Joe Creighton Inhabits Van the Man
Reviewed by Maireid Sullivan
Published February 2012, in Tintean, the journal of the Australian Irish Heritage Network.
Belfast-born, Melbourne-based musician Joe Creighton is taking his tribute to Van Morrison "Into the Mystic" on the road, in a series of intimate concerts, in the lead-up to a major concert series production.
Since he left Belfast at the age of eighteen, traveling the world and finally settling in Australia, Joe Creighton has become a highly sought after bass-player, guitarist, singer/songwriter and recording artist. He is an integral part of the Australian music scene, touring and recording with Olivia Newton-John, Kylie Minogue, John Farnham, Joe Camilleri and the Black Sorrow, – to name just a few of the great artists Joe has worked with.
My partner and I attended the second sold-out performance of his new show on 20 January, at the beautiful state-of-the-art Burrinja Cultural Centre, in Upwey. As soon as his accompanists started playing, and Joe raised his voice, I felt in my bones that this was going to be a special experience. The band was in top exploratory form, digging deep into Van’s trademark Irish combo of jazz, R&B, blues, and pop, performing flawlessly on a wide cross-section of Van Morrison’s enormous repertoire. Joe’s concert program took us on a journey that began in the 60s and continued through the decades encompassing Van Morrison's worldwide hits with a sprinkling of some of the more mystical poetic songs from the "Astral Weeks" album. When he invited the audience to sing along on ‘Gloria’, the excited crowd nearly raised the roof!
Astral Weeks songs lost none of their sophisticated instrumental intensity onstage; the band's crack timing with tempo and volume proved they knew those melodies inside and out. On almost all the songs, Joe allowed the spotlight to turn on each band member, and not just for a few notes. The cumulative effect was that of a terrific concert with Creighton clearly enjoying the band’s individual contributions.
Creighton's quartet took Van Morrison's songs to new depths, with arrangements that are bold, exciting, provocative and totally refreshing. Listening to the performance, I was amazed at how Joe could completely transform his musical persona - yet retain what made Van’s music so great in the first place. If you closed your eyes - you'd swear that was 'Van the Man' performing in front of you. To quote Brian Wise, music journalist and radio DJ, "Joe Creighton gives one of the best readings of a Van Morrison song that I have heard." High praise from a man who is an ardent Van Morrison fan and who has seen Van performing live many times.
All in all, an outstanding concert. Here's hoping there will be another opportunity to see him again soon.
