Van Morrison In Concert (Live DVD Review)

A 6-time Grammy Award winner, Belfast, Ireland born Van Morrison is Rock-n-Roll icon. Selling in excess of 25 million albums, Morrison has delighted audiences for decades with amazing songwriting, and unforgettable live performances. Speaking of which, on Friday, February 16, 2018 Eagle Rock Entertainment is set to release a new live concert DVD/Blu-ray entitled Van Morrison in Concert. 

Recorded during Sir Van Morrison’s September 29, 2016 concert at the BBC Radio Theatre, as part of the critically acclaimed BBC Radio 2 In Concert Series, the set includes performances of old and new tracks. There is no one on this blue orb who would dare deny that Van Morrison has been a tour de force in the music world since the mid ’60s and his music has been inspirational to many. Van the Man, as he is affectionately called by his fans, has a prolific list of accolades for his musical accomplishments throughout his lifetime that not only includes Grammy Awards, a knighthood, but also an orbital entry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. His superstar brilliance is quite blinding and it just may be that is the primary reason for his shade wear on stage.

All joking aside, this multi-talented Irish songwriter is a firm believer that music is a potent healing force in the universe and he liberally poured a therapeutic dose of his melodic medicine over the crowd gathered at the BBC Radio Theatre back in 2016. Without a doubt, his 18 select cuts were certainly an amazing kaleidoscopic sampling of his hits generated over the course of his musical career with a few touch ups here and there, making the tried and true as fresh as can be.

Starting it off, he waves his arms overhead in a gesture seeming to reach out to the divine before grabbing hold of the microphone, then cradling it as if it were a newborn, singing a lullaby to the audience. As the camera scans the crowd they appear to be under a spell weaved with the magic of his vocals. Then, all of a sudden, there is a round of eager applause in recognition as the first few notes of a beloved song floating through the air. Dressed in his signature suit, topped off with a fedora, he belts out favorite ballads such as “Every Time I See a River” and “Brown Eyed Girl,” sung tinged with raw emotion and a fresh bubbly taste like a just opened bottle of champagne. 

A mix of old and new, Morrison also performs other tracks including “Wild Night” and “Cleaning Windows.” Keeping the performance intimate and enticing all the way through, it really is a must watch for any fan of his music. Additionally, this DVD box of musical chocolates has a bonus feature that renders another unforgettable concert performance of 12 more tracks including “Up on Cypress Avenue” that was recorded on his 70th birthday. 

Throughout his lifetime, Van Morrison has carved out a niche in almost every genre of music from Gospel to Rock and Blues. Most recently releasing his Versatile in 2017, it seems now, at 72 years of age, that there is no slowing him down. As for Van Morrison in Concert, it is blatantly obvious that the audience in attendance that night in London was a bubbling pot of enthusiasm under the musical ministrations of the charismatic person onstage. It is a soul-stirring performance which ignites a special place in the heart of listeners with the fire of love. For these reasons, CrypticRock gives Van Morrison in Concert 5 out of 5 stars.

Purchase Van Morrison in Concert:

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