07-April-2013
Knightsbrook Hotel 
Trim, Ireland

Photo via Pablo

Set list

Celtic Swing

Close Enough for Jazz

Magic Time

Only a Dream

Brown Eyed Girl

Baby Please Don’t Go

Here Comes the Night

Fair Play

Days Like This

Precious Time

Have I Told You Lately

Moondance

I Get a Kick Out of You

Foggy Day in London Town

Help Me

Jackie Wilson Said

17-March-2013
Europa Hotel 
Belfast, Northern Ireland

Photo via Maurice K.

Brendan sent us this review

This was the second night of Van’s St. Patrick’s weekend stint in the Europa and, as on the previous night, Shana Morrison opened with a short set. This time, however, she did all Irish songs given the day that was in it and was accompanied acoustically by Paul Moore on bass and Dave Keary on guitar with Chris White joining them on tin whistle for the last number, The Blacksmith which really livened up the audience before the main event.

Bang on 9.00 pm Van hit the stage playing saxophone on Celtic Swing before doing a cover of I Get a Kick Out of You during which he gave a little kick(not of Caravan proportions unfortunately). Making Whoopee and Open the Door to Your Heart followed before Van informed us he was going to change things around a bit.What followed was (to my ears anyway) The Showstopper of the two concerts-a magnificent version of Thanks for the Information on which Van’s vocals were brilliant,  aided by Dave Keary’s terrific chunky guitar sound and the brass section coming in and out to supplement the sound beautifully. A young lady at the table who was seeing Van for the first time turned to me when the song had finished and ecstatically exclaimed that it was unbelievable. It was indeed! 

A fine duet between Van and Shana on Sometimes we Cry was followed by a country cover, Things have Gone to Pieces. Van then moved to piano to deliver a long version of Going Down to Monte Carlo. This song is developing well during the live performances and becoming a bit of a crowd favourite. 

Next up was another high point- a long version of All in the Game during which Van shared his affection for journalists and the Fleet Street Press in particular with us(very moving) before doing a monologue on famous people perceived to be grumpy who in reality are not and others who escape such perceptions but who probably are. 

Covers of I Can’t Stop Loving You and That Old Black Magic(both with Shana) were followed by the greatest hits numbers Moondance and Brown Eyed Girl. Then it was time for the blues as Van and the band ripped through Baby Please Don’t Go and Help Me (at the end of which Van exited the stage but continued to sing on in the wings for another couple of minutes as the band played on frantically, not sure whether he was coming or going). It was terrific! I was surprised that Van hadn’t included Star of the County Down (given the day that was in it) but when he returned for the encore he put things right and played it followed by an explosive Gloria with the band getting to express themselves with extended solos. The crowd had by now abandoned their tables and surged to the front of the stage to join in. Van asked for “a big hand for the band”and then he was gone after 1 hour 45 minutes of exhilarating music.

I wish St.Patrick’s Day could be like this all the time!

-Brendan Hynes


Setlist
Celtic Swing
I Get A Kick Out of You
Making Whopee
Open The Door (To Your Heart)
Thanks For The Information
Sometimes We Cry
Things Have Gone To Pieces
Goin' Down To Monte Carlo
It's All In The Game
Old Black Magic
I Can't Stop Loving You
Moondance
Brown Eyed Girl
Baby, Please Don't Go
Help Me
Star of the County Down
Gloria

16-March-2013
Europa Hotel 
Belfast, Northern Ireland

City Sound Inertia (Source)
VAN MORRISON
EUROPA HOTEL, BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND
MARCH 16, 2013

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Europa Hotel. Tonight, this is the best place in the world to be.”

Truer words were never spoken. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven when I discovered Van Morrison would be playing a) during my trip to Ireland, b) on St. Patrick’s Day weekend, c) in his hometown of Belfast, d) in a tiny 250-seat venue and e) that I was able to get a ticket. Granted, it was £140, but seriously, was there ever a question?

It was an eclectic crowd, pretty much the norm for a Van show. Some were dressed to the nines to honor the occasion, some looked to have paid nine dollars for their duds. My hopes, though, were that they were all actual fans who would appreciate the event properly, not just there to be part of something. I guessed that I might be the only single at my table, but my seatmate was Alan, who had flown over from Denmark for his first Van concert, a definite fan. I thought perhaps I’d traveled the furthest, from Northern California, but apparently there was someone there from Australia. More fans, a good sign.

Shana Morrison was there to help out pop and she “opened” the show with an abridged version of the band, doing three quick numbers, including “And It Stoned Me” and a kickass “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher.” With barely a break, the rest of the band was onstage and broke into the intro for “Only A Dream.” With a simple “Van Morrison” from one of the band, the man appeared—and magic happened.

Morrison has been doing these smaller gigs for a year or so now, in and around Ireland and the UK, and they’re apparently suiting him quite well. He says he’s performing his work “as it was meant to be heard,” and tonight seemed quite comfortable and at ease with both the band and the audience. He interacted with band members, rather than just calling the tunes and pointing for solos. He introduced songs and spoke to the audience, at one point even going on a bit of a rant about how some “grumpy” people (including the Queen) manage to get away with being grumpy. In short, tonight we got the happy Van. Big bonus!

The music was nonstop. As a member of Van’s band, you’ve got to be paying attention at all times. He doesn’t work from a setlist, and when he calls the tune and counts it off, you’ve got to be ready to go—lest you get one of those “looks.”

The second tune out of the gate was “Makin’ Whopee,” with Shana adding some nice interaction to a very jazzy version of the song. He went to the new album, Born To Sing—No Plan B, for “Open The Door To Your Heart,” and a bit later for “Goin’ Down To Monte Carlo.” He introduced “Monte Carlo” by saying, “This is off the new CD. It’s not being promoted at the minute, so who cares?” Ah, Van, still at odds with the music industry…

There were classics, to be sure. After a brief discussion with the keyboard player, he introduced “Got To Go Back” by saying, “If this doesn’t work, it’s your fault!” The whole band had a part in a gorgeous rendition of “Standing In The Garden,” and the beginnings of “Beautiful Vision” got a gasp and a whoop from the audience.

There were also the covers that Morrison makes his own. His country side came out with the Don Gibson classic “I Can’t Stop Loving You.” And his introduction of, “We’re getting too serious here, I’ve gotta get back to the Las Vegas set,” preceded “That Old Black Magic.” (Glenn Miller, eat your heart out.)

There were two high points in the show for me. The first came five songs in, when Morrison did an incredible rework of “Wavelength,” dropping the speed of the original a bit, twisting it into a jazzy shuffle and mesmerizing the crowd. He followed that with “Sometimes We Cry,” from 1997’s The Healing Game. Brian Kennedy and Georgie Fame, a couple of Morrison cohorts, did some of the vocal work on the original, but Van and Shana have been performing it live together recently. I had heard about it, but never heard it. Father and daughter were never better together.

The other high point ended the show. The evening was seasoned mostly with a jazz feel, but as a lover of Morrison’s blues side, I was thrilled to hear the intro guitar licks of “Baby Please Don’t Go.” Van gave credit to Big Joe Williams, who penned the song back in the 30’s, and then tore through alternating harmonica licks and vocals with a vengeance. And with a nod to Sonny Boy Williamson, he said, “We’re gonna stay with the blues here,” and went directly into a 10-minute version of his live-show staple, “Help Me.”

Morrison left the stage, which usually signals the end of the show, but the unmistakable three-chord intro of “Gloria” brought the man back out for one more. As much as I’ve disliked the version of “Gloria” that I’ve heard at other Van shows, this one was special. Everybody got up from their tables and made their way to the front of the room, thereby decreasing the size of an already small space. It was like seeing the band at the corner pub. The fans loved it, the band members loved it, and I think I even saw Van himself smile a bit. No really—I think I did.

We got the standard 90-100 minute show length, but under these circumstances, at this venue, on this night, it seemed much, much longer.

Pinch me.
-Bob Meline

Setlist
Only A Dream
Making Whopee
Open The Door (To Your Heart)
Got To Go Back
Wavelength
Sometimes We Cry
Beautiful Vision
Goin' Down To Monte Carlo
Ol' Black Magic
It's All In The Game
In The Garden
Enlightenment
Whenever God shines His Light
I Can't Stop Loving You
Baby, Please don't Go
Help Me
Gloria

Shana Morrison Returns To Bob Weir's Internet Show Tonight

Tune in tonight and listen to Bob Weir & special guest Shana Morrison on Weir Here Live from TRI Studios.

Listen To Shana Morrison Tonight

Tune in tonight and listen to Bob Weir & special guest Shana Morrison on Weir Here Live from TRI Studios.

St Patricks Weekend Festival

Belfast, Northern Ireland

March 16 & 17, 2013 Europa Hotel, Belfast, Northern Ireland

20-January-2013
Culloden Estate & Spa
 Belfast, Northern Ireland

Thanks to Pablo for photo

Setlist (Thanks Michael S.)
Celtic Swing
Only a Dream
Beauty of Days Gone By
Going Down to Monte Carlo
End of the Rainbow
Have I Told You Lately
Can't Stop Loving You
Unchained Melody
Philosophers Stone
Pagan Heart
Dead or Alive
Drumshambo Hustle
Moondance
Jackie Wilson Said
Bright Side of the Road
Brown Eyed Girl
Help Me
Gloria

19-January-2013
Culloden Estate & Spa
 Belfast, Northern Ireland

Setlist (Thanks Michael S.)
Celtic Swing
Got to Go Back
Magic Time
Born to Sing
Have I Told You Lately
Going Down to Monte Carlo
It's All in the Game/You Know What They're Writing About/Rainbow
Enlightenment
You Don't Know Me (w/Shana Morrison)
Open the Door To Your Heart
In the Garden
Makin' Whoopie
That Ol' Black Magic
Little Village
Baby, Please Don't Go
Here Comes the Night
Into the Mystic
Help Me
Gloria

18-January-2013
Culloden Estate & Spa
 Belfast, Northern Ireland

Setlist (Thanks Damien A.)
Celtic Swing
A Town Called Paradise
Orangefield
End of the Rainbow
Open the Door (To Your Heart)
Days Like This
All in the Game/You Know What They're Writing About/Burning Ground
Little Village
Sometimes We Cry (w/Shana Morrison)
Makin' Whoopie
These Are The Days
My Pagan Heart
Early In The Morning
That Ol' Black Magic (w/Shana Morrison)
Into The Mystic
Moondance
Star of the County Down
Gloria

Van Morrison in Conversation & in Concert

BBC's Ralph McLean did a wonderful interview with Van which was broadcast on BBC Radio Ulster on New Year's Day. Van talks about his influences, his early days in Belfast & his future plans. It was all part of  Van Morrison Night on BBC Radio Ulster.

Listen to Van Morrison in Conversation.

After the interview, we were treated with one of Van's best concerts of 2012. Recorded in East Belfast on September 8, 2012, Van sings some of his hits, new songs from Born To Sing: No Plan B and some rare tunes like Orangefield and On Hynford Street.

Listen to Van Morrison In Concert.

Ralph also did an all Van request show after the interview & concert.

Listen to Ralph McLean's All Van Request Show.

Saint Dominic’s Flashback
Van Morrison’s Classic Album, Forty Years On

A new book, Saint Dominic's Flashback, by Peter Wrench takes a look back on Van's 1972 masterpiece, Saint Dominic's Preview. Now available on Amazon.

Van Morrison is a unique talent: one of the finest and most distinctive vocalists in rock music. He is notorious for his impatience with journalists and analysis, for his grumpiness and his unpredictability – veering constantly between the good, bad and utterly extraordinary, across half a century in the business…

How best to get a handle on him? At the this point in his career a deep dive into some of the specifics can be more illuminating than an overview that skates across the surface.

Now, forty years after the release of his classic album Saint Dominic's Preview, comes an in-depth look at its 42 minutes of music and how they were put together. Drawing heavily on the memories of the musicians and technicians who made the record, the book shines a spotlight on Morrison's art and his working methods – and provides a fascinating perspective on the wider music scene of the early seventies.

This is a record that deserves detailed attention. It is one of Van’s most satisfying and wide-ranging collections with a succession of amazing tracks – from the focused drive of ‘Jackie Wilson Said,’ through the glorious emotional workout that is ‘Listen To The Lion’, to the synthesiser-rich tone-poem ‘Almost Independence Day’. Each song is closely examined and assessed.

And there are some great stories about how the album came to be made: from the hirings and firings to amazing flashes of creativity – with walk-on parts for everybody from Bob Dylan and the Band to Lee Michaels’ cheetahs. This is a book for everyone with an interest in Van Morrison’s music.

The author runs the Eden On The Line music website and his previous writing includes The Night Of The Round Stable, a novel for children. He is co-owner of the Tom Thumb Theatre in Margate.

The book is published by FeedARead and is available in paperback and on Kindle.

05-December-2012
Cabaret Supperclub
 Belfast, Northern Ireland

Setlist (Thanks Damien)
Celtic Swing
Satisfied
Magic Time
Open the Door (To Your Heart)
Born To Sing
Rambler Blues 
Got To Go Back
Lonely Avenue
Crazy Love
Dead or Alive
Goodnight Irene
Did Ye Get Healed
Ballerina
Help Me

28-November-2012
Bridgewater Hall
 Manchester, England

Setlist
Celtic Swing
A Town Called Paradise
Born To Sing
Open The Door (To Your Heart)
Days Like This
These Are The Days
Only A Dream
Got To Go Back
Baby Please Don't Go
Enlightenment
Whenever God Shines His Light
St James Infirmary
Moondance/My Funny Valentine
Brown Eyed Girl
Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)
Precious Time
Crazy Love
Help Me
Benediction
Gloria

27-November-2012
Philharmonic Hall
 Liverpool, England

Liverpool Echo (Source)
BY ALL accounts Van Morrison likes playing at the Philharmonic.

And while he's not someone who exactly wears his heart on his sleeve (unless he's feeling the wrong way out), you could be quietly confident he enjoyed last night's gig.

And certainly so did the full house that awaited his every note, mumble and wail. From the outset no-one was in any doubt that they were in the presence of a true master of his craft, and throughout he had the hall in the palm of his hand.

Dressed in his trademark dark suit, hat and shades (you could wear that outfit to a fancy dress party and people would guess you'd come as Van The Man), he took to the stage, saxophone in hand, to lead the seven-piece band through a musical journey through the years from present all the way back into the past.

The sound was the distinctive blend of jazz and blues, every instrument blending faultlessly while each still distinct and clear. The clarinet, trumpet and sax – blue if ever sounds and colours could be matched up – were perfect for the full-mooned winter's night.

The early numbers such as Born To Sing poured out effortlessly, in such a relaxed, laid back way you'd have thought they were playing themselves, while numbers such as If In Money We Trust had a sinister feel to them (not least because his mic kept slipping while he was sat at the piano, and despite the roadie's efforts to fix it, more than a few in the audience were fearful he would walk off the stage in a strop).

But he seemed in genuinely good mood – and even said thank you to the audience after the stomping Baby Please Don't Go.

It was in the latter part of the show that the real crowd pleaders came: the fabulous Did Ye Get Healed? with its haunting circular sax and clarinet riff, the beautifully optimistic Days Like This, and Moondance and Brown-Eyed Girl. But hits like those aside, you know you're in the presence of a master when they can write a song with lyrics so simple yet clever as 'Who can I turn to if you turn away from me?'

He is a modern classic, and a genius still at the top of his game after all these years. 10/10:
-Marc Waddington

Setlist
Celtic Swing
A Town Called Paradise
Born To Sing
If In Money We Trust
Open The Door (To Your Heart)
Enlightenment
Here Comes The Knight
These Are The Days
Did Ye Get Healed?
Stranded
Magic Time
Baby Please Don't Go
Who Can I Turn To?
Moondance/My Funny Valentine
Precious Time
Days Like This
Brown Eyed Girl
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)
Jeff Lardner (Drums)

18-November-2012
Wales Millennium Centre
 Cardiff, Wales

Buzz Mag (Source)
Renowned for his unpredictability and cantankerous disposition, there was slight trepidation that Van Morrison was not going to be on top form on Sunday at Wales Millennium Centre, a venue so perfectly designed for musical excellence. However, fears were soon quashed upon Morrison’s entrance. He emerged playing the sax soulfully to join the already extensive band – encompassing brass, strings, percussion and piano – in a delightful intro to the show.

The music ensued with It Was Only A Dream in which the Northern-Irish musician provided confirmation that he has still got ‘it’ – ‘it’ being the unique, superbly clear and warm vocals together with a magnificent blend of jazz, blues and soul. Morrison, who released his 36th album this year, Born To Sing: No Plan B, has flitted between folk, gospel, blues and country in his long career, but it is apparent that soul and jazz have remained the sheer core of his music.

Clad in his standard black hat, shades and suit get-up, Van The Man exhibits his musical finesse as he takes on the role of composer to his faultless band – every flawless solo was accompanied by a risibly nervous glance to their boss to see if it was up to scratch.

The crowd erupted upon hearing the intro to Brown Eyed Girl, and Sinatra-esque Moondance was also met with ovation as it eventually came to a euphoric close in what can only be described as a musical explosion. Babe Please Don’t Go and Jackie Wilson Said presented further harmonious skill and both highlighted the illimitable strengths of the band’s brass element.

There was minimal crowd interaction, however, this was to be expected if you are accustomed to Morrison’s aloof character. An encore is a near impossibility as the absolute second the music ended the lights come on as if to say “don’t even think about it”. Despite this, Morrison displayed his unparalleled talents as composer, singer and performer at his Cardiff show to confirm that he is in actual fact The Man.
-Eleanor McKeon

02-November-2012
Europa Hotel, Belfast
Northern Ireland

Shana Morrison

Our roving Van fan Brendan sent in this review
Having witnessed the magnificent Sligo concert 5 days earlier, I had no real expectation that this intimate concert could scale such heights but incredibly it ran it pretty close. Apart from the brilliant music, what made this concert really unique was Van’s rapport with the audience throughout the show. It was clear that he really relished playing in his hometown and I have never seen him so relaxed and in such good humour.

Photo via Pablo

The concert (predictably) started 20 minutes early when Shana Morrison took the stage to provide a short but enjoyable set as the diners nearly choked trying to finish their dinners and desserts before Van arrived on stage.

After opening with A Town Called Paradise, Van told us we would never hear that song on the radio. He then introduced Thanks For The Information (which was tremendous-particularly the guitar and brass) and told us we would NEVER hear that on radio as he reckoned it was too subversive. The Drumshambo Hustle was one we might hear as he knew it had been played at least once and credited Irish TV/Radio presenter Marty Whelan. Van told us a lot of the material tonight would be drawn from the No Guru album which was certainly music to my ears. Throughout the evening Van joked with the band and audience and invited requests,asking the audience to tell him what we wanted as that’s what he was there for! At one stage he asked if there were any actors in the audience “apart from the cowboys!”

Musically,there were many highlights including a superb Foreign Window,the afore mentioned Thanks For The Information, The Warm Feeling, That’s Life, a brilliant duet with Shana on Sometimes we Cry (it gets more powerful all the time) before a real gem was produced-a near 10 minute version of Pagan Heart which proved a real show stopper. Crazy Love, Ballerina (during which Van reckoned a superb trombone solo had to be OMG) and another duet with Shana on Whenever God (Cliff) Shines his Light took us nicely towards the finish which involved a thunderous version of Help Me with Van leaving the stage chanting “Its too good to stop now!”.

It certainly is Van !
-Brendan Hynes


Setlist (Thanks John M)
A Town Called Paradise
Thanks For The Information
Drumshanbo Hustle
Open The Door (To Your Heart)
Sometimes We Cry
Got To Go Back
Who Can I Turn To
That's Life
Oh The Warm Feeling
These Are The Days
Foreign Window
Whenever God Shines His Light
Pagan Heart
Moondance
Crazy Love
Ballerina
Help Me

Shana Morrison Setlist (Thanks Pablo)
God Must Love Me
Roses
I Am A Rose
Your Love Keep Lifting Me Higher

28-October-2012
Knocknarea Arena 
Sligo, Ireland

Our Irish Correspondent, Brendan, sent in this review
Driving from Dublin to Sligo on Sunday I had a great sense of anticipation about what lay ahead. Ever since this particular evening of music and poetry was announced it was clear that this was likely to be quite a different performance with the 'emphasis on words' according to the publicity. Having heard a preview of some of the material in Canterbury last week, which certainly whetted my appetite even more, I was somewhat concerned that the performance might suffer from the omission of the band’s brass section as the Sligo Live publicity material had clearly indicated that Van was to be accompanied by a rhythm section only.Such concerns were quickly removed upon entering the arena as it was clear that the full band would be performing after all.

The tickets had indicated that there would be no support but Shana Morrison took to the stage at 7.35 pm for a short but enjoyable set to set things up nicely for Van who arrived on stage 5 minutes ahead of the scheduled 8.00 pm start time. It was clear that there was going to be nothing predictable about this performance.

Van opened with a lively version of A Town Called Paradise before moving onto a sublime Foreign Window. This was followed by a couple of songs off the new album including Open The Door which actually fitted in with the type of material performed on this special night. Van draw very heavily on the No Guru, No Method, No Teacher album including Oh The Warm Feeling, Got to Go Back,Tir Na Nog (when did he last play that?) and the always magnificent In the Garden which was a real show stopper. This was quickly followed by a beautiful Haunts of Ancient Peace (with Van on piano) after which most of the audience were in some sort of trance I reckon. The seldom performed Coney Island was followed by a terrific duet with Shana on Sometimes We Cry before Ballerina was delivered to a tumultuous reception. Celtic Excavation merged into a beautiful Into the Mystic which was then followed by Moondance and Crazy Love. Hyndford Street brought proceedings to a close all to early (the usual annoying 90 minute curfew had been reached) with Van leaving the stage to a five minute standing ovation. He did not return for an encore but Gloria would probably have been somewhat out of place among this material.

For those Van Morrison fans who favour the mystical material over any of his other work this was quite simply a concert made in heaven. Superb.
-Brendan Hynes

Irish Times
HEY SAID it would be a night of lyrics and poetry with “Emphasis on Words” but it was probably no surprise that, as always, Van Morrison let the music do the talking when he topped the bill at the Sligo Live festival last night.

He was early – in fact he strode on to the stage in the Knocknarea Arena at IT Sligo five minutes before schedule – much to the shock of those scurrying in the door up to 20 minutes later.

It must be hard being a performer when your dad is, literally, the Man, but Van’s daughter, Shana, a US-based singer-songwriter was not just the support act last night. She also provided backing vocals and father and daughter delighted the crowd with a double act on Sometimes We Cry from his 1997 album The Healing Game.

The evening started with a few numbers from the new album Born to Sing: No Plan B but it was the familiar lyrics from the spoken song Coney Island – “Out all day bird watching/And the craic was good”– which drew the first animated cheers of recognition from a crowd which spanned all generations .

Not only was Van early but he clearly enjoyed himself. While George Ivan Morrison isn’t famous for banter and over-the-top exuberance, there was very little evidence of his grumpiness or as the PR material put it “noted reserve” last night.

Although Van being Van there was just a little bit of impatience at the end towards one of his musicians who got a reproving command of “long notes” as the 90-minute set came to a close.

‘There were plenty of treats for the diehard fans – Moondance got the loudest cheers but there were also favourites like Crazy Love and Into the Mystic which had old fans in raptures. The real treat at the end was On Hyndford Street named for the Belfast street where he was born which, like Coney Island, is a spoken song. There had been rumours that Van would share with audiences some of the autobiographical and literary influences in his songs, but fans were happy enough he stuck with the music.

Before he left, he did introduce his daughter but there was no encores. For the 1,200-strong audience, however, there are plenty of good memories and a night when Van did really deserve the sustained applause and the standing ovation which continued long after he was gone.
-MARESE McDONAGH

Belfast Telegraph
Van Morrison and daughter shine in Sligo

What is it about Sligo and legendary singer-songwriters in hats?

Last night in a sold-out Knocknarea Arena at IT Sligo, veteran singer songwriter, Van Morrison (67) invoked the spirit of WB Yeats and held a rapturous audience in thrall.

He was following in the footsteps of Canadian troubadour, Leonard Cohen, who wove magic in two memorable concerts at nearby Lissadell House in 2010.

Both icons acknowledge the deep influence of Yeats on their illustrious careers. Marking the special occasion, and indicating a new departure for the singer, who is continually reinventing himself, Morrison showcased his most ethereal music.

The night began with the singer powerhousing through a set of songs from his newest album 'Born To Sing -- No Plan B', beginning with 'A Town Called Paradise'.

Adding a touch of glamour to the night was his talented singer-songwriter daughter, Shana, who supported the artist and joined him on stage providing backing vocals.

The pair performed a duet on 'Sometimes we Cry'.

Morrison's partner and former model, Michelle Rocca and their family accompanied the Belfast born singer to Sligo and watched the gig from the wings.

He was the headline act in the Sligo Live Festival, which despite the recession, drew record crowds to scores of venues all over the town throughout the Bank Holiday Weekend.

On Saturday night, singer/songwriter Joan Armatrading played to a capacity crowd in the same venue.

Morrison has been described as an 'Irish poet' and 'an enigma shrouded in Celtic Garb'.

Last night there were glimpses of all but it was Morrison, the romantic mysticist, who triumphed.
-Anita Guidera

Setlist
A Town Called Paradise
Foreign Window
Born To Sing
Open The Door (To Your Heart)
Oh The Warm Feeling
Tir Na Nog
Got To Go Back
These Are The Days
Coney Island
Sometimes We Cry (w/Shana Morrison)
Ballerina
In The Garden
Haunts of Ancient Peace
Celtic Excavation/Into The Mystic
Moondance
Crazy Love
On Hyndford Street

23-October-2012
Marlowe Theatre 
Canterbury, England

Setlist
Foggy Day In London Town
Brown Eyed Girl
Only A Dream
Born To Sing
Got To Go Back
Oh The Warm Feeling
These Are The Days
A Town Called Paradise
Drumshanbo Hustle
Baby Please Don't Go
Thanks for The Information
The Lion This Time
Magic Time
Moondance
Sometimes We Cry
Days Like This
Ballerina
Benediction
Enlightenment

20-October-2012
Europa Hotel 
Belfast, Northern Ireland

Setlist
Bye Bye Blackbird
Only A Dream
Let's Get Lost
Who Can I Turn To
Open The Door To Your Heart
Mystic Of The East
Baby Please Don't Go
Brown Eyed Girl
Moondance
Precious Time
Enlightenment
How Can A Poor Boy
KeepMediocrity At Bay
That's Life
All In The Game/Burning Ground
In The Garden
Ballerina
Benediction
Star of the County Down

03-October-2012
Ronnie Scott's 
London, England

Photos via Paolo

Mike reviews the 4 gigs over 2 days at Ronnie Scott's
So now that the haze has passed, here's my quick re-cap of a brilliant two night stand at Ronnie Scott's famed jazz club in London. This was a much anticipated return in the very intimate setting of this renowned venue, circa 1959 after around a 5 year absence.

Of course the event was quickly sold to Ronnie's "Premium" members - those who buy a membership and have the opportunity to partake in special events before the general public. Unfair that may be, the house was filled with jazz and music fans who appreciate a great artist and a great performance. They got both in the 2 night, 4 gig stand by VM.

Really, Van is very suited to this kind of environ these days. With a compact jazz band of really spectacular proportion --- the young Chris and Alistair White on horns, the great Paul Moran leading and playing piano and trumpet, percussion by Rod Quinn, great bass from Paul Moore, superior guitar work from Dave Kearny, Jeff Lardner magic on drums -- and Van moving from sax to piano to guitar, to harp, integrating jazz standards with brand new material and some long form Van classics -- each gig took on it's own personality and each was decidedly different. Much to the delight of many, even the expected was unexpected and some of the endless classics that appear and re-appear did just that.

And for some, the lack of a rousing Gloria may have been hoped for. My personal sense was that Van was playing to this room, a jazzy, quiet, hushed but then uproarious group, when the mood suited the audience. Gloria was perhaps too electric, too boisterous, too rousing. And Van likes the classics so what better venue than Ronnie Scott's to play That's Life, Who Can I Turn To, Bye Bye Blackbird, Foggy Day in London Town, St. James... and add a touch of blues....Take Your Hand Outta My Pocket, Help Me... and some well tested favorites like Into the Mystic (long extended), All in the Game (workshop version/then No Plan B, then Burning Ground -smoldering!), Jackie Wilson Said, Moondance of course but not every gig, BEG - a couple times to open and "get this out of the way", and a couple interspersed but lapped up by the audience, lovely Enlightenment, one revisit with Precious Time, and a couple times with Them (Baby Please Don't Go/Here Comes the Night).

But he did the new album right. Each gig, Open the Door, Mystic of the East, a couple Close Enough for Jazz (much lauded), and one Pagan Heart and the final closing number of the run was a lush and beautiful Ballerina....

It is notable that Van chatted more in these gigs than most any other --- A number of his "grumpiest gigs in town" commentaries but most notable was this just before Open the Door during one gig. Van said, "By way of explanation of this new material.... I had NO intention of releasing this. I had NO intention of EVER releasing another new album. But met Don Was - who is the President of Blue Note. Don liked this and said "I've got to release this" .... So you can thank Don Was for this...." And then he played Open the Door (To Your Heart) which is really a nice new "hit", getting good crowd response and lots of airplay. In fact, BTS is now in ALL Starbucks stores across the USA --- a very interesting and unexpected distribution for Van Morrison, which will give this new release tremendous exposure like no other previous release. Who knows whether that may cement in his mind the notion of future releases. He's got a wealth of material in the can as most of us know and there's really no reason not to let a record company take on the risk if they so choose. That would make we Van fans, very happy indeed. The album debuted in the UK at number 10 on the UK charts. Next week we will know how it enters the US market. But records don't sell like they used to and record companies are struggling. The real money for an artist in on tour. We know Van gets offers from all over the USA and elsewhere so it's up to him.... He seems very content and very comfortable staying close to home, playing gigs in environments he can control and this may be where he finds himself going forward. Expect some US dates eventually but until that time, there are a wealth of opportunities to see Van in Europe and he's back to touring again after a year sabbatical so we should be happy for him and happy to have him back, recording, singing, creating and memorizing us with his immense talent.

And what about that band? All-stars.
-Mike S.


Setlist (Early show) Thanks Mike S.
Bye Bye Blackbird
Only a Dream
Foggy Day in London Town/I Get a Kick Outta You
Into the Mystic
Open The Door (To Your Heart)
Mystic of the East
Real Real Gone/You Send Me
That's Life
Who Can I Turn To?
Brown Eyed Girl
Pagan Heart
Baby Please Don't Go
Take your Hand Out Of my Pocket
Moondance

Setlist
Bye Bye Blackbird
Only A Dream
I Get a Kick Outta You
Who Can I Turn To
Precious Time
Open The Door (To Your Heart)
Can't Stop Lovin You
Early In The Morning
Take your Hand Out Of my Pocket
Jackie Wilson Said
All In The Game/Burning Ground
Brown Eyed Girl
Ballerina