Van Morrison Tribute Concert is This Friday, Oct. 23 in Wellsboro

Moondance: The Ultimate Van Morrison Tribute Concert is at 7:30 p.m. this Friday, Oct. 23, in the Coolidge Theatre at the Deane Center for the Performing Arts at 104 Main Street in Wellsboro. Tickets, if available, will be sold at the door.

A professional musician since the late 1950s, Morrison plays guitar, harmonica, keyboards, drums and saxophone. Before going solo, he first gained international attention as the lead singer for the R&B band Them that he co-founded and fronted from April of 1964 when he was 18 until he left in August of 1966 to pursue his solo career.

Performing Friday night will be Peter Fitzsimmons, the lead singer, backed by Joseph Torra on keyboards; Dana Welts on guitar; Dan Broad on bass guitar; Aaron Dean on saxophone; and Vinnie Brandi on drums. Welts and Broad are also backing vocalists.

“We put this show together because Van Morrison is a popular singer/songwriter who rarely performs in the United States,” said Vinnie Brandi of Galaxy Entertainment, producer of the Moondance tribute concert. “When he does, it’s usually a short run,” Brandi added. “People don’t get to see ‘Van the Man’ in person much anymore compared to other musicians who are constantly on tour.”

A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Morrison impresses music lovers around the globe. “Rock and roll doesn’t get any better than Van Morrison,” Brandi said.

“The audience can count on hearing the stories behind his songs and other tidbits,” Brandi noted.

Born on Aug. 31, 1945 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the 81-year-old Grammy Award-winning Morrison released his 47th studio album, “Remembering Now” on June 13, 2025, marking his return to original songwriting; and, on January 23, 2026, his 48th studio album, "Somebody Tried to Sell Me a Bridge” with guest artists, Taj Mahal, Buddy Guy, and Elvin Bishop performing a mix of original songs and blues standards and covers.

During this Friday’s concert, the audience will hear Morrison’s classic rock songs like “Brown Eyed Girl” released in 1967 as a single and on his debut solo studio album, “Blowin’ Your Mind”; “It Stoned Me,” “Moondance,” “Caravan” and “Into The Mystic” from his third studio album, “Moondance” released in 1970; “Domino,” the opening track of his fourth studio album, “His Band and the Street Choir”, also released in 1970; and legendary tunes like “Tupelo Honey” and “Wild Night” from his fifth studio album “Tupelo Honey” released in 1971.

The band will also perform other Morrison hits, such as “Shakin’ All Over” from his 2023 45th album “Accentuate the Positive”; “Days Like This” from his 23rd 1995 same titled album; “Cleaning Windows” from his 13th 1982 “Beautiful Vision” album; and “Bright Side of the Road” from Morrison’s 11th 1979 album “Into the Music”.

Per person admission is $30 for a tabled ticket and $30 for theatre seating with no table. With a tabled ticket, it’s $10 to reserve a small table that seats four and $20 to reserve a large table that seats eight. There is an online transaction fee for tickets and tables.

Call the Deane Center at 570-724-6220 or visit deanecenter.com for more information