In his signature fedora and shades, Van Morrison took to the stage and delivered a magical two-set performance. His first set was mostly tunes from 1979’s Into The Music, my favorite being “Angeliou.” He finished off the first set with back-to-back-to-back (!) chart-toppers; the always timeless “Moondance,” “Brown-Eyed Girl” and “Gloria.” It seemed like Van tossed those out as special treats for the audience, but the true gift awaited in the second set.
Hearing Astral Weeks performed live, in its entirety, is something I never thought that I would experience. Living in a time when music is purchased one song at a time, the concept and value of the “album” has gotten lost. So on this special night, not only do we get to appreciate the album itself, but we are also able to experience it live, the way that Van intended. The songs showcased Van’s classic blend of jazz, and soul with beautiful touches of Celtic rhythms. I’ve always loved Van’s distinct vocal styles. For someone who can sound so raw and gravelly, there is always something so pristine about it as well. And the same goes for his music. “Ballerina” was my favorite performance of the Astral Weeks set. Smooth and graceful with leaps and turns, solo string performances really shined here—
“Step right up — and step right up — and step right up– just like a ballerina– yeah, crowd will catch you”
This brought the crowd to their feet, and from there, Van finished his set with the gorgeous “Madame George” and “Listen to the Lion” as the encore. On another warm California autumn evening, what better way to close out the Hollywood Bowl season than with CLASSIC jams from Van the Man himself.
The final performance is tonight, don’t miss out.
Set 1
1. Inarticulate Speech of the Heat ->Wavelength - Wavelength
2. St. Dominic’s Preview - St Dominic’s Preview
3. And the Healing has Begun - Into The Music
4. It’s All In The Game/You Know What They’re Writing About - Into The Music
5. Troubadours – Into The Music
6. Angeliou - Into The Music
7. Moondance - Moondance
8. Brown Eyed Girl
9. Gloria/Who Do You Love/Gloria
Set 2
1. Astral Weeks
2. Beside You
3. Slim Slow Slider
4. Sweet Thing
5. The Way Young Lovers Do
6. Cyprus Avenue
7. Ballerina
8. Madame George
9. Listen To The Lion (Encore)
Thanks to Van Morrison News Blog help with the Setlist.
*Story and photos by Paola Viljanen
