Van Morrison`s eagerly awaited live performance of his classic `Astral Weeks` album took place on the weekend to rave reviews but a small crowd.
Despite the fact that this was the first time Morrison had ever performed the 1968 album in its entirety, ticket sales were slow for the show.Those who did attend were given not only the classic album being played to mark the 40th anniversary to the month of its release, but also the first half of the set was Van’s greatest hits.
Van opened with ‘Wavelength’ and performed the classic ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ as well as his Them hits ‘Here Comes The Night’ and ‘Gloria’ in the first half of the show. (Them was Van’s band before he went solo. It was an interesting set-list that also featured three songs from 1979’s ‘Into the Music’.
He then performed the ‘Astral Weeks’ album, but not in the original track order.
“Tonight you made a very happy old man”, Van told the crowd.
The show was filmed and will be released on DVD early next year. A vinyl version of the show will be released in three weeks.
1st set:
Wavelength (from Wavelength, 1978)
St. Dominic's Preview (from St Dominic’s Preview, 1972)
Caravan (from Moondance, 1970)
It's All In The Game (from Into The Music, 1979)
You Know What They're Writing About (from Into The Music, 1979)
Here Comes The Night (Them single, 1965)
And The Healing Has Begun (from Into The Music, 1979)
Summertime In England (from Common One, 1980)
Brown Eyed Girl (from Blowin’ Your Mind, 1967)
Gloria (from Them’s The Angry Young Them, 1965)
2nd set: Astral Weeks (1968)
Astral Weeks
Beside You
Slim Slow Slider
Sweet Thing
The Way Young Lovers Do
Cyprus Avenue
Ballerina
Madame George
Encore: Listen To The Lion (from St Dominic’s Preview, 1972)
The original track order for the album was:
Side one - "In the Beginning"
"Astral Weeks" - 7:00
"Beside You" - 5:10
"Sweet Thing" - 4:10
"Cyprus Avenue" - 6:50
Side two - "Afterwards"
"The Way Young Lovers Do" - 3:10
"Madame George" - 9:25
"Ballerina" - 7:00
"Slim Slow Slider" - 3:20
