Van Morrison January 13, the Colosseum.

As Van Morrison sang the opening line of the third song of the evening— “Well, it’s a marvelous night for a moondance”—it became clear to the sold-out Colosseum crowd that we were indeed in for a marvelous night.

The word on Van the Man has always been that his shows are either fiery hot or ice cold. Known for having dealt with stage fright over the years, Morrison, perhaps, has to be in a certain emotional state to deliver one of those “Wild Nights.” On this night, he was present in the moment and gave us one hell of a performance.

Morrison has few equals as a singer-songwriter, willing to bend genres more than others in his class, and he showcased that variety throughout the set. “Precious Time” has a real boogie woogie feel to it. “Jackie Wilson Said” is a perfect horn-laden homage to the titular singer. “Sometimes We Cry” is an introspective modern-blues number featuring a classic Van scat breakdown.

While casual fans can sometimes be turned off by the eclectic nature of his setlist, here the 71-year-old went through a number of hits from his catalog. “Brown Eyed Girl” was the sing-along of the night. Garage-rock classic “Gloria” handed each of his five band members a chance to showcase their instrumental skills.

And it's nearly impossible to mention the “Belfast Cowboy” without referencing the absolute epics he has written. “Into the Mystic” and “Tupelo Honey” went absent on this night, but “Carrying a Torch” sated the appetite of those desiring Morrison’s more cinematic side. We even got a tribute to old Las Vegas—specifically Louis Prima and Keely Smith—as Van and daughter Shana gave us “That Old Black Magic.”

It was an evening where performer and audience stayed on the same “Wavelength,” another of the night’s highlights. But then, how do you choose a standout in a set full of them?