--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For a long time, I couldn't actually deal…" description: "\"For a long time, I couldn't actually deal with playing concerts, it was a totally alien concept to me, 'cos I was used to playing in clubs and dance ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/van-morrison-1192_aliens_for-a-long-time-i-couldn-t-actually-deal_2628733.jpg" --- # For a long time, I couldn't actually deal with playing… ![“For a long time, I couldn't actually deal with playing concerts, it was a totally alien concept to me, 'cos I was used to playing in clubs and dance halls.” quote by Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/van-morrison-1192_aliens_for-a-long-time-i-couldn-t-actually-deal_2628733.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/van-morrison-1192_aliens_for-a-long-time-i-couldn-t-actually-deal_2628733.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/van-morrison-1192_aliens_for-a-long-time-i-couldn-t-actually-deal_2628733.jpg) > “For a long time, I couldn't actually deal with playing concerts, it was a totally alien concept to me, 'cos I was used to playing in clubs and dance halls.” [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He struggled to adapt to concert venues after being accustomed to intimate club settings, feeling alienated by the scale and formality of concerts. **In simple terms:** He felt concerts were foreign after club gigs. Key Takeaway Embrace new performance contexts gradually. Themes adaptation performance environment career growth Mood anxious reflective Type advice personal narrative When to use this quote - musician - tour planning - venue selection Key Concepts Stage fright audience expectation scale transition Questions to Reflect On - How can artists ease the shift from small venues to large stages? - What support systems help musicians adapt? A Different Perspective Concerts demand different preparation than clubs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aliens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aliens/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Clubs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clubs/) [Clubs Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clubs-dance-2171901/) [Concepts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concepts/) [Concerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerts/) [Concerts Totally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerts-totally-2171902/) [Deals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deals/) [Halls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/halls/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Playing Clubs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-clubs-433666/) [Playing Concerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-concerts-2171900/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Used Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used-playing-961912/) ## Related quotes > [For a long time, I couldn't actually deal with playing concerts; it was a totally alien concept to me, 'cause I was used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/for-a-long-time-i-couldn-t-actually-deal-with-playing-concerts-it-was/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I've been playing concerts for many years, and it's still as exciting as it was the first time. I hope that shows when I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanilla-ice/i-ve-been-playing-concerts-for-many-years-and-it-s-still-as-exciting/) [Vanilla Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanilla-ice/) > [I don't necessarily enjoy playing concerts, although that has gotten more fun with a band. But the one thing I always have enjoyed is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-ervin-beam/i-don-t-necessarily-enjoy-playing-concerts-although-that-has-gotten/) [Samuel Ervin Beam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-ervin-beam/) > [When I go to dance clubs, I always dance with big girls, so we finish at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-iglesias/when-i-go-to-dance-clubs-i-always-dance-with-big-girls-so-we-finish/) [Gabriel Iglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-iglesias/) > [I like dancing but not in crowded clubs. I would rather dance alone than go to a club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/disha-patani/i-like-dancing-but-not-in-crowded-clubs-i-would-rather-dance-alone/) [Disha Patani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/disha-patani/) > [I had a client who was a professional baseball player once, and he would go to clubs and dance for seven, eight, nine hours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/i-had-a-client-who-was-a-professional-baseball-player-once-and-he/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [Yes, he is not unused to playing in midfield, but at the same time he's not used to playing there either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emlyn-hughes/yes-he-is-not-unused-to-playing-in-midfield-but-at-the-same-time-he-s/) [Emlyn Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emlyn-hughes/) > [I am constantly playing younger. I have a baby face. I'm only five-foot-one, so I am used to playing younger. I love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-maeve/i-am-constantly-playing-younger-i-have-a-baby-face-i-m-only-five-foot/) [Stella Maeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-maeve/) > [I'm used to playing basketball my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juancho-hernangomez/i-m-used-to-playing-basketball-my-whole-life/) [Juancho Hernangomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juancho-hernangomez/) > [My whole career I'm used to playing a lot of games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-belfour/my-whole-career-i-m-used-to-playing-a-lot-of-games/) [Ed Belfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-belfour/) > [I am used to playing when I am fit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-smalling/i-am-used-to-playing-when-i-am-fit/) [Chris Smalling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-smalling/) > [I was so used to playing at St Mirren and then Hibs all the time, so it was really important that the next place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcginn/i-was-so-used-to-playing-at-st-mirren-and-then-hibs-all-the-time-so/) [John McGinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcginn/) > [I really got used to playing Maura.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/i-really-got-used-to-playing-maura/) [Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/) > [As kids, we were used to playing football with anything that we managed to kick and whenever we got a ball, it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-jay-okocha/as-kids-we-were-used-to-playing-football-with-anything-that-we/) [Jay-Jay Okocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-jay-okocha/) > [Since my early days, I've been used to playing with older boys and strong defenders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-jesus/since-my-early-days-i-ve-been-used-to-playing-with-older-boys-and/) [Gabriel Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-jesus/) ## More by Van Morrison > [The fog of illusion, the fog of confusion is hanging all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/the-fog-of-illusion-the-fog-of-confusion-is-hanging-all-over-the-world/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [Somebody's going to hear a song that will key in a nerve or something in their experience that represents their own vision. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/somebody-s-going-to-hear-a-song-that-will-key-in-a-nerve-or-something/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I realized that what I was looking for was doing collaborations with other people - people who can play a ballad, rock, jazz. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-realized-that-what-i-was-looking-for-was-doing-collaborations-with/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [It will make you feel good, and it will make you feel whole, when the spirit moves you and it fills you through and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/it-will-make-you-feel-good-and-it-will-make-you-feel-whole-when-the/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [ I'd much prefer to hear somebody like Ed Thigpen \[drummer with New York session group Stuff, and featured on innumerable hits\] take a solo.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-d-much-prefer-to-hear-somebody-like-ed-thigpen-drummer-with-new/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I've always listened to jazz or folk or blues. I was always listening to the prophets. 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Because in my experience, dope didn't give me those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/my-experiences-with-dope-were-not-good-for-me-i-had-to-go-another/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [You learn to read the audiences after a while, and there are all different kinds of gigs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/you-learn-to-read-the-audiences-after-a-while-and-there-are-all/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [You gotta fight every day to keep mediocrity at bay...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/you-gotta-fight-every-day-to-keep-mediocrity-at-bay/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I didn't know what some of the stuff on Astral Weeks was about until years later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-didn-t-know-what-some-of-the-stuff-on-astral-weeks-was-about-until/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [Sometimes you do know where the ideas are coming from and sometimes you don't. You might get a song coming through that you just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/sometimes-you-do-know-where-the-ideas-are-coming-from-and-sometimes/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [At the end of the day, we should give thanks and pray, to the one, to the one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/at-the-end-of-the-day-we-should-give-thanks-and-pray-to-the-one-to/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [Have I told you lately that I love you, have I told you lately there's no one above you. Fill my heart with gladness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/have-i-told-you-lately-that-i-love-you-have-i-told-you-lately-there-s/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I also like to do physical things. I like swimming a lot. I like traveling. Not touring traveling but just plain traveling. I also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-also-like-to-do-physical-things-i-like-swimming-a-lot-i-like/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [There's no man alive who has any answers. We all know that. It's like the guru trip. All a guru can do is direct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/there-s-no-man-alive-who-has-any-answers-we-all-know-that-it-s-like/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) [Explore all 276 Van Morrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) ## More Aliens quotes > [My days – the blossom of my youth and the flower of my manhood – have been darkened by the dreariness of servitude. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-o-connell/my-days-the-blossom-of-my-youth-and-the-flower-of-my-manhood-have/) [Daniel O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-o-connell/) > [Ay-firmative,' Eve said, and tried for a smile. 'Sorry. 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On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/the-respect-for-human-rights-essential-if-we-are-to-use-technology/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [“Intellectualism is a poor master over passion”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twe-stephens/intellectualism-is-a-poor-master-over-passion/) [Twe Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twe-stephens/) > [Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between. 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