Van Morrison 

"Can You Feel The Silence"

Recorded live in Essen, Germany in Spring 1982

Label:         Anunofficial release by “The Sphynx” ?

Track listing:

     Go To The Hide-Place In Your Mind (4:17)
     Into The Mystic (2:19)
     Moondance (2:00)
     Wavelenght (sic) (4:02)
     Full Force Gale (2:13)
     Bright Side Of The Road (3:19)
     It’s All In The Game (5:59)
     She Gives Me Religion (4:23)
     Northern Muse (3:17)
     Vanlose Stairway (4:28)
     Help Me (4:48)
     When I Come Home (3:12)
     Celtic Ray (3:10)
     Dweller On The Threshold (4:21)
     Satisfied (4:46)
     Cleaning Windows (4:40)
     Summertime In England (10:15)
     Scandinavia (6:36)
     Total time: (78:13)

Musicians:

     Van Morrison:   Lead Vocals, Guitar, Piano on “Scandinavia”
     Pee Wee Ellis:  Sax, Vocals on “Love to you” and “Summertime in England”
     Chris Michie:     Lead Guitar
     John Allair:       Organ, Lead vocals on“Go To the High Place In Your Mind”
     Peter van Hooke:    Drums 1
     Tom Dollinger:         Drums 2
     Bianca Thornton:     Backup vocals,Lead vocals on “Love To You”
     Pauline Lozano:      Backup vocals
     Annie Stocking:       Backup vocals
     David Hayes:          Bass
     Mark Isham:            Trumpet & synthesizer
     Sean Fulsom (not sure but very probable):    Pipes on “Northern Muse” and “Celtic Ray”

It is offered with a low opening bid and no hidden reserve.

Happy to answer any questions.

It was the 10th Rockpalast Festival and the producers wanted one of their favourite acts to come. Rick James opened the festival. The Kinks closed the show. But it was Van Morrison they really wanted to hold the centre.  Morrison did not disappoint.

The already reticent singer-songwriter brought a solid backing band with him that included Pee Wee Ellis and the always capable and inspiring Mark Isham. Together the pair gave this performance the atmosphere and shading it needed for Morrison’s new moodier songs off his album Beautiful Vision.

The show starts and dispenses quickly with fan favorites Into The Mystic, Moondance and Wavelength. The beat remains “up” through Full Force Gale and Bright Side Of The Road then cools for a trio of new songs off Beautiful Vision - She Gives Me Religion, Northern Muse and Vanlose Stairway.

In 1982, Morrison was 36.  His reputation for not doing interviews was already legend. “You can find what I have to say in my songs - I have nothing to add,” he had said.  His style of songwriting was described as “stream of consciousness” and not hits-centric.

We should be thankful that German fans took the trouble to encourage him to perform for television and that the results have been properly recorded and archived for generation X and beyond to appreciate.  As the producers mentioned: “Van Morrison is very reserved, in actions and gestures,at his concerts.  Surely, when one looks a little closer at how he sings… one sees the tremendous strength exuded by this seemingly unmoving man.  He is concentrating only on the music and his singing.”

For the rest of the show, Morrison, supremely confident, unleashes his new songs Celtic Ray, Dweller on the Threshold, the amusing Cleaning Windows and closes with the instrumental Scandinavia. This was one of the most adventurous periods in his career and offered a lot of stimulating albums that veered away from chart music.  It established his reputation as a serious artist.