morrissey
Leeds Arena - March 20
WORDS & PHOTOS - John McEvoy
It’s been a couple of years since Morrissey has been in Leeds, and a lot has happened in that time with arguably one of our greatest and influential songwriters, and politically he’s become a controversial character with his publicly stated views, and he’s become (if it were possible) even more of an enigma.
His new album ‘I am not a Dog on a Chain’ is due out on the 20th March, and ahead of this he has undertaken a few dates in the UK and around Europe, on the back of his critically acclaimed recent US dates, and despite all the noise around Morrissey, what is clear is that onstage he has lost none of his punch, indeed, based on the performance I witnessed in Leeds, his rich baritone voice has never sounded better as far as this reviewer is concerned.
As is the norm with Morrissey, there is no support band, only a short film covering his well-documented influences, both musically and politically, and then just before 8:45 his 5-piece backing band arrived on stage along with the main man to a rapturous welcome from the Arena crowd.
Straight into his cover of the old Elvis tune, ‘You’ll be gone’, the band sounded powerful and Morrissey’s vocals were strong and clear. The first of The Smiths tune ‘The Boy With The Thorn In His Side’ was rapturously welcomed by the crowd, and I can honestly say that as someone who’s old enough to have seen The Smiths in their prime, this current version sounded as every bit as good to me.
As always between songs it wouldn’t be a Morrissey gig without his comments about literally everything and anything, and he didn’t disappoint tonight either.
‘You know the reviews will be bad and snotty about me. That’s the way of the world is’ and the fact that ‘British radio won’t play his music anymore’ were just some of his quips throughout the gig.
The one thing I know for sure is that as with The Smiths, he still has a huge number of people who are utterly devoted to him, and was striking to see that there was a large percentage of people at the venue who were clearly not even born when The Smiths were at the top of their game.
His subsequent solo material whilst maybe still not as strong as his early offerings, still manages to hit the mark more often than not, and this is to his credit.
‘Munich air Disaster 1958’ struck a poignant note in the set, the old Pretenders tune ‘Back on the Chain Gang’ was a well reversion which went down well with the Leeds crowd.
One of my personal favourites ‘Never Again Will I Be A Twin’ was powerfully delivered with his band providing a barrage of thunderous drums and screeching guitars, and Morrissey’s vocals overlaid and sounding crisp and clean. (Compliments to the sound engineers by the way for the gig. Arena sound can often be spectacularly terrible, but this gig was absolutely bang on)
“Jacky’s Only Happy When She’s Up On Stage’ brought the gig to a close and as always with Morrissey, you’re never quite sure if he’s going to do an encore or not, but luckily he came back on to and played The Smiths tune, ‘Half A Person’ which I know he hasn’t played live for years, and if he had ended the gig there and then, that would be been a perfect way to finish.
But a pounding version of ‘Irish Blood, English Heart’ finally brought proceedings to a close with Morrissey whirling like a dervish, and with the final act of throwing shirt into the crowd, he was gone in a flash.
Love him or loath him, the one thing you can’t deny he has been, and continues to be, a hugely influential and increasingly controversial character in popular music and culture.
As far as I’m concerned, we need more people like him around.
Final thought … as we made our way out, the final sight was watching 2 grown men fighting over the shirt that Morrissey had thrown into the crowd at the end of the set. Wonder who won that one, and doubtless it’ll have ended up on eBay!
Set list:
· You’ll Be Gone
· I Wish You Lonely
· The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
· Jim Jim Falls
· At Amber
· Morning Starship
· Lady Willpower
· That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore
· Once I Saw The River Clean
· If You Don’t Like Me, Don’t Look At me
· Munich Air Disaster 1958
· World Peace Is None Of Your Business
· Seasick, Yet Still Docked
· I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris
· Home Is A Question Mark
· Love Is On Its Way Out
· Back On The Chain Gang
· Never Again Will I Be A Twin
· I’ve Changed My Plea To Guilty
· Some Say (I Got Devil)
· Jack The Ripper
· Jackys Only Happy When She’s Up On Stage
Encore
· Half A Person
· Irish Blood, English Heart
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