When Van Morrison announced a run of shows in Belfast, I didn’t hesitate.
As far as I’m concerned, if Van is playing and I can realistically get there, I’m going.
That trip to Belfast turned into a wonderful few days, combining two nights of music from my favourite artist with a chance to revisit places I hadn’t seen since childhood. By the time Emma and I returned home, I felt I’d had my Van Morrison fix for a while.
Then he announced two Scottish dates.
Typical.
Ordinarily I might have shown a bit of restraint, but we’re talking about Van Morrison here. Besides, the Usher Hall is only up the road compared to Belfast, and the temptation proved too much. Before long I had managed to secure two tickets and found myself preparing for another evening in the company of the Belfast Cowboy.
I’m very glad I did.
One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that Van Morrison rarely gives audiences the same show twice. Plenty of artists work from a fairly rigid setlist, perhaps changing one or two songs each night. Van has never been particularly interested in that approach.
As a result, the Edinburgh concert felt completely different from the Belfast performances.
Incredibly, he only played around four songs that had appeared across the two nights I had already seen. For most artists that would be unusual. For Van, it felt entirely normal.
It’s one of the reasons I never tire of seeing him live.
You can attend multiple shows on the same tour and experience something different every time. One night he might lean heavily into the classics, another into jazz, blues, soul or newer material. The unpredictability keeps things fresh for both the audience and, one suspects, for Van himself.
The Usher Hall proved to be a fitting venue for the occasion.
While Belfast naturally carries a special significance when watching Van Morrison perform, there was something satisfying about seeing him bring that same level of artistry back to Scotland. The audience knew they were in the presence of one of the great songwriters and performers of the last sixty years, and there was a real sense of appreciation throughout the hall.
As always, Van remained largely uninterested in nostalgia.
That’s one of the things I admire most about him. While many artists spend their later years recreating a greatest hits package night after night, Van continues to follow his own instincts. He plays what interests him, explores whichever musical avenues appeal to him and trusts the audience to come along for the ride.
Thankfully, they usually do.
Looking back, the Belfast trip and the Edinburgh show complemented each other perfectly. Rather than feeling like a repeat performance, the Scottish date offered an entirely different perspective on an artist whose catalogue is deep enough to sustain endless reinvention.
Had I decided not to buy tickets because I’d already seen him twice a few weeks earlier, I would have missed out on a whole evening of songs that hadn’t appeared in Belfast.
That alone justified the decision.
The videos and photographs below capture some of the evening. If there’s a lesson to be learned from this concert, it’s never assume you’ve seen enough Van Morrison.
He always seems to have another surprise waiting.
The Photos
Cheers!
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