No, he’s not unwell, but tonight the legendary Afterworder takes one of the greatest risks known to gig-going veterans and attends a big-ticket Van Morrison show at a small theatre, the Lyric, in Belfast. It’s a fundraiser for the Linen Hall Library, a venerable subscription institution in Belfast, and the Lyric is only a 300-400-seater, so Van really must be doing it for expenses for it to raise anything. Good on him, I say.
It has the potential to be a magic night… or it could just be precisely 90 minutes (or whatever he does these days) of phoned-in lounge-jazz tedium. So… let us all cross our fingers that The Man embraces the occasion and Blue Boy has a winning evening!
Here’s Van a while back at, I think, the Hollywood Bowl. If he delivers 50% of this energy tonight, the Bluemeister will surely be satisified 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkGPcz_gou0
For those unfamiliar with the Lyric Theatre, here’s a clip of Fairport Convention I took there a few months back… with scenery from whatever was on that week:
It’s true – I’m away down there now and looking forward to it – I will report back in due course.
Colin and I enjoyed a Belfast Afterword mini-mingle last night along with Colin’s wife Heather and her friend Esme. We met up at the Nine Below Zero gig at the Black Box. It was a delight – straight down the line honest British rhythm and blues delivered with panache, energy and precision. Great stuff. Before the gig and then after in the nearby John Hewitt hostelry we talked the usual Afterword bollocks – er, I should say, insightful informed opinion – about music, and politics. Van Morrison and John McLoughlin were each vigorously championed by one of us, and whilst I fear no minds were changed, this advocacy was politely and respectfully received by the other party. Meantime Heather and Esme put up with this nonsense with good grace and were excellent company.
I want to thank Colin, Heather and Esme for being so welcoming. Much beer and whiskey was drunk, a good time was had by all, and for me it was great to finally meet an esteemed Afterworder in the real world.
Wouldn’t it be great if it was like this all the time?
Ha! Very good, Bluemeister. It would indeed be great. Your relentless championing of John McLaughlin was a surprise but I simply wasn’t going to be convinced… 😀
Poor old Heather and Esme have to put up with this sort of thing rather a lot…
Looking forward to your report on the Vanmeister. And remember – it ain’t why, why, it just is…
What an uplifting thread.! Now I am seriously jealous of you, BB.
Seeing Van in a smaller venue is quite a treat.,but having an evening down the boozer with Colin….
Now, that is in a different league. A pleasure that must be on most people’s Bucket List!
Enjoy the rest of your trip!
I’d be very concerned about the ambition of anyone with that on the bucket list, Fatz! 😀 But we certainly had a serious shot of rhythm’n’blues with Dennis Greaves and the boys (and girls) – NBZ are now a six-piece.
I saw Nine Below Zero supporting The Who in 1981, they were very good.
If he throws a harmonica into the crowd, I’d leave it