Moondance: The Van Morrison Songbook

Featuring Tiller’s Folly’s Bruce Coughlan as Van

Mystic Celtic Soul singer and songwriter, Van Morrison has placed his indelible stamp upon Western Music culture with a career spanning over half a century!

In “Van the Man” Mr Coughlan, Bruce, brings one of his major influences to life with an uncanny ability to make you shut your eyes and think the great Van is in the room.

As well as being an award winning singer and songwriter with groups like Bare Facts, The Hitops and Tiller’s Folly, Bruce has long been recognized as one of great vocal interpreters of our time. In this show he puts all of that experience and interpretive skill into sharp focus as “Van The Man”.

Joining him on this journey is right hand man and many year partner bassist Laurence Knight (Tiller’s Folly, Foreman Young Band, Shari Ulrich, Roy Forbes Long John Baldry). These two have been touring for decades and receiving thunderous ovations from Nashville and The UK to across their Canadian homeland.

Laurence and Bruce specially picked a stellar cast to bring this show to life featuring some of Vancouver’s most in demand musicians with a few of their more illustrious credits.

Guitar, keys and sax is Adam Rohrlick (Michael Buble, Colin James, Dr Strangelove); Sax and vocals Karen Graves (Diana Krall, Temptations, Long John Baldry); Trumpet, guitar and vocals Kyle Axeford (Whiskey Dicks, Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra); Drums and vocals sometime bandmate Greg Stuart (Frank Mills, Bo Diddley)

Be prepared to be totally entertained as “Van the Man” brings with the utmost respect, energy and joy this great icon’s career to life.

He emerged in the early 1960’s as vocalist for Irish Blues group Them. Even in the early days, Van Morrison had a distinctive sound, and he laid down his uniquely expressive vocal lines with confidence and soulful conviction. So convincingly that songs like Gloria, Here Comes the Night and Baby, Please Don’t Go are still staples of Classic Rock & Blues radio stations world-wide!

And then in 1967 came Brown Eyed Girl, one of, if not the most iconic sing-along songs of the last century! Although wildly popular and widely considered his signature song, Brown Eyed Girl hardly begins to define Morrison as an artist.

Over the next five years, Van “the Man” would release some of his most ground-breaking and influential work, combining Celtic inspired imagery with an original blend of Blues, Jazz, Folk and Soul Music styles.

In 1970, Van Morrison recorded two albums: Moondance & Van Morrison, His Band and the Street Choir. From these two albums alone flowed a stream of enduring classics: And It Stoned Me, Moondance, Crazy Love, Caravan, Into the Mystic, Blue Money, Domino & I’ve Been Working.

In the half-century to pass since, Van Morrison has continued to write, perform and produce his distinct brand of Rhythm & Blues.

Vocalist Bruce Coughlan (Tiller’s Folly) fronts this six-piece music revue performing our picks of Van Morrison’s most lively, engaging and best loved songs!

Included in the revue are Bruce’s Tiller’s Folly bandmate Laurence Knight (Bass and Vocals) and a great cast featuring Adam Rohrlick (Keys, Guitar and sax), Karen Graves (Sax and Vocals), Greg Stuart (Drums and Vocals) and Kyle Axford (Trumpet, Guitar and Vocals).

Tickets: $52 Admission (includes GST, +applicable fees)