A PACKED weekend of programmes have been scheduled to mark the 80th birthday of Belfast crooner Van Morrison.
The musical icon turns 80 on Sunday, August 31 and BBC Northern Ireland is marking the occasion with a special ‘Astral Weekend’ of programmes and content dedicated to ‘Van The Man’.
“From Friday 29 August to Van’s actual birthday on Sunday 31 August, the sounds of the legendary Belfast singer will ring out from the BBC airwaves,” a BBC spokesperson confirmed this week.
“In addition to the music which will provide a soundtrack to the weekend for Van fans, there will be fun features and bespoke programming on BBC Radio Ulster across the two days,” they added.
Van Morrison turns 80 this weekend (Pic: BBC)The action kicks off on Friday, August 29 where the channel’s Thought For The Day from the Reverand Chris Bennett will have a Van Morrison theme.
On 6.30am on Saturday, August 30, Kerry McLean will be opening the station with a Van classic and, at 8am, Your Place And Mine will come from Co. Down as they visit some of the local beauty spots name-checked in Van's song Coney Island.
At 11am, Saturday With John Toal will revisit more significant landmarks from the singer's past and, at 6pm, Taylor Johnson celebrates some of the best Van Morrison cover versions.
At 8pm Neil Martin looks back at many folk recordings of Van The Man in Folk Club before Mike Edgar brings the station to a close with The Late Show which will feature four of the artist's best loved tracks in his regular "Old, New, Borrowed And Blue" feature.
On Sunday morning from 6.30am Kerry McLean returns with some well-chosen listener favourites from the Van back catalogue.
The Rev Steve Stockman will be on Sunday Sequence, starting at 8am, to reflect on the spiritual aspects of Van Morrison's songwriting.
And at 11am, Sunday With Anna Curran will play a selection of Van Morrison classics.
Later that Sunday afternoon at 2pm, Long Player With Steven Rainey will have a special ‘Vantastic' edition featuring Van's Avalon Sunset album.
The man himself will be celebrating his milestone birthday by giving a series of performances in Belfast.
Morrison, whose career spans a remarkable seven decades and boasts millions of record sold, will perform at the iconic Waterfront Hall in Belfast from August 30-31.
He will be accompanied by his singer-songwriter daughter Shana, who will also perform.
Widely regarded as one of the most successful artists Belfast has ever produced, the singer was awarded the Freedom of Belfast City in 2013.
He was appointed Queen’s University Belfast’s inaugural ‘Artist in Residence’ earlier this year.
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