06-March-2022
Limelight
 Belfast, Northern Ireland

Setlist - Early Gig (Thanks Pablo G.)

Latest Record Project 

Deadbeat Saturday Night 

Double Agent 

Days Like This 

 Precious Time 

Laughing & Clowning 

Baby Please Don't Go/ Got My Mojo Working 

I Can Tell 

These Dreams of You 

Worried Blues 

Did Ye Get Healed 

Sometimes We Cry 

Carrying A Torch 

Broken Record 

Turn On Your Lovelight 

Down To Joy 

Help Me

Setlist - Late gig (Thanks John M.) 

Caledonia swing 

Days Like This 

Precious Time 
Send You Back 

My Time After A While 

In The Midnight 

Don't worry About A Thing 

Laughing & Clowning 

Worried Blues 

Cleaning Windows 

These Dreams Of You 

Sometimes We Cry 

Think Twice Before You Go 

Ain't Gonna Moan No More

Magic Time 

Down To Joy 

Help Me 

Gloria

Big Hand for The Band!

Chris White (Saxophone)
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Richard Dunn (Keyboards)
Teena Lyle (Percussion)
Colin Griffin (Drums)
Elle Cato (Vocals)

18-December-2016
Waterfront Hall
 Belfast, Northern Ireland

via Pablo Torres G.

Brendan was at gig and sends his thoughts
Van Morrison’s final concert of 2016 was reserved for his hometown of Belfast and as early Christmas presents go they don’t really come much better than this. Having started in lively fashion with Too Late and Going Down To Bangor from the new album, Van continued in up tempo mode with the fast version of Have I Told You Lately which featured a nice saxophone solo from Van. Every Time I See A River was the first of many highlights and was followed by a quite majestic double header of Foreign Window and Tore Down A La Rimbaud(which featured a really nice organ solo from Paul Moran).Beautiful Vision was really impressive once more and featured new female backing singer Sumudu to considerable effect. Baby Please Don’t Go /Don’t Start Crying Now/Custard Pie got the hall rocking and were followed by a quick fire Here Comes The Night. Wild Night went down a treat and featured good guitar and organ solos from Dave Keary and Paul Moran respectively before a particularly strong version of Sometimes We Cry which included lovely vocals from Sumudu to complement Van’s. Precious Time appealed primarily to the clap-a-long attendees before Van slowed things down considerably for In The Midnight during which Van’s vocals were particularly strong. Wonderful Remark was a quite powerful and most welcome inclusion in the set and was dedicated by Van to Brian Keenan and John McCarthy who had shared a common love of Van’s music when held as hostages together back in the 1990s.Whenever God Shines His Light featured a nice bass solo from Paul Moore and saw Van on tambourine briefly. In The Afternoon got the full treatment from Van as he took us down the ancient highway before stretching out for miles and miles and finally sitting pretty. Enlightenment raised the tempo once more and was followed by Carrying A Torch featuring Van and Sumudu to great effect on shared vocals. Brown Eyed Girl was immediately followed by an imperious In The Garden which thankfully on this occasion was a long version befitting the song’s excellence which ended with Van departing the stage still singing the No Guru No Method No Teacher mantra as the audience jumped to their feet in acclamation. Van briefly returned for Gloria which as usual was primarily an extended band workout once Van had departed and one which the audience fully appreciated judging by the reaction at the end.
-Brendan Hynes

Setlist
Too Late
Going Down To Bangor
Have I Told You Lately (fast version)
Every Time I See A River
Foreign Window
Tore Down A La Rimbaud
Beautiful Vision
Baby Please Don’t Go/Don’t Start Crying Now/Custard Pie
Here Comes The Night
Wild Night
Sometimes We Cry
Precious Time
In The Midnight
Wonderful Remark
Whenever God Shines His Light
In The Afternoon
Enlightenment
Carrying A Torch
Brown Eyed Girl
In The Garden
Gloria

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

Set Time 1h 45m

21-September-2016
Culloden Estate & Spa
 Belfast, Northern Ireland

Brendan sent in his thoughts on gig:
This was the fourth installment of these special shows highlighting Van Morrison’s lyrics and followed a similar pattern to the previous shows with Van first being interviewed by writer Ian Rankin before readings of some of Van’s song lyrics were delivered by luminaries from the world of acting and poetry in the form of Kim Catrall, Scarlett Sabet and Paul Muldoon.

The interview was a bit of a duel between Ian and Van with the latter not allowing himself to be led in particular directions by the line of questioning. Parts of the interview were quite hilarious (sometimes unintentionally) with Van at one stage questioning whether something he said was funny as the audience were laughing merrily. At one point Ian provided a quotation purported to have come from Van to the effect that it is not so much the words that are important as the conviction behind them when they were written. Van asked him who wrote that to which Ian replied “you did”. Van was quite amused at this revelation and said he didn’t recall doing so before going on to joke that it sounded like something he might have stolen from the writings of Mark Twain! At another stage Van asked whether this was comedy and were Ian and himself a double act. When pressed as to whether he could see himself as a comedian and doing a ‘stand up’ routine Van replied that he could see himself doing a 30 minute routine if someone wrote some better jokes for him!

The first readings were done by Kim Catrall and featured Someone Like You and a rare outing for Meaning of Loneliness from the ‘What’s Wrong with This Picture’ album which was delivered particularly well and even featured some singing at the end by Kim. Van provided acoustic guitar backing for both readings and there appeared to be huge mutual respect between both artists. Scarlett Sabet enthralled us with On Hyndford Street and The Way Young Lovers Do before Paul Muldoon finished this segment of the show with Cleaning Windows and Madame George to great acclaim.

After a short break the music part of the show started quite suddenly with a vibrant Tore Down A La Rimbaud as audience members rushed in all directions to reclaim their seats. The magnificent Foreign Window followed and was brilliantly delivered and ecstatically received before a relatively rare rendition of Little Village kept things moving nicely. At this point Van introduced a song off the new album called Out In The Cold Again which was not out of place alongside the established material and it saw Van bringing the sound way down low to a whisper. Three of the next four songs (the exception being Fame) were also off the new album namely Going Down to Bangor(a fairly routine rhythm and blues number), Memory Lane which was quite nice and Too Late which is the current single from the album. I felt the performance fell quite flat at that point and given the brevity of the performance the showcasing of so many new songs was somewhat inopportune. Personally, I would happily have swapped a couple of them to hear songs such as Madame George and Into The Mystic which were such spectacular highlights of the London and Dublin versions of the show. We were not to be left disappointed, however, as Van concluded the set with an extended and mesmeric In The Afternoon before departing into the night.

Brendan Hynes

Set List
Tore Down A la Rimbaud
Foreign Window
Little Village
Out In The Cold Again
Going Down To Bangor
Fame
Memory Lane
Too Late
In The Afternoon

19-September-2016
Culloden Estate & Spa
 Belfast, Northern Ireland

Setlist (Thanks Per H.)
Look Beyond the Hill
Too Late
Magic Time
Tore Down A La Rimbaud
Foreign Window
Carrying A Torch
Fame
Baby Please Don't Go/Don’t Start Crying Now
Here Comes the Night
Out in the Cold Again
Have I Told You Lately (Vegas Version)
In the Afternoon
Precious Time
It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
Whenever God Shines His Light
Into the Mystic
Brown Eyed Girl
It’s All In the Game/Burning Ground
Gloria

18-September-2016
Culloden Estate & Spa
 Belfast, Northern Ireland

Setlist (Thanks Dan Murray)
All Saints Day
Magic Time
Too Late
Keep It Simple
Tore Down A La Rimbaud
Foreign Window
Whenever God Shines His Light
Someone Like You
Have I Told You Lately (Vegas Version)
Sometimes We Cry
Baby Please Don't Go
Here Comes the Night
WIndows
Precious Time
In the Afternoon
Wild Night
It's all In The Game/Burning Ground
Help Me
Gloria

17-September-2016
Culloden Estate & Spa
 Belfast, Northern Ireland

Setlist (Thanks Dan Murray)
Back On Top
By His Grace
Baby Please Don't Go
Here Comes The Night
Whenever God Shines His Light
Precious Time
Wild Night
Real Real Gone
Have I Told You Lately (Vegas Version)
Moondance
Cleaning Windows
Jackie Wilson Said
Think Twice Before You Go
Brown Eyed Girl
Gloria

31-August-2015
Cyprus Avenue
 Belfast, Northern Ireland

Photo via Pablo G.

Here are Brendan's thoughts on both shows
(1st Show)
As the clock ticked ever closer to the start time of 3.00pm one surprising observation given the overwhelming demand for tickets was that there were several rows of empty seats at the rear of the seating area and they remained unfilled throughout the concert. Just as Van Morrison and his band hit the stage the skies opened and rain cascaded down to dampen the spirits somewhat.When Van opened with the fairly routine numbers Celtic Swing and Close Enough For Jazz followed by Moondance I felt somewhat deflated as I was expecting something a lot different on this special day.Two duets followed with PJ Proby on Whatever Happened To PJ Proby and Chris Farlowe on Born To Sing and while they were enjoyable enough they were a long way below my expectations from the day. However, Van then announced a dedication to Brian Keenan before unleashing an imperious version of Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child with Van emphasing the word 'freedom' over and over to great effect and Paul Moran playing exceptional organ throughout. This was incredible and I found myself exclaiming that this was the sort of music I had come to hear! When a wonderful Mystic From The East followed, things were much brighter on the avenue and even the rain had cleared as the sun shone down on us all.The opening notes of Brown Eyed Girl provided a quick reality check however and when regular and somewhat overplayed setlist numbers such as Days Like This,Baby Please Don't Go and Enlightenment followed in quick succession the concert had reverted back to being a somewhat mediocre one.By the time Van had finished the Guitar Slim song Things I Used To Do, I had more or less resigned myself to the concert being a missed opportunity and quite a let down given the occasion. But then it happened! Van strapped on his guitar and without warning transported us through a magical music tour featuring three of the greatest songs he has written in his long and distinguished career.And The Healing Has Begun was stunning and seemed to go on for ever before being followed by a wonderful Ballerina which included a Cyprus Avenue reference by Van. After departing the stage we didn't have to wait long for Van's return,not for Gloria,but to the wonderful piano strains of In The Garden. Van was unstoppable by now and he brought things right down low before urging us all to sing it as he moved into the No Guru No Method No Teacher chant to the extraordinary sight of the entire audience jumping to their feet in unison to sing the words back to Van. This was very special and as Van departed the stage the band played on for a few more minutes to rapturous applause. What a finale we had witnessed and one sensed it had changed the whole mood entirely. The set time was 1h 27m.

Setlist
Celtic Swing
Close Enough For Jazz
Moondance
Whatever Happened to PJ Proby w/PJ Proby
Born to Sing w/Chris Farlowe
Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child
Mystic of the East
Brown Eyed Girl
Days Like a This
Baby Please Don't Go/Parchman Farm
Cry Cry Baby
Sometimes We Cry
Whenever God Shines His Light
Enlightenment
Things I Used To Do
Healing Has Begun
Ballerina
In The Garden

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

Photo via Pablo G.

(2nd Show)
As we walked down the avenue again for the second show there was much speculation as to what would be played this time. It seemed inconceivable and indeed illogical that Cyprus Avenue and indeed Madame George(with its Cyprus Avenue references) would not be played but with Van Morrison there had to be an element of doubt. As it transpired, he again played neither much to the disappointment of many including myself thereby emphasising that the only predictable thing about Van is his unpredictability!

After the show opened as ever with Celtic Swing we then got a really good version of Kingdom Hall to liven up proceedings considerably. When Van introduced Carrying A Torch as their latest hit and joked about the BBC Radio 2 playlist it was clear he was in more relaxed mode. Aided in no small part by Dana Masters on vocals, the song delivered yet again to great acclaim. After reprising his earlier duet with PJ Proby, Van brought the Belfast influences to bear with a stirring Cleaning Windows. Days like This and Precious Time were nothing out of the ordinary but the same cannot be said of Mystic From The East and Sometimes I Feel like A Motherless Child which were both played again and once more were quite wonderful. Sometimes We Cry was sung with great energy by both Van and Dana before being followed by Van's favourite medley of Baby Please Don't Go/Parchman Farm(which Van again made a point of crediting to Mose Alison) and Don't Start Crying Now. Van picked out someone in the front row before the replicated gun shots during Parchman Farm telling him he was a 'sitting duck'. Whenever God Shines His Light gave one last chance to the dancers amongst us to let loose before we embarked on the homeward journey with Van firmly in the zone. It started with an extended and quite magnificent It's All In The Game with Van giving it the full treatment taking us to the burning ground then on to the factory before picking up the sack and mopping his brow from the mid day sun. At one stage Van brought everything down so low you could have heard a pin drop as the audience fell virtually totally silent which is a feat in itself given the audience behaviour at outdoor concerts in particular these days. Finally, we had Van emitting various sounds and pleading over and over 'Daddy please take me to the burning ground' before slowly leaving the stage after just one hour. Mercifully Van's somewhat premature exit was simply for effect and he returned for four more numbers starting with a duet with Chris Farlowe on Stand By Me which saw Chris change the lyrics slightly to 'as long as Van Morrison Stands By Me'. And The Healing Has Begun was unsurprisingly rapturously received once again before an extended Help Me followed which saw Van and the band go into overdrive on what was a great version. When Van departed once more it appeared it might all be over but he returned one more time to deliver On Hyndford Street to an ecstatic response particularly from many of those who had travelled from abroad who were hearing it live for the first time and were virtually gasping for breath afterwards. Van made a number of humorous references during this rendition including to the the inclusion of a line which he said he couldn't believe he had put in. After using the phrase 'lit up inside' Van said he was plugging the book and that there were some on sale. We all laughed merrily of course! Finally, Van kept repeating the phrases "the only time is now" and "in the eternal presence" over and over before thanking the band and heading off in to the night. Another person who would have been well worthy of mention at that point was the one and only Maurice Kinkead whose vision and great endeavour played such a huge part in making the event happen. The set time was 1h 30m.

Setlist
Celtic Swing
Kingdom Hall
Carrying a Torch
Whatever Happened to PJ Proby w/PJ Proby
Cleaning Windows
Days Like This
Precious Time
Mystic of the East
Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child
Sometimes We Cry
Baby Please Don't Go/Parchman Farm/Cry Cry Baby
Whenever God Shines His Light
It's All in the Game
Stand By Me w/Chris Farlowe
Healing Has Begun
Help Me
On Hyndford Street

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

My overall perspective on the event was that it was the dedicated and indeed fortunate fans who managed to attend both shows who really got to enjoy the full Cyprus Avenue experience as they were afforded the opportunity to marry the really significant and outstanding moments of real excellence from each show into an abiding memory truly befitting the occasion.
-Brendan Hynes

Chrissie Hynde

Connect With Other Van Morrison Fans in Our Facebook Group

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Van's Concert Schedule

27-Apr-15

Cardiff, Wales

St. David's Hall

29-Apr-15

Cheltenham, England

Cheltenham Jazz Festival

06-Jun-15
Brescia, Italy
Piazza Del Loggia

08-Jun-15

Vienna, Austria
Wiener Stadthalle

15-Jun-15
London, England
Royal Albert Hall

25-Jun-15
Woodstock, England
Blenheim Palace

03-Jul-15

Kongsberg, Norway

Kongsberg Jazz Festival

05-Jul-15
Sussex, England
Love Supreme Jazz Festival

09-Jul-15

Cork, Ireland

The Marquee

19-Jul-15
Newcastle, Northern Ireland
Slieve Donard Hotel

20-Jul-15
Newcastle, Northern Ireland
Slieve Donard Hotel

23-Aug-15
Newcastle, Northern Ireland
Slieve Donard Hotel

24-Aug-15
Newcastle, Northern Ireland
Slieve Donard Hotel 

31-Aug-15
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Cypruss Avenue
3:00PM & 6:00PM Shows

20-Nov-15
Dublin, Ireland
3Arena

05-January-2015
Lyric Theatre
 Belfast, Northern Ireland

Brendan sent in his thoughts on performance
This was the third in the series of Lit Up Inside shows by Van Morrison in conjunction with the launch of the book of his lyrics by the same name.It was also the first of four consecutive Monday night shows by Van in January which indicates that unlike the lyrics written by fellow Irishman Bob Geldof all those years ago Van does like Mondays.There was quite a substantial gathering of the more dedicated Van fans from far and wide all of whom were eagerly awaiting what was to follow.

The show followed the same format as before with film footage of Van and Bob Dylan singing Foreign Window being followed by Van being interviewed by author Ian Rankin and then readings by Michael Longley of Coney Island and Into the Mystic.The interview itself covered much of the same ground as before and has become somewhat repetitive which is not too surprising.There were however some further insights on the night with Van revealing that the songs which are really personal to him and fact based are ones such as Too Many Myths, I Was Educated By The School of Hard Knocks and others of that ilk.Van indicated that Wonderful Remark should have been in the book and it seems it was inadvertently omitted but there was a strong suggestion of at least one further volume to come in which it can be included.Van’s interview with Spike Milligan again got a mention with Van revealing that Spike was nothing like his stage character in person and was not in a good mood when they met.Ian Rankin suggested that is not something Van would know much about which greatly amused the audience.When asked if he had enjoyed being a window cleaner Van was quite enthusiastic and said he had as it gave him the freedom to control his own working time and tie it in with his music commitments.Given his tendency to send Van up when given an opening I thought Ian Rankin might have asked Van if he used to lose his rag at all and whether he found there were a lot of ups and downs in the window cleaning business but sadly he didn’t take the opportunity to explore such important issues.

After a short interval the music section commenced as before with Alan Watts Blues before another thunderous version of Why Must I Always Explain with Van again featuring prominently on electric guitar.Wonderful Remark and Tore Down A La Rimbaud were followed by The Street Only Knew Your Name which had not featured at the two previous Lit Up Inside shows and was quite brilliant.Coney Island,Magic Time and Moondance were followed by the highlight of the night(as was the case at the other two shows) in Celtic Excavation/Into The Mystic.Van became totally immersed in the music and brought proceedings down to such a whisper that at one stage he sang briefly without using the microphone.Van departed the stage during this song but continued to sing on in the wings for what seemed like an age as he issued utterences such as ‘not breaking down’ and ‘you’ve got to pull yourself together’over and over as the audience sat mesmerised.Finally the booming voice of drummer Bobby Ruggiero shouting VAN MORRISON broke the spell and the audience roared for more.Van returned one more time to deliver On Hyndford Street for the hometown audience who clearly appreciated the Belfast namechecks liberally dispersed throughout.
Overall I felt that the music performance segment of this concert fell somewhat short of the quality of the two previous ones largely due to the omission of Madame George and Foreign Window from the set.I considered both songs to be in the top three performed each night at the London and Dublin shows and their absence diluted the quality somewhat.Nevertheless it was still another outstanding evening of words and music which was thoroughly enjoyed by those lucky enough to be present.
-Brendan Hynes

Ian Rankin, Eamonn Hughes & Van Discussion
Michael Longley reads Coney Island & Into The Mystic

Setlist
Alan Watts Blues
Why Must I Always Explain
Wonderful Remark
Tore Down A La Rimbaud
Coney Island
Magic Time
Street Only knew your Name
Moondance
Into The Mystic
On Hyndford Street

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

25-October-2014
Europa Hotel
 Belfast, Northern Ireland

MLK in IRE Blog

There is something innately special about the thought of seeing a favorite artist or band play their hometown. Dylan in Minnesota. Bruce in Jersey. Wilco in Chicago. To see these guys perform where it all began, before all the hype and celebrity nearly guarantees a unique and powerful performance unlike any other.

Van Morrison, having long been revered amongst the extended Kane and Fitzpatrick family, would easily fit in this camp. I have fond memories of listening to “Wild Night” on repeat while drinking Tahitian Treat by the case load and battling my brothers in NHL ’95 over and over again at my dad’s house nearly 20 years ago. He has since stayed on my short list of favorites through the years; with a more recent highlight being able to witness, along with 100,000+ of our closest friends, Morrison deliver a blistering set to close out the 2010 New Orleans Jazz Fest.

So last week when I discovered Van was playing an intimate show in his hometown of Belfast, it was a no brainer: I was hopping a bus and heading north. What made this gig even more compelling was the venue of choice, the historic Europa Hotel. Known as the most bombed hotel in the world after suffering nearly 30 attacks during The Troubles, it has persevered through the years and is now a main tourist destination and top hotel for Belfast City. President and First Lady Clinton stayed here in 1995 and 1998 while working on the peace process in Northern Ireland. NOTE: I unsuccessfully tried to book into the Clinton Suite for my stay on Saturday night, although the fine folks at the front desk did put me just down the hall on the 10th floor.

After a five-hour journey with connecting busses from Galway to Dublin and Dublin to Belfast, I arrived at the Europa Hotel Saturday evening just in time for the pre show ballroom dinner. Yes, when you book a ticket to see Van Morrison in a 300-person room in the most famous hotel in his hometown, you get a full course meal and all you can drink wine before the show. Who says Van is a total curmudgeon?

At my table were a great group from Belfast who had all seen similar shows from Van at least four or five times previously. They were pleasantly surprised to hear my story of why an American living in the West of Ireland decided to travel north for the night to see the show (when it was established that no one at the table was familiar with Pearl Jam or Wilco I decided to hold off on describing any of my other previous rock n roll pilgrimages) and remarked how they were fascinated by the amount of people they have met who travel from all over the world for a chance to see the legend play his hometown.

Moments after the final plate was cleared the band took the stage, launching into the instrumental “Celtic Swing,” with Van leading the way with his signature sax.

What struck me most about Morrison last night was his effortless skill as a bandleader. Directing his seven-piece group with both a casual persona as well as a striking professionalism of someone who has been at the top of his game for over five decades. He truly appeared to be enjoying himself on stage too, remarking halfway through his set, “Hey I’ve finally got a pulse tonight!”

Whether it was because it was a hometown show or just a lucky Saturday night, the crowd was treated to two hours of amazing music from one of the greatest musicians the world has ever known. With a songbook as rich as his to pull from, there was no sign of the massive chart topping hits that are played at karaoke bars every night the world over, and I don’t think the crowd would’ve had it any other way. If you told me some 20 years ago that one day I’d witness Van The Man perform in such an intimate and historic venue right in his own backyard, the word “surreal” would immediately come to mind. Last night confirmed it, a night I will not soon forget.

Until next time.

-MLK

Setlist
Celtic Swing
You Make Me Feel So Free
Lost John
Someone Like You
Magic Time
Talk is Cheap
Think Twice Before You Gp
Blues Medley
Baby Please Don't Go
Enlightenment
I Cant Stop Loving You
Whenever God Shines His Light
Back on Top
Days Like This
Rough God Goes Riding
Georgia
Glad Tidings
Boogie Chillun
In the Garden
Help me

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

23-August-2014
Orangefield High School
 Belfast, Northern Ireland

Brendan sent in his thought on the gig
This was the second night of Van Morrison’s three night stint at his old school and the only one of the three officially open to members of the general public who were not former pupils or teachers.With Van’s mother, Violet in attendance and sitting proudly up front to see her son bring it all back home this promised to be a night to remember and it certainly was that and more.

Opening as usual with the instrumental Celtic Swing, Van then drew one of the first of many rousing cheers from the audience as he referenced Orangefield during Got To Go Back. The aforementioned Orangefield song of the same name quickly followed and provided the first of many highlights on this night of nights. The song was particularly notable for the great brass arrangement and some particularly ferocious strumming of the electric guitar from Van mid way through which added to the sheer power of the delivery. Choppin Wood was delivered at a blistering pace before Van brought things to a slower tempo with the beautiful Someone Like You which featured guest backing vocalist Dana Masters singing a couple of verses with a voice as smooth as velvet. The up tempo Cleaning Windows was somewhat disjointed at first but the band pulled it back together so that it eventually sounded as one would hope and expect.A really nice Enlightenment followed with Van on harmonica before a nice surprise followed in Wonderful Remark during which the brass section really excelled. A very strong Retreat and View was followed by Moondance which was notable for a particularly nifty piece of bass playing by Paul Moore.Van then made his way to the piano and delivered a sublime Northern Muse(Solid Ground) which drew a rapturous audience reaction. Van had brought us into the sacred mystical territory that many of us love so much and he followed with a mesmeric Celtic Excavation/Into the Mystic. Van brought the band’s volume way way down as he repeated the phrases “turn around”and “hand on my shoulder”over and over to a hushed audience before bringing the song to it’s conclusion. Magic Time continued the mystical mood before a change of tempo saw Whenever God Shines His Light, Sometimes We Cry and Rough God Goes Riding (the Clint Eastwood impression must have bitten the dust tonight and did not feature) delivered in quick succession.All three songs featured Dana Masters trading vocals in fine style with Van. As the concert headed towards it’s climax Van delivered a strong That’s Life during which he started to giggle and somewhat distracted asking “where was I”which drew a response of “rolled up in a big ball”from some of the more helpful attendees. The song had a rather unorthodox conclusion with Van looking somewhat bemused by the band’s interpretation of how the ending should sound. Van then brought us on a communal journey way way back as he sang/read/chanted his way through On Hyndford Street before exiting the stage chanting and leaving the audience breathless. One sensed that this may the end but Van had other ideas and came back to finish us off with a final coup de grace which was manifested in a magnificent 13 minute In The Garden.When Van had thanked the band and left the stage we were treated to a series of virtuoso solos from the band members who were armed with the raw material of one of the most beautiful melodies ever written by Van or indeed any artist as the audience clapped along wildly. It was a fitting climax to a wonderful concert.

It was clear to the lucky 300 or so present that the young Ivan Morrison certainly learned a thing or two at Orangefield High School!
-Brendan Hynes

Setlist (Thanks Wim)
Celtic Swing
Got To Go Back
Orangefield
Choppin Wood
Someone Like You
Cleaning Windows
Enlightenment
Wonderful Remark
Retreat and View
Moondance
Northern Muse (Solid Ground)
Into The Mystic
Magic Time
Whenever God Shines His Light
Sometimes We Cry
Rough God Goes Riding
That's Life
On Hyndford Street
In The Garden

Big Hand for The Band!
Chris White (Saxophone)
Alistair White (Trombone)
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Bobby Ruggiero (Drums)
Special Guest: Dana Masters(Vocals)

21-January-2014
Culloden Estate & Spa
 Belfast, Northern Ireland

Setlist (Thanks Mike S.)
Celtic Swing
Higher Than the World
Enlightenment
Rough God Goes Riding
Start All Over Again
Back On Top
Days Like This
Precious Time
Playhouse
Sometimes We Cry
Whenever God Shines His Light
Who Can I Turn To
Old Black Magic
All In The Game/When Heart Is Open/You Gotta Change
Help Me
In The Garden

Big Hand for The Band!
Chris White (Saxophone)
Shana Morrison (Vocals)
Alistair White (Trombone)
Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Jeff Lardner (Drums)
Bobby Ruggiero (Percussion)

15-November-2013
Waterfront Hall
Belfast, Northern Ireland

Van Morrison Receives Freedom of Belfast

"He united us in the past, he's united us tonight and he will unite us in the future."

Independent (Source)
Van Morrison gave the thumbs up sign when he was awarded the freedom of Belfast in his home city tonight.

A specially invited audience of over 2,000, including his mother Violet, gave him a standing ovation as the Lord Mayor Mairtin O Muilleoir described the singer as the city's greatest son.

He declared: "He united us in the past, he's united us tonight and he will unite us in the future.

"This represents our love, respect and gratitude for Van Morrison from the 'dark side of the street to the bright side of the road'."

Morrison was presented with a special scroll and gold ceremonial key just before his opening set.

His daughter Shana was among his backing group on stage at the Waterfront Hall.

He opened with the instrumental Celtic Mist - Morrison played the saxophone - before playing two of his biggest hits, Moondance and Brown Eyed Girl.

The Lord Mayor said: "Instead of a long speech, Van is going to give us the concert of our lives."

Tickets for the concert were allocated to members of the public in Belfast through a lottery system free of charge. But there was some controversy after it emerged 500 had been reserved for VIPs and that the 51 councillors would receive four each.

There was also criticism from some councillors when it emerged that even though Morrison was performing for free the star's band was being paid £36,000 for the performance.

Belfast City Council unanimously agreed in September to grant its highest honour to the singer, who is only the second person in 10 years to receive the accolade.

In May, former Olympic champion Dame Mary Peters was awarded the Freedom of the City at a civic ceremony in Belfast City Hall.

Other previous recipients include the Merchant Navy, the poet John Hewitt and former prime minister Winston Churchill.

Throughout his 50-year music career, Morrison has risen from the Irish showband scene to global stardom, winning six Grammy Awards and a Brit as well as places in both the Rock and Roll and the Songwriters' Halls of Fame.

Known to fans across the world as "Van the Man" the shipyard worker's son from east Belfast has drawn inspiration from the area where he was born and raised for hits such as Cypress Avenue and Hyndford Street.

Clemmie from Belfast sent in the review
15th November. Waterfront Hall, Belfast. Free gig to accept Freeman of Belfast City.

It was simply one of those nights. We knew he was going to be awarded the freedom of the city but the fact the tickets were free changed things. Following the the ticket lottery people felt they had found a golden ticket to the Chocolate Factory. People knew this was going to be special.

The Waterfront Hall is an ideal venue for Van - who responded to the crowds cheers during the opening speeches with a double thumbs up. Everyone knew this was special.

Van played the set like a man who wasn't playing for money. For one night only it wasn't his job. He played songs he believed in - almost every one of them proving he had thought about the set; choosing to speak to the crowd about Belfast with songs. He knew people wanted their favourites and he played them - not a new concept but different when, during Brown Eyed Girl, he told the signing crowd "yea, just like that".

The heart he put into his singing lifted songs like "Sometime we Cry" and "Whenever God shines his Light". His sax playing reminding us that is where he started and that is what he enjoys. An exceptional, slower version of Day Like This - sung in front of his mother - started an amazing second half. "Baby Please Don't Go" was hard, hard rock n roll.

The concert started to close with Help Me as we glided toward the traditional Gloria finish. But at the end of Help Me everything stopped. The lights went down except one as Van took us down On Hyndford Street. There was darkness and a bow sounding across a low and hollow double bass - and Van talking about the days before rock n roll. You could hardly see him as thousands sat in the dark silence and listened. People were stunned.

He went out to the the sound of the crowd chanting the word Gloria - what other word would do? People knew this was going to be special and it was. So much so they screamed for the encore that Van never gives - surely on this special night there would be an exception? The chants grew. People started to believe it would happen. It never did but the fact we believed it could shows you how special that night in the Waterfront Hall was.
-Dave McClements

Brendan was at the Van gig as well
Van Morrison’s Freedom of the City of Belfast concert at the Waterfont Hall on 15th November, 2013

What a great privilege it was to be one of the 2,000 gathered to pay homage to the musical genius that is Van Morrison. The fact that the actual conferring ceremony took place on the stage of the Waterfont immediately before Van’s concert added hugely to the occasion and while Van didn't say much you could tell he was quite chuffed. His daughter Shana who was also on stage was visibly beaming with pride while Van’s mother Violet was in the audience and was given a great ovation.

The concert itself was always likely to be laced with a mixture of songs with a Belfast theme together with some of his better known numbers and that is exactly what transpired. Opening with Celtic Swing, Van moved on immediately to renditions of Moondance and Brown Eyed Girl. When introducing Brown Eyed Girl Van said it was time for some Tommy Cooper and each time the audience sang the chorus back at Van he uttered the late comedian’s catch phrase “just like that!”. Two duets with Shana followed in Sometimes We Cry and That Old Black Magic.A nice version of Magic Time was followed by the highlight of the evening for me in Mystic of the East with Van on piano. This song had a couple of false starts as Van continually looked for a “G”before he was prepared to proceed. Ordinarily this might have caused some tension but on this night of nights the audience just roared laughing and then give a big cheer when Van was happy to proceed. And it was certainly worth the wait.Another duet with Shana on Whenever God Shines His Light (which included particularly brilliant trombone and bass solos) was followed by Days Like This (he was always going to play that one!). Next up was a blistering Baby Please Don’t Go with plenty of harmonica from Van which brought the house down. The seldom played Orangefield followed much to the delight of the hometown audience before a couple of jazz standards in Who Can I Turn To and That’s Life which featured Van rolling himself up into a big ball! We were now entering the closing stretch and the high energy Help Me was followed by the subtleties of Hyndford Street with Van playing guitar and taking us way way back. Gloria brought proceedings to a lively end with Van disappearing into the night as the band played on and cut loose with long individual solos.

This was a night to savour and one which will live long in the memory of the residents of Belfast (and one or two infiltraters like myself) present who were afforded the opportunity to share in the City’s official recognition of one of music’s genuine living legends.
-Brendan Hynes

Setlist
Celtic Swing
Moondance
Brown Eyed Girl
Sometimes We Cry
Ol' Black Magic
Magic Time
Mystic of the East
Whenever God Shines His Light
Days Like This
Baby Please Don't Go
Orangefield
Who Can I Turn To
That's Life
Help Me
On Hyndford Street
Gloria