Recorded across 1973 at shows in London, Los Angeles and Santa Monica, It’s Too Late To Stop Now presented Van Morrison at the absolute peak of his powers as a performer and is – perhaps by extension – one of the finest live albums ever released. (No Live And Dangerous-style overdubs for Van, either. He binned off a version of Moondance from the original album for the sin of having one bum guitar note on it.)

Backed by the eleven-piece Caledonian Soul Orchestra, the symbiotic power and almost telepathic intuition with which leader and band move as one through these songs is astonishing. Morrison wanted every night’s performance to be different, right down to the phrasing of the songs themselves, and you can practically see the musicians reacting to Morrison’s slightest tick and movement as he loses himself in the spiritual power of the music.

Everything across its four sides is a joy, but the ten-minute Celtic soul review take on Astral Week’s Cypress Avenue that brings the curtain down is perhaps the best example of the magic captured here. In one of several breakdowns, you can hear one ecstatic audience member shout out: “turn it on!”. “It’s turned on already” replies Morrison with the confidence of a performer who knows exactly how good he is.