One of my favourite live artists is Van Morrison and I’d like your help to find out what is generally thought of as his best albums.
There are two readers polls:
- to find the best Van Morrison live album
- to find the best Van Morrison studio albums
What Is The Best Van Morrison Live Album?
Please vote in the poll below
Loading ...I don’t think the world has enough Van Morrison live albums. I’d be delighted to see the vaults raided in the same way as is happening with Neil Young.
Wouldn’t it be fantastic to hear recordings from the Moondance, His Band And Street Choir, Tupelo Honey, St Dominic’s Preview and Veedon Fleece tours and then have some of his later stuff live as well?
The Results Of The Poll To Find The Best Live Albums By Van Morrison
The album at #1 in the poll is It’s Too Late To Stop Now which catches Morrison in 1973 on the St Dominic”s Preview tour.
As well as featuring his own songs from this incredibly rich period of inspiration, Morrison also pays tribute to the acts that have influenced him.
In second place is A Night In San Francisco. It took me a while to appreciate this 1993 album because I’m not that familiar with the albums released after Veedon Fleece.
I now think it’s brilliant as Morrison shows himself as the leader of a jazz style band. It is very rewarding and highly recommended.
At #3 is a live version widely recognised of one of the greatest studio albums ever recorded. Astral Weeks Live At The Hollywood Bowl was recorded in 2008 and is a big risk for both Morrison and his fans. How can you tamper with perfection?
It works by not being an exact replica of the studio version. An older Van Morrison puts world-weary experience into his vocals. My biggest criticism is what’s not there. Only Listen To The Lion and Common One are included from the second set he performed.
Sadly we don’t have enough live albums from Van Morrison and little has appeared in terms of radio broadcasts.
What Are The Best Van Morrison Studio Albums?
I believe that great live albums are linked in time to great studio albums. Sometimes an artist or group just click together and get inspired. This is one of the reasons why It’s Too Late To Stop Now is perfectly timed.
Loading ...Moondance and Astral Weeks are getting most support and I see these together with Saint Dominic”s Preview and Veedon Fleece as essential. I have to be careful with his albums because I find them addictive but these four have clear identities in my mind.
What Are The Best Live Albums Ever?
Please help me find the best live albums by voting in more of my readers polls.
As a Van Morrison fan, I think that these will be of interest:
- best albums by singer songwriters
- best albums by blues rock groups
- best albums by blues artists
- best albums by Eric Clapton
- best albums by Neil Young
- best albums by Bob Dylan
Click on the links to vote and to see the results so far.