<*dv_0*>Now is the winter of our discontent
<*dv_2*> Made glorious summer by this sun of York*
Or to be more precise by this son of Manchester (and step-son of Los Angeles). Morrissey, appearing on the first night of a two-date stopover at the Royal Albert Hall, entered the fray to resounding applause and adoration from an expectant and eclectic English audience containing as purest a cross-section of society as can be found this side of Kensington.
Decked resplendently head to toe in this season's black, and displaying the bodily contortions and physical mimicry of a budding thespian auditioning for Richard III, the slightly greying but still stylishly coiffeured one and his band of now 'thicker round the waist' rockabillies immediately got the evening's entertainment up and running with a surprisingly effective version of The Smiths' I Want the One I Can't Have. The excellent choice of song to open the show set the tone for the night with an intriguing set list containing 5 songs from Viva Hate, 3 B-sides, 3 Smiths tracks, a solitary Vauxhall and I number (Speedway) and 5 new and as yet unreleased songs.
Of the back catalogue performed tonight the old live classics were all there; such as Suedehead, Everyday is Like Sunday (with rhythm guitar being replaced by Boz Boorer's banjo here), Jack the Ripper, Sister I'm a Poet and Hairdresser on Fire. However, there were also some intriguing and interesting choices such as the rendition of Meat is Murder, in which the audience were bathed in a haze of blood red lighting to add extra effect and the equally heart felt and poignant performance of Late Night, Maudlin Street. The night's proceedings came to an end with the encore of There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, which brought particular joy and satisfaction to a pair of large flag (a red Liverpool Football Club style with the aforementioned song title emblazoned across it) waving individuals evidently still stranded in a mid-1980's time warp, bless 'em.
Appearing considerably more loquacious than usual, and no less cynical and sarcastic, in particular towards the British music industry and charts; Morrissey exuded a confidence and on stage presence to match what is quite possibly a period in his life where he has developed his strongest vocal abilities yet. The five new songs he performed, with Irish Blood, English Heart and I Like You particularly standing out, also clearly demonstrated a new lease of life in his song writing, which may not go on to surpass the highly esteemed 'return to form' album Vauxhall and I, but certainly will go a long way to exorcising the ghosts of the immensely disappointing and lightweight collection of songs which were Southpaw Grammar and Maladjusted.
Set-List
I Want The One I Can't Have
Hairdresser On Fire
Suedehead
<*dv_1*> Little Man, What Now?
The First Of The Gang To Die
Jack The Ripper
I Like You
Mexico
Sister I'm A Poet
Alsatian Cousin
Everyday Is Like Sunday
The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores
Meat Is Murder
Irish Blood, English Heart
Late Night, Maudlin Street
Speedway
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out <*dv_4*>* Shakespeare, William. King Richard III. Act i. Sc 1.
<*dv_3*>Submitted by Jon Henderson |
