I think that this clip fits the brief pretty well: the oft referenced moment when Van Morrison overcame his crippling mid-1970s stage-fright to almost single-handedly rejuvenate The Band’s ‘farewell show’ at Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, and featuring in ‘The Last Waltz’. Many music journalists have humorously referenced Morrison’s high-kicks, sparkly outfit and odd stage manner, but for me this clip shows someone fully giving himself over to the music, and brings Morrison’s fascinating contradictions into sharp relief – his religious devotion to music and performing combined with his shyness and taciturnity. Van The Man’s vocal performance is exceptional, as is The Band’s backing – for me, this clip is truly life-affirming.
Well that's it for another week dear reader. Broadly speaking, everyone who enjoys Americana as a genre has their own story about how The Band came into their world - for me, it was taking a year out after school to live in Sydney where I bought an album by…
Impressive and sophisticated first album from Spain’s deep south. The Americana community reaches from Alabama to Alaska and from Australia to Andalusia. Andalusia? The last of these may not spring immediately to mind alongside such established acts as Jason Isbell from Muscle Shoals, Alabama and more recently The Teskey Brothers…
My first opportunity to contribute to the 'Classic Clips' feature finds me returning to the same artist that was the subject matter for my first, 'Classic Americana Album' article back in March of this year, the wonderful Jesse Winchester. Championed by the royalty of the American singer-songwriter scene from the…
New Cross based fan of americana, country, folk and folk rock music. Besides that, I enjoy exploring the city on runs and walks, finding pubs and gig venues, playing guitar and watching some football every now and again.
