Morning:
13°c
London faces a wave of bus and Tube strikes that could cause chaos for millions of passengers as unions walkout over pay and conditions
More...
An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
2012
Theatre
The show has suddenly become quite wonderful, and the galvanising factor is the terrific stage debut of Melanie C
Blood Brothers
Music
The British pop music industry may be eating itself but if Muse are the pick of what it can offer the world in 2010 then British music is in rude health indeed
Muse
I was smitten by both Gilberts enormous luxuriant moustache and the intelligence and nuance of this highly entertaining play
I totally recommend Babbo to anyone who is looking for really good and traditional Italian food
Always been a fan but never seen them live. I was ecstatic to be part of this epic event. WOW!
London,
John Aizlewood's rating
Reader rating
Description: The Irish folk-rock songsmith and his band perform the album Astral Weeks.
Phone: 0207589 8212
Website: www.royalalberthall.com
Trains: Tube: High Street Kensington 
, Tube / Bus: 9, 10, 52, 360 
Extra info: Pub, Food
Emotional and uplifting: Van Morrison played his 1968 album Astral Weeks in its entirety for two nights at the Albert Hall
It’s hard to fathom why Van Morrison, never looking back except to mull over real and imagined ancient slights, has decided to re-visit Astral Weeks, arguably his best-loved album. But, 41 years on, he’s decided to play it in its entirety. Perhaps given the mean-spiritedness of his recent output, he feels the need to embrace more innocent, more optimistic times.
Hiding behind sunglasses and underneath a hat (although some curiously orange hair protruded at neck level) and wearing a dark leather suit which cast him as a giant overcooked chipolata, the 63-year-old gave almost nothing away during last night’s second of two Albert Hall shows — Eric Clapton attended on Saturday, Yusuf Islam yesterday — deigning only to speak when introducing Astral Weeks’s centrepiece Madame George, cheerily explaining that the song was set close to South Kensington and that its protagonist had smoked opium.
More chat and more explanation would have been welcome — he might well be worth listening to — but the music itself was timeless in 1968 and in 2009 this engrossing, singular, often magical song cycle remains more than capable of luxuriating in the embrace of an 11-strong, tightly rehearsed band including guitarist Jay Berliner who played on the original.
And while Morrison may be looking back, he was not standing still, tinkering with the running order, turning the sprawling Ballerina into near-gospel and Sweet Thing into a rollercoaster where Morrison’s acoustic guitar battled with Richie Buckley’s flute and both emerged victorious.
Cleverly, Astral Weeks was only the second half of the tale. Before the interval, his band numbered 15 and Morrison grappled with some old favourites, not inevitably to be confused with old hits.
Testing his clearly terrified accomplices, Morrison abandoned any set list and barked out song titles as they began, forcing those who were multi-instrumentalists into momentary panic. And once the musicians eased themselves into a song, Morrison conducted them with his hands behind his back, altering volume and tempo as the mood took him, all while facing the audience.
The tension was almost palpable and it made for edge-of-the-seat fare. I swear Morrison chuckled loudly during a startlingly urgent trek through Caravan, which veered from gruff bluster to something transcendentally spiritual, while And The Healing Has Begun and the call and response vocal duet with Buckley on Common One were so emotionally uplifting, you could forgive Morrison almost anything. Even that tuft of orange hair and those leather trousers…
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
I must say, John Aizlewood's comments are spot-on. I was at the RAH both nights, with the most amazing second row seat in front of Van for Sunday night. I have seen Van over 100 times and this is what I have been waiting for all these years; it was both scary and spine tingling. Music that was sheer perfection and a band that truly was on top form. But the biggest fan of all must be Sara Jory, the female guitarist in the band. She was enjoying the show as much as the audience, following her master's every move and laughing with joy as Van challenged her to greater heights. Fantastic!
- Sandra Woolley, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire
