ot: van morrison in concert

[eddief]

He's playing here in Berkeley next month and tickets are spendy. I like his albums, but I think I've heard he can be a pill when in concert. Anyone seen him and have a report?

[steelrider]

I saw him about 13 years ago at the Masonic in The City. He was playing with the James Brown Horns. Hell of a show. The acoustics at the Masonic are first rate. I saw him another time a few years later @ the Berkeley Community Thtr. That was good as well, although it was more of an R&B review type of deal--he didn't paly many of the classics. I would like to see him perform with his daughter, Shana, who lives in Marin County. She has a great set of pipes herself.

[Fixed]

bro is he like 70 now?

[rpm]

It's a lottery with him. He's either phenomenal or he mails it in. Depends on his mood. His music and band are great, regardless.

[eddief]

a balmy night, for a change, in berkeley. my first time at this venue. amazingly good acoustics. the music was sublime. the guy can put on a show, but said nearly nothing to the audience. on at 7:30 sharp, off at 10:00.

even for the rocking tunes the crowd of nearly all old f@rts, that's me too, stayed in their seats and would not get up and move. some guy with an older brain than mine yelled at me and my girlfriend to sit down while we was rocking to moondance.

he was born in 1945, so that makes him 60ish. the dude has pipes and he's never sounded better. he brought on his daughter shana for one tune and it appears she's inherited the pipes, but not the fame...yet.

[davids]

My favorite Van Morrison story is from the guy who, many years ago, cut my hair. He'd seen Van the previous night at the Orpheum. It was, by all accounts, one of those amazing shows - boundless energy, incredible focus and showmanship.

The next morning, my barber is heading to work, walking down a cold, windy Boston street. There's Van, head down, bundled in a old brown overcoat, shuffling down the street with his head down and hands buried in his pockets. There was no one else around either of them, and my friend was so shocked that he couldn't say a word.

[justinf]

very dicey. I personally would not write the check.

[djg21]

He's playing here in Berkeley next month and tickets are spendy. I like his albums, but I think I've heard he can be a pill when in concert. Anyone seen him and have a report?

I saw him in CT a few years ago. I was really dissappointed. It was my impression that he wastouring for dollars and could care less about performing for the audience. It was amongst the worst shows I have ever seen.

[chrisroph]

I've seen him a couple times in concert most recently 6 or 7 years ago with Bob Dylan. It was remarkable, an amazing show. I think it's worth going, I would if he were coming to Portland.

[Waldo]

There was no one else around either of them, and my friend was so shocked that he couldn't say a word.

Good thing your friend couldn't say a word. About 15 years ago I ran into Van at Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books in Larkspur in Marin County. I was a huge fan. Van was having coffee with a woman. I ran to the store's Rock section and bought the only book I could find with pictures of Van, hoping he'd autograph an early photo, the one of him still with hair. I approached Van's table. I said, "excuse me Mr. Morrison..." He looked at me and barked "No, no, no!" His companion smiled at me apologetically. I slunk away. The store took the book back. I haven't been so crazy about Van since then.

[tch]

I have a friend who saw him in NY earlier this year and thought it was the best concert of the year, hands down.

[Ray]

I've seen him a couple of times and he was great. But he's notoriously not into the whole celebrity thing at all. He doesn't talk from the stage at all, IIRC, he's not into autographs or going on talk shows or any of that. He's a musician and wants the music to be his expression of what's important to him. That can seem pretty cold, but I respect it. I sort of liked the old bands that got up and just played without any showmanship. But then I also like the real entertainer types who talk a lot from the stage and are genuinely funny/personable. I guess there's room for all types.

-Ray

[eddief]

the musical part of the experience was one of the best in all my born days. i like my presidents to have charisma too.

[Russell]

He's playing here in Berkeley next month and tickets are spendy. I like his albums, but I think I've heard he can be a pill when in concert. Anyone seen him and have a report?

I have heard that, but the time I saw him he was great. Take a chance, either way it is better than never having seen him.

[aLexis]

I'll be seeing him on Friday night. If he is lackluster, I'll have a quite a few other options to view.....check out the lineup. Even the smallest names are people who I would pay to see for the evening. Only in Austin can you see Willie Nelson and Massive Attack back to back.

Ausin City Limits Music Festival Lineup (http://www.aclfestival.com/lineup.aspx)

[Tom]

Yow. Jealousy is a bad thing but I'm going to run with it. Guy Clark/Jimmie Dale Gilmore/Asleep At The Wheel/Calexico/Los Lobos/Jack Ingram/Nickel Creek/The Subdudes/BoDeans/Lou Ann Barton ... how the heck do you choose if they are scheduled at the same time???

Isn't South by Southwest in your town, too?

[aLexis]

Yeah, SXSW is here in March, but the format is quite different. It is spread out over hundreds of venues, and usually has a lot of obscure bands that only the coolest of the cool have heard of. There are some bigger names that come in for it, but it is more for people looking to get signed.

[TmcDet]

I was asked to go to this Music Festival but already had plans, this is an unbelievable line up! Enjoy it aLexis.

[davids]

Yow. Jealousy is a bad thing but I'm going to run with it. Guy Clark/Jimmie Dale Gilmore/Asleep At The Wheel/Calexico/Los Lobos/Jack Ingram/Nickel Creek/The Subdudes/BoDeans/Lou Ann Barton ... how the heck do you choose if they are scheduled at the same time???

Isn't South by Southwest in your town, too?
I'd go with Calexico - My brother (a drummer) gave me their concert DVD for my birthday. Lovely, especially if they bring Mariachi Luz del Luna!

[aLexis]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwn.

After a full day of some really good music, he was quite a dissapointment. Actually, I had no real expectations of the show, so dissapointment might not be the right word. Maybe just boring.