone else. Dana Masters excelled on backing vocals throughout and repeated the phrase "its my life baby, its your life baby" over and over while Van repeated the phrase "my God and your Lord" in a likewise manner as the stage was shrouded in near darkness.Instead of the concert heading to a predictable conclusion we were next treated to a wonderful version of Ballerina which featured guitar playing of such quality by Dave Keary that it drew a deserved large ovation from the audience. Van departed into the wings still singing before returning for a sublime In The Garden as the encore. This ran for a full fifteen minutes, some nine of which featured excellent extended band solos after Van had finally departed with Dana Masters on vocals and Teena Lyle on vibraphone probably featuring highest on the audience reaction measurement level.
-Brendan Hynes

Set List
Gonna Send You Back To Where I Got You From
Ain't Gonna Moan No More
Just A Little Bit w/James Hunter
It Once Was My Life
Days Like This
Have I Told You Lately (fast version)
Saint Dominics Preview
Transformation w/Chris Farlowe
Stormy Monday/Lonely Avenue/Early In The Morning w/Chris Farlowe
Broken Record
Moondance
Sometimes We Cry
Symphony Sid
In The Afternoon
Ballerina
In The Garden

Set Time 1h 30m (Van on stage 1h 21m)

06-July-2019
The Roundhouse 
London, England

Brendan sent in this review
Van Morrison at Innervisions Festival, Roundhouse,London 6th July 2019

The hope among the more dedicated fans in advance of this show was that it would deviate substantially from the rather predictable and underwhelming setlists which have featured in Van Morrison shows for quite some time, particularly at the outdoor festival ones. Five songs into the show these hopes seemed somewhat forlorn as those opening numbers were decidedly uninspired song choices and delivered in a rather lacklustre manner to put it mildly. The sudden sight of Van strapping on his acoustic guitar was promising however and when he delivered a stunning St. Dominic's Preview the world suddenly seemed a much brighter place. A rather subdued Moondance was followed by a really strong version of Sometimes We Cry featuring Dana Masters on shared vocals. Baby Please Don't Go did not involve a medley tonight and was immediately followed by I Can Tell featuring nice solos by Dave Keary on guitar and Paul Moran on organ. Van then announced a blues workshop and invited Chris Farlowe on stage for what proved to be a blues masterclass starting with Stormy Monday then on to Take Your Hand Out of My Pocket before going down The Lonely Avenue and culminating with Early In The Morning. Paul Moran featured prominently on organ throughout this segment. Chris stayed on stage to assist on a nice and somewhat rare rendition of Transformation which followed. Cleaning Windows and Bopping The Blues were pretty lively before Van transported us once more down the ancient highway In The Afternoon which received the full Van treatment despite the considerable crowd noise from those audience members who came to talk loudly rather than to listen to the music. Help Me featured some excellent harmonica playing by guest James Hunter who also contributed some vocals towards the song's end. Star of The County Down which recently featured in Belfast was reprised one more time tonight before an even longer version of Gloria than normal (designed to fill out the remaining ten minutes of the standard set time after Van had prematurely departed) brought the show to a conclusion.
-Brendan Hynes

Set List
Send You Back To Where I Got You From
Let's Get Lost
It Once Was My Life
Days Like This
Have I Told You Lately (fast version)
St. Dominic's Preview
Moondance
Baby Please Don't Go
I Can Tell
Stormy Monday/Take Your Hand Out of My Pocket/Lonely Avenue/Early In The Morning w/Chris Farlowe
Transformation w/Chris Farlowe
Cleaning Windows
Boppin' The Blues
In The Afternoon
Help Me w/James Hunter
Star of The County Down
Gloria w/Chris Farlowe

Set Time 1h 31m (Van on stage 1h 20m)

28-April-2019
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, USA

Setlist (Thanks Robbie M.)
How Far From God
Symphony Sid
Baby Please Don’t Go/Don’t Start Cryin’ Now/Got My Mojo Workin’/Playhouse
Days Like This
Have I Told You Lately
Cleaning Windows/Bebop A Lula
Ain’t Gonna Moan No More
There Stands The Glass
Moondance/So What
Broken Record
Sometimes We Cry
Wild Night
Think Twice Before You Go
Vanlose Stairway (Van on piano)
Whenever God Shines His Light
In The Afternoon/Big Joe Turner Sings/Raincheck/Sitting Pretty
Jackie Wilson Said
Help Me
Real Real Gone/You Send Me
Brown Eyed Girl
Gloria

Big Hand For The Band!
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Jay Berliner (Guitar)
David Hayes (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards/Trumpet)
Mez Clough (Drums)
Teena Lyle (Percussion, Vocals)
Dana Masters (Vocals)

25-April-2019
Chicago Theatre
 Chicago, USA

Setlist (Thanks Art S.)
Back on Top
Baby Please Don't Go/Don't Start Cryin' Now/Got My Mojo Workin'/Playhouse
Just a Little Bit w/James Hunter
Days like This
Have I Told You Lately w/Dana Masters
Ain't Gonna Moan no More
Magic Time
Moondance/So What/My Funny Valentine
Steal My Heart Away
Whenever God Shines His Light w/Dana Masters
There Stands The Glass
I Can't Stop Loving You
Vanlose Stairway (Van on piano)
Cleaning Windows/Be Bop A Lula
Ballerina
In the Afternoon/Ancient Highway/Big Joe Turner Sings/Raincheck/Sittin' Pretty
Help Me w/ James Hunter
Brown Eyed Girl
Gloria

Big Hand For The Band!
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Jay Berliner (Guitar)
David Hayes (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards/Trumpet)
Mez Clough (Drums)
Teena Lyle (Percussion, Vocals)
Dana Masters (Vocals)

24-April-2019
Chicago Theatre
 Chicago, USA

Setlist (Thanks Mike S.)
How Far From God
Let’s Get Lost
Symphony Sid
Baby Please Don’t Go / Medley
Playhouse
Days Like This
Have I Told You Lately
Carrying A Torch
Precious Time
Sometimes We Cry
Help Me w/James Hunter
Little Village
Who Can I Turn To
Moondance
Broken Record
I Believe to My Soul
Wild Night
Cleaning Windows
Jackie Wilson Said
Party’s Over
In the Afternoon
Brown Eyed Girl
Gloria

Big Hand For The Band!
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Jay Berliner (Guitar)
David Hayes (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards/Trumpet)
Mez Clough (Drums)
Teena Lyle (Percussion, Vocals)
Dana Masters (Vocals)

23-April-2019
Chicago Theatre
 Chicago, USA

Chicago Tribune (Source)
Van Morrison’s deft singing and resonant voice defied age, genre and rules Tuesday at the Chicago Theatre. Playing the first of a sold-out three-night stand, the Northern Ireland legend treated the relatively intimate venue like a private club at which he can call all the shots and make changes at a moment’s notice without any questions asked. Nattily adorned in frosted sunglasses, a fedora and a pin-striped suit, he also looked the part of an old-school musician — ready to assume control and refusing to accept no for an answer.

Yet the singer’s command, disposition and rich catalog weren’t the only reasons why the 100-minute set doubled as a clinic in the art of expressive performance. Morrison’s spectacular backing band, and each member’s largely wordless dialogue with their colleagues and the headliner, went beyond the aural faculties of the songs. Their interactions provided behind-the-scenes looks at not only the architecture of the arrangements, but made visible the seemingly divergent blend of cooperative looseness and intense focus required for such in-the-now creativity to thrive.

Long known for his reputation as a demanding bandleader, and currently in the midst of a recording outburst that has seen him release four albums within the past two years, Morrison projected an authoritative demeanor from the moment he stepped out on stage. He communicated by way of subtle hand gestures, severe arm motions, obvious stares and snapped fingers. If he wanted an unscripted solo, he pointed at the chosen instrumentalist. When a passage lacked the pace he desired, he turned and signaled for the drummer to switch up the beat, nodding his head once everything fell into place. He even cracked a smile on occasion.

Able to sense what should happen in a song before it does, the 73-year-old proved as much a conductor as singer, a conduit for ideas as much as a saxophonist. The restless jukebox blaring inside Morrison’s head meant the band could never take its eyes off one another or think a particular structure would remain unaltered from start to finish. Morrison continually tinkered and refined, bringing up certain elements, like the rubbery thrum of an upright bass or soft metallic sustain of a vibraphone, and dialing back others. And he got what he requested — shifting jazz- and R&B-based platforms for mystical exploration and spiritual adventure.

Primarily singing in a low-to-medium register, Morrison was parts velvety crooner, street-corner busker, blue-eyed soul belter, blues growler and fluid scat singer. He let emotion and spontaneity guide him, not necessarily lyrics or sounds. Morrison’s phrasing — the effortless manners in which he articulated syllables, offered hesitations, stretched spaces, contrasted legato and staccato deliveries — caused nearly every song to blossom with melodic surprise and meditative awareness.

Recast as a spry work unmoored from its balladic roots, “Have I Told You Lately” maintained its sincerity while displaying a newfound stride. A haunting version of “Saint James Infirmary” trekked to New Orleans, with Morrison’s sax duetting with a trumpet to send out the funereal standard with a decided swagger.

Ever mindful of history and place, the singer also paid homage to Chicago blues without merely aping the style. A rendition of “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” and medley of “Baby, Please Don’t Go/Got My Mojo Working/Playhouse” paired sharp rhythms against swampy grooves. Similarly, even a few well-worn hits — “Moondance” and “Wild Night” included — sounded invigorated by way of reimagined swing, on-the-fly improvisation and Morrison’s trombone-like vocals.

“I want to know / Did you get the feeling,” the singer wondered on “Did Ye Get Healed.” On this evening, he needn’t harbor any doubt.
-Bob Gendron

Setlist (Thanks Mike S.)
How Far From God
Let’s Get Lost
Symphony Sid
Baby Please Don’t Go / Got My Mojo Working
Playhouse
Magic Time
Moondance
Days Like This
Enlightenment
Sometimes We Cry
Have I Told You Lately
St. James Infirmary
Broken Record
Wild Night
Ain’t Gonna Moan No More
Worried Blues / Rollin’ and Tumblin’
Talk Is Cheap
Cleaning Windows
Bright Side of the Road
Did Ye Get Healed
The Party’s Over
Brown Eyed Girl
Gloria

Big Hand For The Band!
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Jay Berliner (Guitar)
David Hayes (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards/Trumpet)
Mez Clough (Drums)
Teena Lyle (Percussion, Vocals)
Dana Masters (Vocals)

The Music of Van Morrison

Carnegie Hall

21-March-2019

Mike Fishman checks in with his review of The Music of Van Morrison gig at Carnegie Hall in NYC:

With a venue as historic and acoustically sound as Carnegie Hall and an eclectic line-up of performers covering an array of musical styles, the Michael Dorf-presented Van Morrison tribute on March 21 promised an evening full of solid music. And indeed the night was “filled with space” and several welcome surprises. The surprises started early for me when I took my seat only to find sitting in the row behind me none other than the esteemed John Gilligan. Thus in good company, I settled in for the two hour show which proved to be a thoroughly enjoyable set of twenty Van songs covered by twenty artists. While some performances outshined others, all came from a place of deep appreciation for particular aspects of Van’s wide-ranging body of work.

The evening started strongly with Brian Fallon performing a rollicking “High Summer,” suggesting that the setlist would draw from some unexpected quarters of Van’s vast oeuvre. This was followed by an early highlight, the Blind Boys of Alabama wonderful reading of “By His Grace,” the song extended nicely at the end. Shawn Colvin’s “Tupelo Honey” was sweet but earthbound, even with the excellent house band’s strong-groove support. The arrangement melded the sweet as you-know-what album version with the loose extended takes Van used to do in concert in the late 70’s but Colvin’s cover just failed to soar. Marc Cohn’s take on “Into the Mystic” started strongly but had me pining for the original.

Amy Helm and NYC high school singer Jayri Alvarez offered a duet on “If I Ever Needed Someone.” Alvarez gave an impressive performance, alternately tentative and soaring. Lee Fields followed with a powerful “And It Stoned Me,” the horns and Fields’ soulful phrasing emphasizing the soul of Van’s classic country soul song. Too bad Al Green wasn’t invited to the party; imagine what he could do with “Angeliou”! A somewhat flat “Wild Night” followed from Robert Earl Keen (sorry to say that but no one can sing “Ooo-oo-oo-oo-whee” like Van circa 1971).

A major high point of the evening followed with Josh Ritter absolutely inhabiting “Linden Arden Stole the Highlights,” nearly making time stand still. The Resistance Revival Chorus followed with a rousing, pitch-perfect “Days Like This.” A dapper Richard Marx gave his all for an energetic “Domino” that nevertheless lacked the freshness of the original, followed by a sweet and earnest “Purple Heather” from Anderson East.

Valerie June’s singular take on “Sweet Thing” was a stand-out, her high pitch eliciting a few nervous laughs in the crowd at the start but her performance growing mesmerizing with surprisingly deep growls as she stalked the stage. Stunning and unique. William Elliott Whitmore gave a spirited take on "Real Real Gone," just him and his guitar and some terrific vocal wailing and even a few roars; it would have been something to have him tear into “Listen to the Lion.” Low Cut Connie worked the stage and the piano with flair for a solid “Here Comes The Night.”

Bettye LaVette’s intense and heartfelt vocalizing on “Have I Told You Lately” found her at first not quite in sync with the band which threatened to overwhelm her carefully timed delivery but they eventually clicked and the end result was a bluesy, powerful version of the song. John Paul White gave a remarkable version of the unexpected “You’re My Woman,” bringing out both the tenderness and intensity of the original. David Johansen gave us a “My Lonely Sad Eyes” that was passionate but lacking Van’s bark and slur. The Secret Sisters performed a fine “Precious Time” that was its usual odd combo of downbeat lyrics and upbeat tempo. Wouldn't it be fascinating if Van did a slow version of this song, as he did with "Tore Down a la Rimbaud"?

Coming to the close of the show. Glen Hansard performed a ferocious “Astral Weeks” accompanied only by his acoustic guitar which he tore at furiously, complete with audience sing-a-long, not something that comes along every day. At the end of his intense performance, he made a quip about originally mis-hearing the line “I got a home on high” as “I got a hormone high” which got a laugh and no doubt considerable recognition from the audience. (Well, the original album did not include a lyric sheet and there is after all the 14-year-old girl sung about on “Cyprus Avenue”…) Todd Rundgren followed, enthusiastic and in fine voice, with “Brown Eyed Girl.” While there was surely more he could have done with the radio hit, he sang it rather straightforward, encouraging a sing-a-long, which didn't make for a particularly distinctive performance. One wonders what Rundgren might have done with, say, “Madame George.”

As expected, Patti Smith closed the evening with her version of “Gloria,” which she introduced humorously and graciously. “I know he doesn't like this version but I'm thanking him anyway. Thank you, Van!" Smith brought the proceedings to an electrifying close with her punk meets Dylan take on the classic garage band tune, showing how much can be done with a basic riff and a poetic sensibility. Overall, it was a satisfying tribute to a singular artist whose stature will surely only continue to grow.
-Mike Fishman

Set List:
Brian Fallon, “High Summer”
Blind Boys of Alabama, “By His Grace”
Shawn Colvin, “Tupelo Honey”
Marc Cohn and Shawn Colvin, “Into the Mystic”
Amy Helm and Little Kids Rock, ”If I Ever Needed Someone”
Lee Fields & the Expressions, “And It Stoned Me”
Robert Earl Keen, “Wild Night”
Josh Ritter, “Linden Arden Stole the Highlights”
Resistance Revival Chorus, “Days Like This”
Richard Marx, “Domino”
Anderson East, “Purple Heather”
Valerie June, “Sweet Thing”
William Elliott Whitmore, “Real Real Gone”
Low Cut Connie, “Here Comes The Night”
Bettye LaVette, “Have I Told You Lately”
John Paul White, “You’re My Woman”
David Johansen, “My Lonely Sad Eyes”
Secret Sisters, “Precious Time”
Todd Rundgren, “Brown Eyed Girl”
Glen Hansard, “Astral Weeks”
Patti Smith, “Gloria”

17-March-2019
Subterania
London, England

Brendan checks in with 3rd & final night of Subterania run
Van Morrison and Joey De Francesco, Subterania, London, 17th March 2019
The third and final show of this run opened in lively fashion with Love The Life I Live followed by Things I Used To Do which featured a great organ solo by Joey. Miss Otis Regrets was even better than at Friday's show and Van was really immersed in it while Mr.Versatily (aka Joey) delivered a great trumpet solo. Moondance was notable for a great piano solo by Joey and was followed by the night's show stopper which was a medley of Teardrops, Your Friends, which Van credited to Bobby Bland who previously recorded it, and Take Your Hand out of My Pocket which Van credited to Sonny Boy Williamson. This medley not only included great piano and organ by Joey but also a saxaphone solo by him which Van answered on harmonica to great acclaim.It is hard to envisage the blues being sung and played better than this by anyone!

The fast version of Have I Told You Lately was followed by Roll With The Punches with Van on electric guitar and Joey excelling on organ throughout. The arrangement of Magic Time was better than the one I heard at Friday's show and this was followed by a rare instrumental featuring Van on saxaphone with excerpts initially from Celtic Excavation and then on into Celtic Swing. Goldfish Bowl featured a great saxaphone solo by Troy Roberts and rather inevitably Joey on organ. The Party's Over brought a bit of a lull to proceedings but the tempo was immediately lifted by a cover of Laughin' and Clownin' which featured really nice background saxaphone playing by Troy. Sack of Woe was followed by a somewhat shortened version of Ain't Gonna Moan No More before we got another real highlight with a slightly varied arrangement of Into The Mystic. Finally, the show was brought to a conclusion with Gloria after another all too short set time which clocked in at 77 minutes tonight.
-Brendan Hynes

Set List
Love The Life I Live
Things I Used To Do
Miss Otis Regrets
Moondance
Teardrops/Your Friends/Take Your Hand Out of My Pocket
Have I Told You Lately (fast version)
Roll With The Punches
Magic Time
Celtic Excavation/Celtic Swing
Goldfish Bowl
The Party's Over
Laughin' and Clownin'
Sack of Woe
Ain't Gonna Moan No More
Into The Mystic
Gloria

Set Time 1h 17m

16-March-2019
Subterania
London, England

15-March-2019
Subterania
London, England

Brendan sends in review of night on at Subterania
Van Morrison & Joey De Francesco at Subterania, London, 15th March 2019
As the joint billing suggested would occur this show drew very heavily on the collaborative material with Joey recorded on Van's last couple of albums. As with previous such shows Van used Joey's band plus Dana Masters on backing vocals and Teena Lyle on percussion and vocals. The first real highlight of the show emerged three songs into the set with a fine version of Miss Otis Regrets featuring a brilliant trumpet solo by Joey. Laughin' and Clownin' included excellent organ/piano solos by Joey and also featured a great solo by his saxophonist. Van strapped on his guitar to deliver a great version of Roll With the Punches which was followed by The Party's Over and Dimples.Worried Blues/Rollin' and Tumblin' were really strong and got a great audience reaction.Ain't Gonna Moan No More featured some lovely acoustic guitar and was followed by jazzy arrangements of Have I Told You Lately and Magic Time neither of which were as good as the original ones in my opinion. Teardrops merged into Take Your Hand Out of My Pocket and saw Joey display even further versatility by performing a nice saxaphone solo as a somewhat amused Van looked on approvingly. Got To Go Where The Love Is from the latest album was featured next to be followed by the title track The Prophet Speaks.This sounded almost identical to Ain't Gonna Moan No More and will mainly be remembered by audience members for the rather unedifying sight of Van standing in front of the bass player for an extended period to apparently deliver a public tutorial to him as to how he wanted the song played. I thought that's what rehearsals were designed for! Finally a shortened version of Gloria brought proceedings to a conclusion after an unacceptably shortened set time of merely 75 minutes.
The level of musicianship displayed throughout was at a very high level but these shows will appeal mostly to those who are happy to hear a set consisting almost entirely of jazz and blues numbers (the majority of which are cover versions). For anyone hoping to hear classic Van Morrison material it is pretty much non existent and the 'buyer beware' principle certainly applies.

Set List
Gonna Send You Back To Where I Got You From
Hold It Right There (Wait A Minute Baby)
Miss Otis Regrets
Laughin' and Clownin'
Roll With The Punches
The Party's Over
Dimples
Worried Blues/Rollin' and Tumblin'
Aint Gonna Moan No More
Have I Told You Lately (fast version)
Magic Time
Teardrops/Take Your Hand Out of My Pocket
Got To Go Where The Love Is
The Prophet Speaks
Gloria

Set Time Ih 15m

Celtic Soul with the Arco String Quartet-Ulster Hall, Belfast - A celebration of the music of Van Morrison, 2nd March 2019

Brendan Hynes sends in hi thoughts on Van Tribute Band, Celtic Soul
This show represented the most ambitious show performed to date by top Van Morrison tribute band Celtic Soul and it was great to see the famed Ulster Hall packed for this celebration of the wonderful music of Van Morrison. The audience came from far and wide and it was probably one of the biggest gatherings of dedicated Van fans at one concert since the infamous Van shows on Cyprus Avenue in 2015.

The addition of strings (compliments of the Arco String Quartet) added a further dimension to the magical musical tour through Van’s wonderful back catalogue and they were particularly prominent on the four Astral Weeks songs performed namely Cyprus Avenue, The Way Young Lovers Do, Ballerina and Beside You (which also featured some beautiful guitar playing by Ray McEvoy). Caravan and Queen of the Slipstream also featured the string quartet prominently and to great effect. Other particular highlights for me on a night of many were The Healing Game, Philosophers Stone and Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child (a great arrangement) but really there was no respite as the band delved deeply into Van’s outstanding collection of work.

Lead singer Clarke Wilson (who also plays fine saxophone) was very pleased to be on stage at the Ulster Hall for such a big show as he issued the words “Hello Belfast” on a number of occasions during it to considerable acclaim. Rumours that he was whisked away in a limousine at the end of the show have yet to be confirmed. Clarke was ably assisted by the aforementioned Ray on electric and acoustic guitar, Marcus McAuley(acoustic guitar),Rik Gay (drums),Keith Ward(piano and keyboards),Gerry McClurg (trumpet) , Mark Crockard (electric and double bass) and of course on this special night by the Arco String Quartet.

For anyone who has even a passing interest in the music of Van Morrison then a Celtic Soul concert will certainly not disappoint and the music is played with a reverence and competence totally befitting its quality.
-Brendan Hynes

05-February-2019
The Wiltern
Los Angeles, USA

Setlist
A Foggy Day
Symphony Sid
Ain’t Gonna Moan
Days Like This
Have I Told You Lately
Baby Please Don’t Go
Playhouse
Little Village
Beautiful Vision w/ Shana Morrison
Why Must I Always Explain
Magic Time
Moondance
Crazy Love
Did Ye Get Healed
Who Can I Turn To
Cleaning Windows
In the Afternoon
Brown Eyed Girl
Ballerina

02-February-2019
The Colosseum Caesars Palace
Las Vegas, USA

Once again, here's Brendan's thoughts
The fifth show of Van's 2019 Las Vegas residency commenced in a low key manner with a rendition of A Foggy Day (in London Town) but the pace picked up considerably with How Far From God followed by the Baby Please Don't Go medley.Van then addressed the audience to say he was going to do a song off the new album which was Ain't Gonna Moan No More. This was really good and several band member solos were enthusiastically received but none more than Van's saxophone solo. After Have I Told You Lately and Days Like This, Van and Dana Masters shared vocals on a very strong Carrying A Torch before doing so again on Symphony Sid. I Can Tell fairly chugged along while Cleaning Windows saw Van reference various rock and rollers from Little Richard to Jerry Lee Lewis to Gene Vincent to Fats Domino to Chuck Berry over and over. After another fine version of Sometimes We Cry Van said he wanted to play a song from his blues album from a couple of years ago and wondered if any of the audience had bought it.This turned out to be Brand New Automobile which went down well. Moondance was followed by another fine rendition of  Little Village which I would have enjoyed a lot more if I didn't have to leave my seat to remonstrate with a number of the standard ignorant idiots who attend concerts in these times who were laughing and talking at high volume. Luckily it worked and order was restored. Chatty Van enquired at the song's conclusion as to how we were all doing so far and then became very amused at his own joviality. Broken Record was unsurprisingly reprised once more before Crazy Love got a further airing which was enthusiastically received although I still feel it seems a bit rushed. A terrific version of Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child was followed by the clear highlight of the concert which was In The Afternoon which got the full Van 'lights down low' workshop treatment including some humorous Las Vegas references.Brown Eyed Girl unsurprisingly brought the main set to its conclusion with Van returning for Gloria. The latter included an amusing incident during the band jam session after Van had departed when Teena Lyle was shrouded in total darkness when doing an extended percussion solo while drummer Mez Clough basked under the spotlight shining on him. Obviously there was an apprentice on the lights tonight!

Van was once more in fine voice throughout and the superb sound system in the venue complemented his vocals and those of Dana Masters perfectly. He was clearly in good form as evidenced by his all too rare audience interaction which went down a treat.
-Brendan Hynes

Set List
A Foggy Day (in London Town)
How Far From God
Baby Please Don't Go/Don't Start Crying Now/ Got My Mojo Working/Playhouse
Ain't Gonna Moan No More
Have I Told You Lately
Days Like This
Carrying A Torch
Symphony Sid
I Can Tell
Cleaning Windows
Sometimes We Cry
Brand New Automobile
Moondance
Little Village
Broken Record
Crazy Love
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
In The Afternoon
Brown Eyed Girl
Gloria

Set Time 1h 39m (Van on stage 1h 30m)

01-February-2019
The Colosseum Caesars Palace
Las Vegas, USA

Brendan's take on gig:
As Van and the band took to the stage I had a sinking feeling when I noticed that guitarist extraordinaire Jay Berliner was absent from the lineup. This left me with a feeling of foreboding that his absence would impact adversely on the song selection and sadly this proved to be the case as Van delivered a set consisting largely of jazz numbers and 'hits'.
The show commenced with three songs from the new album namely Gonna Send You Back To Where I Got You From, Got To Go Where The Love Is and Ain't Gonna Moan No More, the last of which featured a really good organ solo by Paul Moran.Rather predictably Days Like This and Have I Told You Lately followed in quick succession before the Baby Please Don't Go medley which tonight also included Playhouse and which featured Dave Keary to great effect on electric guitar. Wild Night proved a real crowd pleaser while the version of Sometimes We Cry was quite exceptional with Van bringing proceedings down to a near whisper at one stage aided in no small measure by Dana Masters on backing vocals. Talk Is Cheap and Symphony Sid followed before Van delivered a rare nugget on the night in Little Village which was quite superb and saw Van emphasising over and over that he comes from the island of the saints.Several enthusiastic audience members gave the song a standing ovation at its conclusion and their enthusiasm was rewarded(?) by Van and the band immediately launching headlong into Precious Time. The term 'from the sublime to the ridiculous' crossed by mind. That's Life featured Paul Moran on organ and trumpet but not simultaneously. Unsurprisingly the seemingly ever present Broken Record made yet another appearance followed by a somewhat subdued rendition of St.James Infirmary. Did Ye Get Healed was a most welcome inclusion and was great with Dave Keary delivering some great guitar sounds reminiscent of George Benson. Moondance (featuring David Hayes prominently on bass) launched us firmly into 'hits' territory with Whenever God Shines His Light, I Can't Stop Loving You, Jackie Wilson Said and Brown Eyed Girl bringing the main set to it's conclusion. Van did return for Gloria which as usual saw the band deliver a 10 minute jam session after Van had departed.
While Van was in fine voice and the band performed well throughout, the set was unfortunately largely devoid of Van's real classic material. There were no real meditative moments and no workshop to immerse oneself in which for me was disappointing.
-Brendan Hynes

Set List
Gonna Send You Back To Where I Got You From
Got To Go Where The Love Is
Ain't Gonna Moan No More
Days Like This
Have I Told You Lately (fast version)
Baby Please Don't Go/Don't Start Crying Now/Got My Mojo Working/Playhouse
Wild Night
Sometimes We Cry
Talk Is Cheap
Symphony Sid
Little Village
Precious Time
That's Life
Broken Record
St.James Infirmary
Did Ye Get Healed
Moondance
Whenever God Shines His Light
I Can't Stop Loving You
Jackie Wilson Said
Brown Eyed Girl
Gloria

Set Time 1h 45m ( Van on stage 1h 35m)

30-January-2019
The Colosseum Caesars Palace
Las Vegas, USA

Brendan Hynes was in Vegas for gig
This was the third night of Van's 2019 Las Vegas residency (and first night of mine) and as Van and his band hit the stage exactly on time I was very pleased to see that Astral Week's guitarist Jay Berliner was augmenting the line up as his inclusion usually guarantees the delivery of some real classic Van material. As has become the norm for USA shows David Hayes(with somewhat shorter silver locks) was on bass instead of Paul Moore.

The show commenced in jazzy fashion with I Get A Kick Out Of You and Symphony Sid with the latter featuring a fine accoustic guitar solo by Jay Berliner.The Baby Please Don't Go medley featured Dave Keary prominently on guitar and was quickly followed by a lively Think Twice Before You Go and then Days Like This.Vocalist Dana Masters got a huge ovation for her contribution on Have I Told You Lately and was also very prominent on Sometimes We Cry which followed.This was a great version with crystal clear vocals from both Van and Dana. Wild Night was very well received and was followed by a really good version of Whenever God Shines His Light with Dana very prominent once more. Dana received even more acclaim following her contribution on Real Real Gone. Magic Time featured great solos by Jay on guitar and Paul Moran on trumpet and was followed by the jazzy Moondance and Broken Record (still stuck in the groove with 29 title references in the conclusion). Crazy Love was a pretty disappointing version and the tempo was much too fast but Cleaning Windows was much more impressive. When Van strapped on his electric guitar I anticipated some magic would follow and so it proved with Why Must I Always Explain followed immediately by a standout Vanlose Stairway with Van once more on electric guitar and Dana excelling on backing vocals. The Party's Over was followed by All In The Game which was a somewhat shortened version so it did not get the workshop treatment and instead made way for Jackie Wilson Said. The somewhat ironically titled Ain't Gonna Moan No More was the sole set inclusion from the new album and featured an amusing moment when Van shouted 'Satchmo' in Paul Moran's direction which was the cue for him to jump up suddenly from the keyboards and race over to deliver a fine trumpet solo.Did Ye Get Healed featured an incredible Jay guitar solo and brought the main set to a close.Van did return for an encore of Brown Eyed Girl and Gloria with the extended band jam session in the latter including yet another unbelievable guitar contribution from Jay, terrific vocals by Dana and percussionist Teena Lyle proving that her Las Vegas following is still intact.

Van was in fine voice throughout what was a strong performance.It was somewhat surprising though given the presence of Jay Berliner that no Astral Weeks songs were featured tonight but hopefully the Friday and Saturday night shows will deliver on that count.
-Brendan Hynes

Set List
I Get A Kick Out Of You
Symphony Sid
Baby Please Don't Go/Don't Start Crying Now/Got My Mojo Working
Think Twice Before You Go
Days Like This
Have I Told You Lately(fast version)
Sometimes We Cry
Wild Night
Whenever God Shines His Light
Real Real Gone
Magic Time
Moondance
Broken Record
Crazy Love
Cleaning Windows/Shakin' All Over/ Be Bob A Lula
Why Must I Always Explain
Vanlose Stairway
The Party's Over
All In The Game
Jackie Wilson Said
Ain't Gonna Moan No More
Did Ye Get Healed
Brown Eyed Girl
Gloria

Set Time 1h 49m (Van on stage 1h 37m)