There was some griping (and some attaboys) about the alcohol ban during Van Morrison's concert at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion Saturday.
It wasn't the pavilion's decision. The venue loves to sell beer. It was Morrison's move.
Morrison insisted on the prohibition, because he doesn't like people moving around while he's performing. He doesn't want fans making beer runs or restroom visits — or the talking and misbehaving that liquor sometimes causes. He is a delicate artiste.
“We didn't know his feelings about alcohol sales when the show was booked. Van Morrison hadn't performed in Houston for 20 years, so we were thrilled to get him,” said Jerry MacDonald, president of the pavilion.
“When we found out that he didn't want liquor sold during his show, we tried to negotiate with his people. We were negotiating right up to the day before the show. We asked if we could sell beer in the plaza area, away from the stage. But he wouldn't budge, and it was a deal breaker. If we insisted on selling beer, there wouldn't have been a show.”
Not to worry about the pavilion's tipsy jar. The venue sold a record amount of beer — and food — the next day during the sold-out Buzzfest 24.
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