Van Morrison at Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2023.

Van Morrison’s performance at Cheltenham Jazz Festival on Sunday night was the most enjoyable show of his that I have seen in five years. I had lost interest in seeing him after a quite disappointing show in Liverpool last year and his previous album What’s It Gonna Take? was the first Van album ever that I didn’t buy. However, I had heard glowing reports from friends about his recent shows in England, Europe & Ireland and I liked what I heard of his new album Moving On Skiffle, especially a song called Green Rocky Road which I thought was an instant Van classic. I liked the contribution of Seth Lakeman on fiddle. I did hope that Seth might have joined the band for these live shows, but that hasn’t happened. Anyway, I hadn’t planned on going to Cheltenham, but when a friend John offered me a spare ticket I thought I ought to go, and I’m very pleased I did.

I got to my hotel quite early and passed the time watching snooker on the telly until meeting up with John and Stuart at about 3.00. After picking up the tickets at the box office we found a pub across the road. It was crowded and noisy, full of football fans watching Liverpool v Spurs, but we found a table and the food was nice. After 3 pints and Liverpool winning 4-3 we made our way back to the festival site. It had been raining earlier but had turned into quite a pleasant evening.

 There was even a record store there, so I thought I ought to buy the new album, which I am listening to at this very moment. At 7.00 in the bar area we met up with fellow Van fan Jane who I hadn’t seen since Oxford in 2021. At 8.30 it was time to make our way to the Big Top to see Van the man. I had a great seat near the front to the right of the stage. The band were unchanged from previous concerts, Dave Keary on guitars, Colin Griffin on drums, Paul Moore on bass Sticky Wicket on percussion & washboard, Crawford Bell on vocals & trumpet, Elle Cato vocals, and Stuart McIlroy piano & keyboards. I won’t discuss every song, but I think this was the setlist. I hope I haven’t forgotten anything. Streamline Train, Sail Away Ladies, Yonder Comes A Sucker, Travelin’ Blues, Take This Hammer, I Wish I Was An Apple On A Tree, Careless Love, Freight Train, Oh Lonesome Me, Greenback Dollar, Come On In, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry, Gov Don’t Allow, No Other Baby, Cold Cold Heart, Cottonfields, Gypsy Davy, Worried Man Blues, Green Rocky Road, I’m Movin’ On.

The band were all excellent. Crawford Bell and Elle Cato provided some great backing harmony singing to some of the songs, Dave Keary excelled on guitar, especially on pedal steel on songs like Careless Love, Van drew lots of applause from the audience when he played sax on songs like Greenback Dollar and he played some mean harmonica on Streamline Train, Sail Away Ladies, and other songs. The biggest reaction from the audience was for Gov Don’t Allow where every band member got applause for their solos. I think my personal favourites were the two Hank Williams songs I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry and Cold Cold Heart. I have always liked Cottonfields because the Beach Boys had a big hit with it, and I have liked Oh Lonesome Me ever since I heard it on After The Gold Rush by Neil Young. Van gave all the band a well-deserved individual acknowledgement after Cottonfields. I think I enjoyed every single song. Worried Man Blues was pure rock & roll. I thought Van was going to stretch Green Rocky Road into an extended improvisation because he introduced a few new words, but then seemed to change his mind.

When we met up outside after the show everyone agreed that it had been a great concert. I would never have believed that I would enjoy a Van Morrison concert that didn’t contain a single Van Morrison composition. I expect by the end of the year Van will have returned to playing his own material, but I hope the reception for these recent shows means that he is inspired to return with a brand-new set list full of his best classic songs. A big hand for the band.