Van Morrison’s Soul & Vocal Workout at Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre Shined Bright (SHOW REVIEW/PHOTOS)

A full house of nearly 6,000 people came to see Van Morrison at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on September 17, 2023. It is safe to assume that most came to hear and sing along to his classic rock radio hits. However, many were surprised, perhaps disappointed, but ultimately rewarded once they discovered that a big chunk of Morrison’s setlist was from his 2023 double album, Playing on Skiffle, which features vintage songs by other artists from the past.

Blues titan and three-time Grammy Award winner Taj Mahal opened the show with a brief amplified, acoustic guitar set. The 81-year-old told the audience “I’ve been getting paid to play for 61 years. Now I get to play stripped-down versions of songs I love.” The set included a spirited call and response from the audience during his “Ringing on That Bell.” “Queen Bee” featured some intricate fingerpicking and his rough baritone vocals. Classic covers showed his versatility – Henry Thomas’ “Fishin’ Blues” was a delicate, stripped-down ballad while Sleepy John Estes’ “Diving Duck Blues” was a faster, bold blues rock romp.

Van Morrison came out with his ten-piece band in a dapper, light blue textured suit, matching fedora, and mirrored sunglasses. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, now 78, still has a powerful, soulful voice, but the years have made it somewhat huskier. His band was tight and sounded excellent all night. Two female singers and guitarist David Keary provided solid backing vocals and harmonies. Morrison also played harmonica and saxophone when he was not singing.

The songs from Playing on Skiffle are a pleasant amalgamation of blues, gospel, folk, jazz, country, and jug band music. The early 1900s style from Kentucky and Tennessee had a revival in the 1950s in the United Kingdom. Young musicians who became members of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and other bands were inspired by the catchy tunes. One of those young artists was Morrison. At the Greek show, he led off with ten of the twenty-three tracks from the album. Morrison has an established reputation for doing what he wants so it was not a total shock that he played these songs. It would have been helpful if he explained why they inspired him, but his lack of dialog between songs was keeping in character – he let the music speak for itself.

Highlights from those selections included the honky tonk sounding “Wish I Was an Apple on a Tree,” and Washboard Sam’s “Come On In.” “Greenback Dollar” and a cover of Hank Williams’ “Cold Cold Heart” included fine Morrison saxophone solos. He switched to electric guitar for “Worried Man Blues” and “Green Rocky Road,” the last of the Skiffle songs.

Morrison brought out and introduced the Unconditional Soul Ensemble, a six-piece gospel group, who backed up the band on two songs that he had contributed to the 2021 movie Belfast (which received an Oscar nomination for Best Score). The songs “Down To Joy” and “Let It Rhyme” raised the energy in the theater as the members of the Ensemble belted out the lyrics while they encouraged the audience to stand, dance, and clap.

When the Ensemble departed, Morrison introduced Candy Dulfer, who came out to play alto saxophone. The Dutch musician occasionally played live with Prince as well as Morrison over the past few decades. Her powerful, melodic solos made “Ancient Highway,” Sam Cooke’s “Laughin’ and Clownin’” and Morrison’s political rant, “Keep Mediocrity at Bay” extra special.

For the big finale, Morrison asked Taj Mahal and Dulfer to join him for a riotous version of the 1954 Jesse Stone-penned song “Shake Rattle and Roll.” Morrison and Mahal took turns on vocals and got the crowd to join them for the chorus. Mahal and Morrison left the stage, but Morrison immediately came back and finally bowed to expectations with a fine version of “Gloria,” his early hit with Them. Dulfer played another impressive solo and the crowd was up dancing until Morrison walked off stage, while the band played on for several minutes.

The band continued playing an extended instrumental jam as the crowd filed out, realizing that Van Morrison would not return. Morrison may not have played the hits everyone expected, but the show was still rewarding as an exploration of Skiffle history, deep cuts, and an array of catchy, enjoyable songs. Morrison remains a stubborn music legend who does what he wants and audiences continue to buy what he is selling.   

 Live photos courtesy of Andy J. Gordon ©2023