Van Morrison
Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
If, reflecting on Van Morrison’s allegedly grumpy stage demeanour, you wonder after almost 50 years of touring why he does it, he and his band’s performance gave the answer.
Van The Man surrounds himself with virtuoso musicians and they all go “back to the magic time” of musical enchantment, and last night they took everyone along with them in a stunning show containing many moments of absolute brilliance.
He doesn’t mess around, old Van: Bang on 8pm the band is on stage and starts to play and on he comes, already blowing blues harmonica. Bang on 9.30pm the show is over, but in between there has been pure delight.
All Work And No Play followed You Better Stop before the pace slowed and the magic time really began, especially in a stunning version of I Can’t Stop Loving You featuring beautiful harmonies from the backing singers.
Exactly 90 minutes of excellence ended with us all la-la-la-ing along with Van to the second encore, Brown Eyed Girl - 40 years old and good as ever, just like Van himself.
4 Comments
Having spent £60 on two tickets, we felt absolutely let down and left ‘the show’ after an hour. Dull, boring, lifeless are just 3 words to sum up the evening. The audience looked bored and were chatting amongst themselves. What a waste of a Friday evening let alone £60. The E&S reporter can only have had low expectation if the comments are to be believed.It was a woeful effort.
I agree. I had wanted to see Van Morrison perform for many years and was really looking forward to the event on Friday. I wouldn’t class myself as a huge fan, but expected to hear some of the more well known songs for which he is famous. The songs he sang were boring, lack lustre and Van’s version of my all time favourite song was sung in such a way that it was unrecognisable - we left after the first hour! Unfortunately I found the whole experience disappointing and I certainly felt that it was money wasted.
Ah, ye of little depth. Morrison isn’t about trite achival replication of pop ditties. There are plenty of washed up oldies acts trotting out that old horse.
Van, as any real musician, is about working the music as music, finding the core and spirit of a thing in the present, and creating, not aping, an authentic moment. If you’re looking for clever banter (Hey Ev’rybody, How ya doin’, anyone here from outta town, what a good-lookin’ crowd, yadda-yadda….”), or rote emulation of recorded tracks, might it be suggested you seek out Barry Manilow?
Jeff,if to appreciate Morrison, one must look deep into an entertainment void, to then convince oneself that something else has been witnessed, then I appologise for my ignorance.
Bring on Barry Manilow, my lighter is at the ready !!