As a handful of fantastic concert albums attest, Van Morrison is a scintillating live performer, but none is a better representation of his curious onstage magnetism as 1984’s fantastic Live At The Grand Opera House Belfast. Having recently returned to Ireland following an extended residence abroad, he clearly enjoys his prodigal status as much as his audience. And fronting an exquisite band, absolutely everything works: from rocked up workups of recent up-tempo tunes like “Dweller On The Threshold” and “Full Force Gale”, to a brilliant, free-associating reading of the meditative “Rave On, John Donne”, to a crushingly lovely version of the soul standard “It’s All In The Game”, it’s clear this native son has made it back with every intention of reclaiming the domain. Anyone interested in Van’s doings in the 1980’s would be well advised to begin here.