On this day, 1 Feb 1993, legendary Irish singer/songwriter Van Morrison played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall.
A regular visitor to South Wales, Morrison’s professional career began as a teenager in the late 1950s, playing a variety of instruments including guitar, harmonica, keyboards and saxophone for various Irish showbands, covering the popular hits of that time. Morrison rose to prominence in the mid-1960s as the lead singer of the Northern Irish R&B and rock band, Them, with whom he recorded the garage band classic "Gloria".
His solo career began in 1967, under the pop-hit orientated guidance of Bert Berns with the release of the hit single "Brown Eyed Girl". After Berns's death, Warner Bros. Records bought out his contract and allowed him three sessions to record Astral Weeks (1968).Though this album gradually garnered high praise, it was initially a poor seller.
Still touring Morrison likens his appearances to one off performances and short series of dates.
During a 2006 interview, he told Paul Sexton:
“I don't really tour. This is another misconception. I stopped touring in the true sense of the word in the late 1970s, early 1980s, possibly. I just do gigs now. I average two gigs a week. Only in America do I do more, because you can't really do a couple of gigs there, so I do more, 10 gigs or something there.”
Setlist
Foreign Window
I'm Not Feeling It Anymore
Why Must I Always Explain?
See Me Through / Soldier of Fortune
Cleaning Windows
Vanlose Stairway
Route 66
(Bobby Troup cover)
So Quiet in Here / That's Where It's At
Youth of 1,000 Summers
A Town Called Paradise
Did Ye Get Healed? / It's All in the Game / Make It Real One More Time
Moondance / My Funny Valentine
Brown Eyed Girl
In the Garden / Since I Fell for You / Daring Night
What'd I Say
(Ray Charles cover)
Enlightenment
Have I Told You Lately
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
(Bob Dylan cover)
Lonely Avenue
(Ray Charles cover)
Gloria
(Them song)
