• Event Info
  • 30th August 2018
  • Want to enjoy a VIP premium experience at Connexin Live? Enjoy some of our best hospitality and upgrade your seats to some of the best in the house. Alt1ernatively enjoy pre-show dining in our restaurant or a complimentary drink in our lounge.


Van Morrison

Van starts at 8pm, no support. Gig finish 9.30pm

(Times subject to change)
 

Van Morrison is to officially open the region’s newest arena, Bonus Arena, later this summer.

2018 is a significant year in Morrison’s career, marking 50 years since the release of the iconic Astral Weeks album in 1968.

Born in 1945, Van heard his Shipyard worker father’s collection of blues, country and gospel early in life. Feeding off musical greats such as Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers, Muddy Waters, Mahalia Jackson and Leadbelly he was a travelling musician at 13 and singing, playing guitar and sax, in several bands, before forming Them in 1964. 

Making their name at Belfast’s Maritime Club, Them soon established Van as a major force in the British R&B scene. Morrison’s matchless vocal and songwriting talents produced instant classics such as the much covered ‘Gloria’ and ‘Here Comes The Night’. 

Those talents found full astonishing range in Van’s solo career. After working with Them’s New York producer Bert Berns on beautiful Top 40 pop hit ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ (1967), Morrison moved to another realm. Recorded over 3 days with legendary jazz musicians Astral Weeks (1968) is a still singular album combining street poetry, jazz improvisation, Celtic invocation and Afro Celtic Blues wailing. 

Morrison would weave these and myriad other influences into the albums that followed in quick succession. 

Reflecting on new life in America on the joyous Sinatra soul of Moondance (1970) and the

country inflected Tupelo Honey (1971) he summoned old spiritual and ancestral life in the epic St Dominic’s Preview (1972) closer track Listen To The Lion. 

Steering his own course throughout the 80s on albums such as No Guru, No Method, No Teacher he claimed Celtic roots with The Chieftains on Irish Heartbeat. Teaming with Georgie Fame brought new impetus to his live show while Avalon Sunset saw him back in the album and single charts by the decades end. 

Awards and accolades - a knighthood, a Brit, an OBE, an Ivor Novello, 6 Grammys, honourary doctorates from Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Ulster, entry into The Rock n Roll Hall of Fame and the French Ordres Des Artes Et Des Lettres - attested to the international reach of Van’s musical art. 

With one of the most revered catalogues in music history and his unparalleled talents as composer, singer and performer Morrison’s past achievements loom large. But, as throughout his extraordinary career, how that past informs his future achievements and still stirs excitement and keen anticipation. 

  • Event Info
  • 30th August 2018
  • Want to enjoy a VIP premium experience at Connexin Live? Enjoy some of our best hospitality and upgrade your seats to some of the best in the house. Alt1ernatively enjoy pre-show dining in our restaurant or a complimentary drink in our lounge.


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