03-June-2024
Royal Albert Hall
London, England
Brendan Hynes checks in with this review
Van Morrison at Royal Albert Hall, London, 3rd June 2024. Support act tonight consisted largely of Van Morrison's band who after playing a funky instrumental by The Meters were joined by Dana Masters for one song and Jolene O'Hara for a further two culminating with a really powerful rendition of I Just Wanna Make Love To You which got a great audience response.
Van Morrison took to the stage to the opening bars of You Are My Sunshine and then embarked on the now customary raft of songs from the recent Accentuate The Positive and Moving on Skiffle albums.There was a decided but brief shift in emphasis subsequently when Van introduced Chris Farlowe for a powerful rendition of Stormy Monday/ Take Your Hand Out Of My Pocket which really went down a storm (pardon the pun). Chris also duetted on Lonesome Train which followed. Tony Fitzgibbon featured to great effect on fiddle on Cold Cold Heart and made several other significant contributions which got much audience acclaim. He really brings a distinct added dimension to the band's overall sound.
Van was quite talkative tonight and introduced and credited the writers of several songs such as Crazy Jane On God which received a large ovation.
Wild Night featured some extensive humming by Van while playing harmonica simultaneously which was something to behold before Chis Farlowe featured once more on It Takes A Worried Man, Stand By Me and finally the show closing Gloria which once more highlighted the entire band's proficiency with extended and quite superb individual contributions once Van had departed the stage.
-Brendan Hynes
SetlistYou Are My Sunshine
I Want a Roof Over My Head
When Will I Be Loved
The Shape I'm In
Lucille
Flip, Flop & Fly
I'm So Lonsome I Could Cry
Stormy Monday/Take You Hand Out of My Pocket (w/Chris Farlowe)
Lonesome Train (w/Chris Farlowe)
No Other Baby
Cold Cold Heart
I Wish I Was An Apple On A Tree
Green Rocky Road
Crazy Jane on God
For Mr. Thomas
Days Like This
Benediction
Wild Night
Worried Man Blues (w/Chris Farlowe)
Stand By Me (w/Chris Farlowe)
Gloria (w/Chris Farlowe)
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Pete Hurley (Bass)
John McCullough (Keyboards)
Tony Fitzgibbon (Fiddle)
Colin Griffin (Drums)
Chris Farlowe (Vocals)
Dana Masters (Vocals)
Jolene O'Hara (Vocals)
