Product Details

• Actors: Van Morrison
• Format: NTSC
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Studio: Listen To The Lion Films
• DVD Release Date: May 19, 2009
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001S2Q2XS
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #79,799 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

“I believe I’ve transcended,” Van Morrison sings in an extended, in-the-moment riff towards the end of the title track from his recent live album, Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl. Few would beg to differ, for over the course of this historic concert, Morrison seems to transcend age, time and whatever other affects turn some veteran performers into wan caricatures of their former selves better suited to halls of fame than halls of music. Now, for those who couldn’t be there to go “into the music” under that star-filled Los Angeles sky, Morrison has released a concert film—his first since 1990’s Van Morrison: The Concert—that documents the soulful evening measure for remarkable measure.

“It was an alchemical kind of situation,” Morrison has said of the 1968 New York recording sessions that yielded the original Astral Weeks, which, although poorly promoted by Warner Brothers upon its release, now regularly places at the top of critic and reader surveys of the greatest albums of all time. Forty years later, a similar alchemy prevails as Morrison and another group of musicians—some old, some new—come together for Astral Weeks:The Concert Film. Never one to repeat himself or rest on his laurels, Morrison doesn’t merely perform his classic album from cover to cover. He re-imagines it from the ground up, from a reshuffled track list and new orchestrations to a dramatically expanded “Slim Slow Slider,” transformed from a plaintive, three-minute album closer into a wailing, heart-wrenching eight-minute centerpiece. Throughout, from the first pluckings of “Astral Weeks’”s pizzicato bass line to “Madame George’”s stirring invocation to “get on the train,” Morrison stands center stage, singing, grunting, speaking in tongues, strumming his guitar and blowing his harmonica with such passion and vigor that it really is as though he is playing these songs for the very first time. To be born again, indeed.

“For me, it’s about going back to the source,” Morrison has said, and thanks to Astral Weeks: The Concert Film audiences can take that journey with him—back to the beginnings of an extraordinary five-decade solo career that has produced more than 30 albums, hundreds of songs and a worldwide popularity that continues to grow with each passing year. Thirty-five years after setting the gold standard for live recordings with the seminal It’s Too Late To Stop Now, with Astral Weeks: The Concert Film Van Morrison once again surpasses himself.  --Scott Foundas

Product Description

Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl: The Concert Film is an in-concert reworking of the musical legend’s historic 1968 gold-certified solo album. Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl: The Concert Film was recorded live over two nights at the Hollywood Bowl in November 2008.

Van Morrison first released Astral Weeks when he was only 22.  The recording immediately became a critically-acclaimed classic and is still considered one of the greatest albums of the rock era.  The fall 2008 shows marked the first time Mr. Morrison ever performed Astral Weeks in one complete concert set. Joining him was an orchestral string section and a band composed of world-class musicians, some of whom played with Van on the original Astral Weeks sessions 40 years ago. During the first half, the artist performed a number of the timeless classics he is famous for while the second half was an awe-inspiring performance of the Astral Weeks album.  Among the songs included on the concert DVD are: "Astral Weeks/I Believe I've Transcended", "Beside You", "Slim Slow Slider/ I Start Breaking Down", "Sweet Thing","The Way Young Lovers Do", "Cyprus Avenue / You Came Walking Down", "Ballerina",  and "Madame George." 

The Astral Weeks DVD also features special bonus songs, including a live version of “Gloria”  and unprecedented behind-the-scenes footage as well as a candid conversation with the artist himself talking about the meaning behind Astral Weeks, his decision to revisit the pivotal project, and his impressions of the music business. "The Hollywood Bowl concerts gave me a welcome opportunity to perform these songs the way I originally intended them to be", says Mr. Morrison, who amazingly held only one rehearsal prior to the concerts.

To rework Astral Weeks, Mr. Morrison added his signature stretching of songs in a manner unlike any before by creating new sections of songs live on stage.

Unbeknownst to Mr. Morrison at the time he planned the Hollywood Bowl shows, the concerts coincided exactly with the 40th anniversary of the release of Astral Weeks.  He took it as a sign this project was destined to be.  Astral Weeks broke new ground with its experimental free-flowing arrangements and deeply reflective songs. Mr. Morrison’s motivation to rework the music was to get back to his original signature sound: a blend of jazz, blues, classical and folk unique to Van Morrison.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars region coding, May 22, 2009

By 

The Ant (Woonona, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Astral Weeks Live At The Hollywood Bowl: The Concert Film (Amazon.com Exclusive) (DVD)

Just received it. For the benefit of non-US fans it is actually an all region 0 DVD and not the region 1 DVD in the Amazon description.

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A COLLECTORS ITEM !!, May 15, 2009

By 

Howard Phillipus "Howie" (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Astral Weeks Live At The Hollywood Bowl: The Concert Film (Amazon.com Exclusive) (DVD)

Just AMAZING! I was never really a Van Fan other than his top pop classic's like Brown Eyed Girl and Moondance...and then I sat back and listened to the CD of this that came out last month - an awesome experience many times over - and finally I had a chance to screen a copy from a journalist friend that got an advance of the DVD.

WOW! WOW! WOW! You feel like you are right on stage with the artist! And the music which at this point I was so familiar with from the CD just comes to life on a big flat screen and with a surround sound system.

Now I understand what Van says in his interviews about "Brown Eyed Girl" just being a throw away tune that the label made him write to get them top 40 airplay back in the 60's

THIS work of art is soooo complex and the Van the Man is sooo talented on Piano, Guitar, Harmonica and Sax! What he does with his voice, I can barely believe the sounds come out of his mouth. It's one thing to have HEARD it on the CD, but when you SEE it - that takes it all to another dimension.

And for those in concert reviews that I have read over the years about Van not facing the audience - well on this DVD now you can see why! He is not just the singer songwriter musician - he facing his band members and conducting them with masterful strokes of his hand/arms - taking what has to be one of the greatest collection of jazz musicians i have ever seen in concert and directing them on this incredible journey!

WHAT A GIFT THIS MASTER OF MUSIC HAS!

Van - OK you got me! As you chant so elequently "I believe I HAVE transcended!"

THANK YOU!

A NEW VAN FAN!

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Introduction to Van Morrison, May 15, 2009

By 

Joshua Miller "Anthony Miller" (West Hollywood, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Astral Weeks Live At The Hollywood Bowl: The Concert Film (Amazon.com Exclusive) (DVD)

I was introduced to Van through a co-worker who bought the Astral Weeks LIVE @ The HOLLYWOOD BOWL CD. He took me to the concert at The Orpheum in LA and i was floored by this artists talent. At my age [24] it is a rarity to find a legit artist nowadays with Reality "stars" and fabricated musical acts. Van is the real deal. Experience the real Van Morrison THE ARTIST with this DVD! I highly recommend it.