The music of Van Morrison is coming to Parksville thanks to the members of Moondance: The Van Morrison Songbook.
This group of seasoned musicians will play songs from across Van Morrison's career, including well-known hits like "Brown Eyed Girl" and lesser-known gems.
Moondance will be in concert at Knox United Church (345 Pym St.) for a matinee show on Oct. 6.
“We’re bringing a six-piece group, so we actually have the horn section so we can do justice to Van’s songs which actually have a lot of horns in them," said Laurence Knight, who plays bass, plus vocals and is also a co-producer.
This will be Moondance's debut in Parksville, but the members are no strangers to the area.
Knight and lead vocalist Bruce Coughlan have performed in the area numerous times over the years with their other band Tiller’s Folly, and they're excited to return.
Together, the two have toured for decades from Nashville to the UK and across Canada.
Concertgoers can expect to hear a selection of tunes that include 'Gloria', 'Here Comes the Night' and 'Baby, Please Don’t Go' that remain popular today and are staples of classic rock radio stations.
“One of my favourite ballads to play live is 'Into the Mystic'," said Knight. "And 'Into the Mystic' with the horns section — it really sings.”
He also enjoys performing more up tempo tunes, such as 'Domino', 'Come Running' and 'Cleaning Windows'.
The name 'Moondance' comes from one of Van Morrison's best loved albums, released in 1970, Knight added.
“I would say a lot of the repertoire is from that record because there’s so many hits, that record had so many hits," he said.
The band members includes, in addition to Knight and Coughlan, Karen Graves (saxophone and vocals), Greg Stuart (drums and vocals), Adam Rohrlick (guitar, keyboard and saxophone) and Geeta Das (trumpet).
Lead vocalist Coughlan was recently crowned as the top male vocalist for 2024 by the International Singer Songwriter Association, while Knight has toured and recorded with Shari Ulrich, Roy Forbes, Jerry Doucette and Long John Baldry.
The other band members are also seasoned musicians, Knight added, and have played with famous acts such as Michael Buble, Colin James, the Temptations, Frank Mills, Bo Diddley, Adele and Kanye West.
The concert at Knox United Church starts at 2:30 p.m. Doors open at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door. They are available online at Eventbrite and at local retailers Close to You Boutique, Fireside Books and Edge Outdoors.
