Oct. 31, 1974 review: Van Morrison at the Century Theater

 


I was a big Van Morrison fan in the early 1970s (saw him at the Lion’s Share, a club in San Anselmo, Calif., in August 1971, which remains one of my all-time favorite evenings) and like fans everywhere, I was a bit jarred by his transition in 1974, when he shed his big Caledonia Soul Orchestra in favor of a stripped-down live show and more reflective songwriting, as heard in that year’s “Veedon Fleece” album. 

Oct. 31, 1974 

New Morrison Sound

Takes Getting Used To 

          Can this really be the legendary Van Morrison? This ruddy, chubby little guy with the wispy red hair and the wire-rims and the old leather coat?

          It took a couple of minutes Wednesday night at the Century Theater to get used to the idea. After all, it’s been four years and that upbeat opening song isn’t familiar. But who else can flash on the wistful intensity of “Street Choir?” It’s him, all right.

          But he’s a different man this time around. Brusquer, less at ease, less content to linger on his storehouse of lazy talismanic phrases. More intent on rhythm. And blues. He’s anything but laid back.

          And he’s got a different band. In place of the sprawling Caledonia Soul Orchestra are three extraordinarily efficient jazz-oriented session musicians who’re tighter than a nervous tick.

* * *

KEYBOARD, bass, drums, all riding on the high-speed precision click of the high-hat. Infinity’s the limit on where they’ll go. The crack of the snare drum keeps booming out reminders. Third curve of the syncopation. Pow! They’ve got it.

          It’s dynamite on his Ray Charles goodie, “I Believe to My Soul,” where he takes a big sax solo. And on “Take Your Hand Out of My Pocket.”

          And it’s good with shadings on light jazzy tunes like the intricately personal “Listen to the Lion” and a new thing called “It’s Not the Twilight Zone.”

* * *

BUT IT ALL tends to have destructive effects on Morrison’s gentler, more country-oriented numbers, like “Warm Love” (done up heavily staccato) and “Bulbs” off his new “Veedon Fleece” album. More destructive than his guitar tuning turning sour.

          That sets you wondering when you’re up and dancing and cheering for Morrison’s genius back for one encore (“Moondance” with “Fever” in the middle) and a second encore (the fabled “Gloria”). What became of the Morrison who wrote “St. Dominick’s Preview?”

          That noted a cappella singing group, the Persuasions, started the evening off, also stepping very quickly, also not so inclined to break from the security behind first tenor Jesse Russell, who took all the solos and all the chances.

          Russell got to deliver the hard-times rap and sing “The Ten Commandments of Love” to the admiring lady in the front row. And the harmonies rolled on behind him, rich and deep and lusciously full. They still don’t need no band.

* * * * *

IN THE PHOTO: Van Morrison in performance in 1974.

* * * * *

FOOTNOTE: Van Morrison’s band would be the same one that accompanied him in Anaheim, Calif., a couple weeks later – drummer Peter Van Hooke (later with Mike + the Mechanics), well-traveled British blues keyboardist Pete Wingfield and Detroit-born Jerome Rimson, a blues and jazz bassist who did a lot of high-profile session work in the U.K. and went on to play with Van for 10 years. 

Once again, setlist.fm doesn’t include the Buffalo date in its 1974 concert history. Although he played a somewhat different lineup of songs every night, the evening’s agenda probably was pretty close to the one four nights earlier in Providence, R.I.: 

Naked in the Jungle

Street Choir

Warm Love

Bulbs

Into the Mystic

Help Me (Sonny Boy Williamson cover)

I Believe to My Soul (Ray Charles cover)

Listen to the Lion

Wild Night

You Don’t Pull No Punches, But You Don’t Push the River

I’ve Been Working

Keep Your Hand Out of My Pocket (Sonny Boy Williamson cover)

Twilight Zone

Moondance (with Fever snippet)

Brown Eyed Girl

Gloria

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