Astral Weeks On TV: Van Shows Why He’s The Man

Updated:

June 29, 2009 1:07 pm

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Van Morrison brings Astral Weeks to Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.

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Monday’s debut episode of Late Night With Jimmy Fallon was suprisingly music-centric.

House band the Roots helped Jimmy find his groove during a segment called “Slow Jamming The News.”

Justin Timberlake redeemed his days in N’ Sync with hilarious impressions of John Mayer and Michael McDonald. Fallon is an accomplished musical mimic — you could tell he was chomping at the bit to get in on the act.

But it was Van Morrison, the show’s first musical guest, who showed everyone what this “making music” thing is all about.

Backed by his Astral Weeks band, they plowed into a spiritual, driving, spine-tingling version of “Sweet Thing.” Afterwards, guest Robert DeNiro gave him a big hug. But Morrison’s star could not be eclipsed.

Check out the video below (skip to 35 minutes in), and pay special attention to the classical guitarist’s impressive shred-fest as the end.