Normally the most taciturn of performers, Van the Man was on top form this week when it came to showing off the sunnier side of his personality and appearing cuddly, making the odd quip and even asking the audience foor requests.

Things had started really well with his talented daughter Shana doing a fine job in the warm-up before her father came on.

She stayed on stage to accompany dad as a back-up singer, but it started going down hill.

Morrison was too jazzy for the most part. Too mellow, too middle of the road and too romantic.

I feel he is at his best when he is raw, edgy and singing the blues or the best from the Astral Weeks and Moondance albums, his masterpieces.

There were glimpses of him at his best but they were far too fleeting.

True, there was a great version of Baby, Please Don’t Go which promised better things to come.

But they did and I was, sadly and ashamedly, rather glad he did go and didn’t come back for an encore on this form.

Iwan Gabe Davies