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This Is Nottingham - LISA CHERRY-DOWNES
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Seeing Van the Man always brings a degree of trepidation. The emotional quality of his voice has moved me to tears in the past but there have been
times when he has not given his all or growled his way through a hurried series of his hits as though trying to win a world record for medleys.
And let's face it, the veteran Irish crooner is no frontman, having little or no rapport with his audience, who seem almost surplus to his requirements.
When our regulation 90 minutes were up and after a whiz though a Brown Eyed Girl encore, he and his excellent 11-piece band were off. But at least it
was longer than a previous concert when amid a crisis in the lovelife department he marched off the stage after only 45 minutes.
Despite all this, his fans still turn out to catch those moments of genius than sometimes shine through and on Saturday, donning trademark sharp suit and hat, he was on form.
Looking considerably thinner - and sounding better - he had me and a few others dancing in the aisles although his largely Radio 2 audience were far too reserved to engage in such activities, with a polite, rather than rapturous response to anything other than the crowd-pleasing numbers such as Moondance and Days Like This.
He also managed to bring tears to my eyes again - not with an old favourite but a track I had never heard before so can't tell you what it was called.
But it is measure of the man's talent that a even a 'debut' performance of something can send one off with the fairies...
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Dail
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Just come back from Nottingham and WOW...what a excellent concert, we were graced with John Platania and Bobby Ruggiero.
Van was in perfect form, the highlights....Vanlose Stairway... wonderful to hear this, and a delightful In the Afternoon....which took us into the Mystic Church in Notting Hill Gate to a slow beautiful fading...still in the Mystic Church.
Van belted out Stranded, Magic Time , I can't Stop Loving you, Talk is Cheap and Have I told you lately....all sung with passion and commitment.. Help Me with the slow sax intro....I just love this track...keep it stuck on replay please!
I shall leave out the in depth stuff to Simon and Pat Corely I am sure it will make delightful reading.
Tonight concert brought back all my memories of when I had first heard these timeless classics, but this, to me is what Van's music is all about....lets you experience the raw emotions over again, I feel very blessed tonight... because I have been in the presence of the Genius Mr Van Morrison.
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Pat
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Then it was time for the show.Dave immediately remarked on how the audience has changed since the last time he saw Van.In those days it was all hippy types now its mainly old gits (like me!).
Van and his band were on great form though in Nottingham.I think there is 11 in the band now and it was John Platania on guitar.The first time i have seen him in Vans band.I wrote the set list down so i hope i got it right because i was drunk and might have made mistakes.This is the notes i scribbled in the dark:
All in all i thought it was wonderful,the highspot being Van whispering 'In the mystic church in Notting Hill Gate' at the end of In The Afternoon etc.Also as Dail said,Vans sax playing is really great these days.