Schedule-

5:30-6:30 pm- Sam will play a musical leadup playlist of artists that inspired or have been inspired by Van Morrison, including Glen Hansard, Damien Rice, Father John Misty, and Jeff Buckly. Free Sam-made Lemonade and Dark Matter Coffee coffee is available to attendees. It's also BYOB.

6:35 pm- Sam gives presentation on Astral Weeks, detailing its recording process and lyrical content

6:45 pm- Sam drops the needle on Astral Weeks

Classic Album Sundays, the most popular and respected classicalbum listening event in the world, is setting up shop in Chicago to expose your ears to a folk epic like no other. Saturday Audio Exchange, CHIRP Radio, Dark Matter Coffee, and event organizer Sam Willett will be celebrating the legacy of Van Morrison's Astral Weeks by listening to it in its entirety on vinyl.

The songs on Astral Weeks (1968) are a far cry from the blissful pop of the hit single “Brown Eyed Girl”, which had been released the previous year. Astral Weeks is spare, sprawling, and lyrically demanding. Instrumentally, it blends folk, blues, jazz, and classical music to soundtrack his deeply emotional lyrical poems. Morrison sings with all of his soul, and his tenor is indisputably unique and powerful. Astral Weeks is instrumetally stunning and pretty, but its lyrics reveal the dark side of his mind.

Saturday Audio Exchange, a well-renowned Chicago independent music dealer, will be providing a custom-curated hi-fi audio system to make this experience come to life on vinyl. In attending the event, you will listen to the album as if you are watching a movie- no phones, no distractions, and complete focus on the beauty engrained in Astral Weeks. Take a look at the sound equipment Classic Album Sundays typically uses at their events here. 

When the event starts, a vinyl-exclusive playlist, including artists that influenced and have been influenced by Van Morrison will be played. Attendees should take this warm up time to take a look around Saturday, visit with our event partners, socialize with new and old friends, and drink beverages. When we have a full house, we will give attendees a ten minute warning to use to the bathroom and make any phone calls before the album starts. Then, Sam will introduce the album drop the needle. From there, your mind should be completely involved with the album and prepared for a musical adventure.