“Albums are not the whole picture. You really need to go to loads of gigs to get the whole picture. That’s really what it’s about.” – Van Morrison.
Ah. To really understand the legendary singer, songwriter and musician, you should really see him in concert.
As it happens, the 61-year-old Irish singer will perform on Nov. 4 at the new WaMu theater at the Qwest Field Event Center.
“I never bought the commercial thing, at any stage of the game” – Van Morrison.
Tickets start at $95 and top out somewhere in the $225 range.
“Music has been taken over by commercialism or capitalism or whatever it is.” – Van Morrison
Apparently it has.
Morrison, of course, did not invent over-the-top concert ticket prices. And he’s always had a sporadic touring style, making it hard for fans to go to lots of gigs. And he’s always had a temperamental concert style, cutting it short or walking off stage if the vibe isn’t right.
But this is a singer whose spiritual songs greatly appeal (or appealed) to many fans, if not critics. So it’s a bit difficult to reconcile his many contradictions.
When his mystical songs were all the rage, he insisted they weren’t religious. Then later they were. But don’t call him a poet, a sage or prophet. He’s just a songwriter. A songwriter who doesn’t really like his fans, critics or reviewers or other musicians. He’s on record as feeling ripped off by musicians who were influenced by him, even when they acknowledge his influence.
“You’ve got to separate the singer and the songs.” – Van Morrison.
We’re trying.
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