Van Morrison returns to Memphis, Beale Road Tunes Fest phase

The at any time-contradictory Van Morrison — visionary and reactionary recluse and rock-and-roller — apparently has executed in concert in the Bluff City only 2 times, both situations at the Memphis in Could Beale Road New music Festival.

The first time, in 1996, was not judged a results by most of the concertgoers interviewed by The Industrial Attraction at the time. As a substitute of performing well known songs in acquainted preparations, Morrison experimented, admonishing his band customers to “chill out” and stretch out with jazzy digressions. A mocking cry of “Perform a song!” was read from the group. “I assumed he was awful,” a single festivalgoer said. “He laughed throughout ‘Moondance.'” 

Van Morrison performs on the Zyn Stage during the 2022 Beale Street Music Festival at the Fairgrounds at Liberty Park.

Friday night time, Morrison returned to Memphis and the so-termed “Beale Avenue” tunes pageant, this year relocated from Downtown to the Fairgrounds in Liberty Park around Simmons Lender Liberty Stadium, when redesign continues at the festival’s classic Mississippi River-side home of Tom Lee Park. (This also was the initially Beale Road Audio Competition given that 2019, thanks to two years of COVID-cautious cancellations.)

Additional FROM JOHN BEIFUSS:Beale Avenue Songs Pageant back again in company — even if it isn’t really fairly small business as usual