Van Morrison announces outdoor gig at King John’s Castle, Limerick

Van Morrison has announced news of a special outdoor performance at King John’s Castle, Limerick on June 29th 2022.

Born in 1945, Van heard his Shipyard worker father’s collection of blues, country and gospel early in life. Influenced by musical greats like Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers, Muddy Waters, Mahalia Jackson and Leadbelly; Morrison was a travelling musician at 13.

The gifted talent sang, played guitar and saxophone in several bands before forming Them in 1964. After working with the band's New York producer Bert Berns on beautiful Top 40 pop hit ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ (1967), Morrison moved to another realm. Recorded over three days with legendary jazz musicians, 1968's Astral Weeks is a still singular album combining street poetry, jazz improvisation, Celtic invocation and Afro Celtic Blues wailing.

Reflecting on new life in America on the joyous Sinatra soul of Moondance (1970) and the country inflected Tupelo Honey (1971), he summoned old spiritual and ancestral life in the epic St Dominic’s Preview (1972) closer track 'Listen To The Lion'.

Double live album Too Late To Stop Now (1973) highlighted Morrison’s superlative performing and bandleader skills. Mapping out a richly varied musical course throughout the '70s, the now-76-year-old shone among an all-star cast including Bob Dylan and Muddy Waters on The Band’s Last Waltz.

Having been awarded a Brit, an OBE, an Ivor Novello, 6 Grammys, honorary doctorates from Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Ulster, entry into The Rock n Roll Hall of Fame and the French Ordres Des Artes Et Des Lettres; the international reach of Van’s musical art is abundantly clear. In 2016, he was knighted for services to the music industry and to tourism in Northern Ireland.

Last month, Van received an Oscar nomination in the 'Best Original Song' category for his Belfast soundtrack 'Down To Joy'. The track provides a beautiful opener to Kenneth Branagh's Academy Award-nominated semi-autobiographical feature film.

With one of the most revered catalogues in music history and his unparalleled talents as composer, singer and performer; Morrison’s past achievements loom large. How that past informs his future achievements and still stirs excitement and keen anticipation.

Tickets go on sale for Morrison's Limerick outdoor gig at 9am this Friday via ticketmaster.ie.