~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ on 10MAY2009 from Michael ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Well, as we've all said, it continues to be difficult to top the fine performances that began last November in Hollywood, continued on through New York, London (particularly 19APR RAH), and back to the West Coast with some fine times in San Francisco then back to where it began in the city of Los Angeles. These shows were originally scheduled back in March when the New York shows conflicted and they were rescheduled here. Now we still have one more to go in Cardiff on Sunday, but the Saturday night in Bristol show was in a nice venue -- small, couldn't really have a bad viewing or listening experience and the audience was ready as the lights went down right on schedule at 8pm. Taking the stage in a more compact Van band were Paul Moran, Richie Buckley, Bobbby Ruggerio, David Hayes, Sarah Jory, Jay Berliner and Tony Fitzgibbon so no strings and no backing vocals. For those who hadn't enjoyed the lushness of the Astral Weeks "tour", this compact band would not have been anything to disappoint. There may have been some in the audience that were expecting an Astral Weeks show and that would have been a bit disappointing coming off the reviews of the past, but this band was tight, the setting and vibe good and although there was some of the rust that we've come to note on a first night back after a hiatus -- some Van impatience and the usual pauses in between songs as the band re-assembled to take their next cues from Van... it was a good show and a few surprises on the setlist. It was also back to the previous format of 90 minutes with no intermission....Personally I thought the the two one-hour plus shows made for a more satisfying night for both the audience and the band but....
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