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Live review: A triumphant return to Manchester for Morrissey

By Sarah Taylor

Article Summary

Mancunian legend, global icon, king of controversy, and master of misery – there’s only one Morrissey !

It’s a rainy Tuesday in Manchester and the city’s prodigal son is back for his first performance here in six years, tonight, at an unusually intimate choice of venue: o2 Apollo.

In recent years, Morrissey’s political persuasions and comments concerning immigration have courted controversy (and rightfully so!), but luckily, neither of these subjects come to surface. Tonight is purely a celebration of music and of Manchester.

There is no support act. Instead, a rolling montage of historic performances ranging from the Sex Pistols to Tony Bennett play out on a big screen, setting the tone for tonight’s concert. After 40 minutes of film footage, the lights dim and Morrissey and his band walk onstage together, and the instantly-recognisable opening riff of The Smiths ’ iconic ‘How Soon Is Now?’ kicks off.

“You’re amongst friends now” the 63-year-old singer tells his crowd of adoring fans, many of whom have camped outside in the pouring rain and cold to get as close as possible to their idol. From start to finish, the show felt like a religious experience.

There are few musicians who attract the cult-ish following that Morrissey has, and perhaps it was being sat in the balcony above the majority of concertgoers standing in the stalls but applause was loud, abundant, and prolonged in a way I have never experienced before at a concert. It’s difficult not to get caught up in the emotional torpor, especially during a delicate rendition of ‘Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want’.

Several audience members launch flowers, letters, and even a rogue cigarette onstage, the latter of which Morrissey picks up and puts in his mouth momentarily before flinging it back into the abyss, to be caught by one lucky concertgoer.

Morrissey’s set is packed with solo hits (‘First of the Gang to Die’, ‘Everyday is Like Sunday’, ‘Irish Blood, English Heart’) and an appropriate amount of Smiths’ tracks (‘Half a Person’, ‘Frankly, Mr Shankly’, ‘Never Had No One Ever’) for the casual listener, as well as newer tracks (‘Knockabout World’, ‘My Hurling Days Are Done’) to delight the diehard fans lining the barrier.

There’s a different backdrop for every song, including photographs of his literary hero Oscar Wilde, Bill Shankly, and Bowie . Sometimes he’s shaking maracas or a tambourine, and other times he swings his microphone around like a lasso.

He takes the opportunity to introduce his incredibly talented band of musicians who hail from every corner of the globe – from Colombia to South Korea, and back to “a Tesco in East Finchley”, invoking the crowd to cheer for them.

Morrissey acknowledges the significance of playing Manchester on October 4. It is 40 years to the day, and the exact hour, that “four not very sweet, not very tender hooligans” played their first show in Manchester. He is of course referring to The Smiths’ first live performance – a support slot at the Ritz, just a mile down the road.

Despite now living in America, the Stretford-born musician clearly still holds his home city close to his heart. His recent single, ‘Bonfire of Teenagers’ has a particularly poignant outing tonight, as he introduces it as “a song of our city, regrettably”, in reference to the 2017 arena bombing.

In a one-song encore, Morrissey surprises fans with the rarely-played Smiths’ cut ‘Sweet and Tender Hooligan’ – it’s one of their more raw and rockier tracks, and it sends the crowd wild. When he re-enters the stage he’s wearing a t-shirt with a large photo of Corrie veteran Ena Sharples – another display of adoration for Mancunian culture – though he does tear the t-shirt to shreds by the song’s end, storming off stage with urgency, and without a goodbye, marking the show’s end.

Morrissey’s shows are unpredictable and sporadic, but this one was undoubtedly special for everyone in attendance, and I’m certain that concertgoers got what they wanted.

• how soon is now?
• Johnny Marr
• Manchester music
• Manchester O2 apollo
• The Queen Is Dead

Sarah Taylor

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Review: One for the purists as Morrissey returns for his first Manchester gig in six years

The former Smiths frontman headlined a sold out Apollo

• 08:20, 5 OCT 2022

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The rain fell hard on this not so humdrum town, as the hardcore fans waited to catch a glimpse of their hero. Some had camped out overnight outside Ardwick's beautiful art deco Apollo, in the hope of clinching the best spot when its doors eventually opened.

The slightly less devoted spent hours in the queue after selfishly spending a night in their own beds, many travelling miles from far and wide, and even further than that. But it was all in a day's work for one of the most loyal fanbases in music, who long for that all important connection with the man himself.

And where else would they be, the night Morrissey returned to his city for the first time in six years? A lot has happened in the world since that August night at the Manchester Arena.

READ MORE : Morrissey fans queue for nearly 24 HOURS overnight outside Apollo with sleeping bags

During those intervening years, Morrissey, as ever during his storied 40 year career, has proved divisive and actively embraced controversy. His views on the monarchy and animal rights have been clear for all to see, and indeed celebrated by many.

For some, his apparent recent flirtation with far right politics was too much to stomach. However no such qualms were on display during this sold out show, a rapturously received, triumphant homecoming for one of Manchester's most famous sons.

For the devoted, the 90 minute set was a pilgrimage not to miss. Unbeknownst to many, the show also came with a remarkable anniversary.

"This hour, this day, is 40 years since four not very sweet, not very tender hooligans played for the first time in this city," Morrissey tells his audience. It was on October 4, 1982, that The Smiths, who by that point did not even include bassist Andy Rourke, performed a four song set just over a mile away at The Ritz.

Johnny Marr later recalled that only about '11 people' were there. Four decades later, without his famed axeman by his side, Morrissey began his Apollo set in front of a 3,000 strong crowd, with one of his old band's most cherished anthems.

As soon as that tremolo guitar kicked in and How Soon Is Now rang out, the 3,000 strong crowd were all in. This was no greatest hits, victory lap set, as Morrissey could have easily turned out.

Instead, it was a show for the purists, a level of fan clearly in the majority within the Apollo. Solo hit singles First Of The Gang To Die and Irish Blood, English Heart sounded as fresh as they ever have, while a reworked version of B-side The Loop and recent album track Knockabout World provided nuggets for the hardcore.

The more casual fan hoping for a Smiths heavy set may have been left disappointed, but Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want and a rare solo outing of Frankly Mr Shankly had even those in the upper circle on their feet.

Also featured were cuts from Morrissey's forthcoming 14th solo album, which he promised will be released soon. One such new track likely to cause further controversy was 'Bonfire of Teenagers', Morrissey's apparent response to the Manchester Arena attack.

"This is a song of our city, regrettably," he said, before a haunting piano riff began, played in front of a stark red backdrop. "All the silly people sing, don't look back in anger," he crooned. "All the morons line up and sway, don't look back in anger."

"I can assure you I will look back in anger till the day I die," he continued. Among the devoted, the track was well received, but its reception among the wider public upon the album's release remains to be seen.

The set cranked up a notch with the Morrissey classic Everyday is Like Sunday, and Smiths standards Never Had No One Ever and Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want. Emerging for the encore wearing T-shirt bearing the face of Coronation Street legend Ena Sharples, despite his years in Los Angeles and travel across the world, clearly Manchester is still a place he holds dear.

In a nod to tonight's anniversary, Morrissey ended with the raucous Smiths single Sweet and Tender Hooligan, ripping his T-shirt in two before vanishing into the October night. A Morrissey show in Manchester is a rare event, and at the age of 63, there may not be many more.

But when there is, the hardcore will be there, armed with camping chairs, sleeping bags and a deep devotion for all things Morrissey. And if he and his band are just as on form as they were tonight, it will be well worth enduring the rain.

How Soon Is Now

We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful

Knockabout World

First Of The Gang To Die

Irish Blood, English Heart

Sure Enough, The Telephone Rings

Rebels Without Applause

Frankly, Mr. Shankly

I Am Veronica

My Hurling Days Are Done

Half A Person

Bonfire Of Teenagers

Everyday Is Like Sunday

Never Had No One Ever

Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want

Jack The Ripper

Sweet And Tender Hooligan

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Morrissey at Brixton Academy

Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want, How Soon Is Now?, Sweet and Tender Hooligan

On Tuesday evening English singer-songwriter Morrissey took to the stage at Brixton Academy for the last London show of his 2022 tour. As the former frontman of iconic indie-rock band The Smiths, who were active in the British independent rock scene until 1987, Morrissey is no stranger to the stage, especially at Brixton Academy, where his group played their final live gig in 1986.  

Appearing in a sea of smoke and white light, the artist graced the stage by opening with the song How Soon Is Now? , made famous by his former band on their 1984 album, Hateful of Hallow . From the moment the lights went down and the music started, the entirety of the audience were lively and on their feet, and the melodic moodiness from Morrissey’s lyrics and voice filled every corner of the hall.  

Throughout the performance the crowd kept swaying and bobbing to the melancholy, yet thrilling music and lyrics, whether from solo hit singles like First of the Gang to Die and Irish Blood, English Heart , from the classic Smiths hits such as Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want , or on songs from the unreleased upcoming album, Bonfires of Teenagers . The excitement among the fans never ceased.  

As the night drew to a close, Morrissey finished his mind-blowing set with famed The Smiths song Sweet and Tender Hooligan , which brought the already rowdy room to more than just their feet: members of the audience began crowdsurfing, jumping the barricade and attempting to climb on-stage to join the singer during his concert closer.  

The celebrated 80s indie rock vet definitively proved that he still has his finger on the pulse of rock’n’roll and isn’t likely to loosen his grip anytime soon. Fans old and new gathered under one roof and witnessed a true once-in-a-lifetime gig. Without a doubt they will not be forgetting this performance anytime soon.  

Kirst Hubbard Photos: Miguel de Melo

For further information and future events visit Morrissey’s website here .

Watch the video for the single Everyday Is Like Sunday here:

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Live Review: Morrissey INEC Arena Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney Kerry 24,09,2022

Morrissey kicked off his Irish/UK tour with a date at Killarney’s INEC Arena, oddly opting for only one Irish date by not including a Dublin one. So as it was only one date and in Killarney this meant many attending the show had to travel and travel they did from all corners of Ireland and the UK (Maybe further afield as I only spoke to fans from Ireland and the UK on the night and morning after) When I got to the venue many were already queuing at the entrance’s, it was a standing & sitting show, so two very large ques had formed at the relative entrance’s. Doors opening just slightly after 7pm and those at the front making a hastily beeline for the barriers some even sprinting to get to the front. Later than billed (show time was given as 8pm but was more 8.30) the man himself and band arrived on stage with Morrissey carrying a packet of salt and vinegar Tayto crisps and looking at them with (going by facial expression’s) what can only be described as disdain, after this the show kicked of with huge cheers to the opening song We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful. During Billy Budd loud chants of Morrissey Morrissey could be heard to which he replied now now pace yourselves. Throughout the show each song was accompanied with its own projection on to a very large screen at the back of the stage, some of these being Bowie with Jagger / Peter Falk and other song related subjects. Too many fans delights Morrissey stepped forward a number of times to touch/shake outreached hands of those on the frontlines. Bonfires of Teenagers got the now well know intro of Morrissey words of disgust at Modern England (up till now he didn’t have much to say, but he seemed to come into himself and spoke more throughout the rest of the show) after this he picked up the tambourine for Everyday is Like Sunday and after I Am Veronica he announced he is Veronica. Here he cracked a joke about not being able to sleep at 4pm in the afternoon so went for a walk and entered a record shop where he asked the shop assistant had she anything by Morrissey. to which he got a blank stare and the police arrived shortly, ending this with don’t! worry I’m used to it by now lol. Then it was time for the third Smiths song of the night, that being Never Had No One Ever. Speaking again after this he was heard saying When you’re waiting on bad news sure enough the telephone rings and sure enough one did, loudly over the speakers and I don’t really need to say what song was played here now do I? lol. The Loop followed and then was the big surprised of the night, for the first time ever in Morrissey’s solo career FRANKLY, MR. SHANKLY was played! and brought us all happily on Jack The Ripper which finished out the main set with the stage covered completely in smoke to the point of no one on stage could be seen. Arriving back on for the encore with a shirt change for Morrissey, they kicked into the fifth and final Smiths song and another surprise as Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want has not been played since 2013. The encore consisted of two songs the second and last of the night was Irish Blood, English Heart during which Morrissey tore of his shirt, swung it around in the air before throwing it out into the crowd. Bet the caused a scramble at the front. 9.55 and that was it, just shy of an hour and a half of some of the best songs ever written in my humble opinion. Set List. We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful Our Frank Billy Budd Knockabout World Black Cloud First Of The Gang To Die How Soon Is Now? (The Smiths) Rebels Without Applause My Hurling Days Are over Half A Person (The Smiths) Bonfire Of Teenagers Everyday Is Like Sunday I Am Veronica Never Had No One Ever (The Smiths) Sure Enough, the Telephone Rings The Loop Frankly, Mr. Shankly (The Smiths) Jack The Ripper ______________________________________ Please Please Please Let Me Get What I want (The Smiths) Irish Blood, English Heart

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Ian Mc Donnell

Irish based concert photographer, maybe! ever so slightly addicted to gigs. Listens mostly to alternative / goth / folk punk / punk / ska. I blame the 80s.

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Viva Moz Vegas: Morrissey’s Misguided Set List, Excess Whimsy Hinder Caesar’s Residency

Only five songs into his Las Vegas set, shouts of “PLAY MORE SMITHS!” began ringing out. Unfortunately for Morrissey, it was a commonly shared sentiment.

When it comes to live shows, the “Perfect Set List” is like a unicorn vaulting over a rainbow. By definition, it does not exist.

Granted, a fledgling act with a single record under its belt has only one option – play their ten extant songs, plus whatever’s cooking on their next release. But any band with history and a respectable catalog faces a conundrum. Assume they have ten or more well-known chart hits in their repertoire, plus 20 other cherished songs the crowd would love to hear. A two-hour show thus becomes a game of Tetris, struggling to cram everything in before the curtain falls. Should they stick with the hits, thereby pleasing the majority of fans? Or excavate their deeper tracks, thrilling serious devotees but abandoning casual listeners out to dry?

Of course, certain exceptions inevitably prove the rule. Bands like Yes or Rush toured for decades, seeing the same faces year after year, in town after town. So they could afford to be more daring with their set lists. During their late 1990s ‘Long Songs’ tour, Yes dredged the full 22-minute version of “Ritual / Nous Sommes du Soleil” out of mothballs and absolutely brought the phreaking house down. Talk about deep cuts: This was Yes’ first time playing “Ritual” in its entirety in 25 years, and it remains one of the most outstanding live performances this reviewer has ever witnessed. Meanwhile, after a lifetime of concert experiences, the most perfectly-calibrated ‘majoritarian’ set list in memory would have to be Journey’s – every last hit played, with precisely zero fat.

Ultimately, geography also plays a role, even in today’s hyper-connected world. For those of us Stateside, this evening might be our one and only chance to catch Morrissey or any member of the Smiths live. Therefore, playing “Suedehead” or “Girlfriend in a Coma” would seem a no-brainer.

Not tonight, apparently.

Start with the good: Morrissey’s voice sounded fantastic. Not ‘good for his age’ (he turned 63 in May), but nigh on stunning, his adolescent croon having lost not an ounce of its underrated range. That is no small feat: Too many nostalgic acts hit the road way past their prime, charging a fortune to sound like a choking rooster. Aged vocal cords can rarely withstand the strain of nightly performances, leading to erratic quality at best. Over the past 15 years, Rod Stewart, Roger Daltrey, and David Lee Roth have all fallen prey to this affliction on occasion. It’s especially heartbreaking in Roth’s case, as anyone who’s tried belting “Dance the Night Away” on a karaoke stage will tell you. As for Morrissey’s backing band, they were tight, very talented, and younger than many of the songs they were playing. Ironic, but also par for the course.

Along those lines, another source of mirth during these venerable gatherings is the (ahem) overall age of the audience. Was Morrissey’s audience old? Not so much, at least compared to some 1970s nostalgia acts. Earth Wind and Fire, Steely Dan, Barry Manilow, and especially Donny and Marie boasted a much older demographic, with far fewer kids in tow. (For the geezer record, Manilow put on the best damn show of the whole bunch. Go ahead, sue me.) Plenty of 50-something Gen-Xers did lug their teenage kids along – logical, considering my car-bound teens beg to hear the Smiths rather than whatever underground dreck I’m reviewing for PopMatters that week.

Now, to the concert itself. Tee time was scheduled at 8:30 pm, which for an antiquated, jet-lagged East Coaster already poses a challenge. Is something wrong with 7:30? Elderly Matlock fans want to know. Then, when half past eight finally rolled around, the onstage screen came alive with classic music videos for 30 minutes . What? Nothing against T. Rex, New York Dolls, or the Sex Pistols. But the clock struck 9:00 pm Pacific – midnight Eastern – with nary a Smith in sight.

At last, Morrissey took the stage. He kicked off with “We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful”, a sensible, crowd-pleasing opener, followed by “Our Frank” and a rendition of “Billy Budd” good enough to justify disinterring 1994’s Vauxhall and I off the closet shelf. So far, so good, and the bouncing audience had yet to sit down.

Then the trouble began. 2020’s “Knockabout World” is serviceable as recent releases go, and no fan can begrudge a beloved musician playing some of his newer material. But when followed up with the brief yet seemingly interminable “Black Cloud” from 2009’s Years of Refusal, the show hit its first real snag. We were only five songs in, yet shouts of “PLAY MORE SMITHS!” began ringing out. Unfortunately, a commonly shared sentiment.

Without warning, like a hero rescuing his damsel in distress, came the show’s best moment. It’s said that anyone hearing 1988’s elegiac “Everyday Is Like Sunday” instantly and irrevocably falls in love with it, this reviewer included. Yet somehow, Morrissey improved the song, if not wholly reinvented it, by emphasizing his lead guitarist instead of the studio version’s admittedly gorgeous strings. Long-accustomed sublime beauty suddenly became in-your-face power, and the impact was electrifying.

Then, blah. Without harping on every song choice, “Never Had No One Ever” is a perfect dispiriting example. Those of us who wore out 1986’s The Queen is Dead didn’t exactly skip over “No One Ever”, but it was superior tracks such as “Frankly, Mr. Shankly”, “Cemetry Gates”, and especially “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” that kept us coming back. Why on earth select “No One Ever” above these indisputable classics? Former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr has been touring Britain with his son Nile (whose sparkling Covid release Are You Happy Now? may have saved 2020 single-handed). The Marrs have been closing their shows with “There Is a Light”, and the crowd goes totally bananas – not without reason. Moral of the story? Moping inside your tenth-grade bedroom is fine, perhaps even encouraged. But not in public, and especially not on stage.

Soon afterward, yet another complication arose. Morrissey is one of those artists whose fans simply feel compelled to jump up on the pulpit and hug. Sure, the first time was kinda cute. But by the 15th or 20th hug, the crowd groaned in frustration. For goodness sake, let the man play! Meanwhile, where was security? Back in the day, this reviewer once watched a Godzilla-sized bouncer tear a jumbo beach ball in half with his teeth. Rest assured that whatever psychedelics the mob happened to ingest on that particular evening, nobody wanted to be that beach ball. Ever.

Besides, no one here is anti-hug; when Bono embraced Kal Khalique during U2’s July 1985 performance at Live Aid, an entire planet broke down in tears. Yet, in this security-conscious day and age, one naturally fears for our celebrities’ safety. Morrissey soon became frustrated by the entire affair, and one cannot blame him. Wouldn’t you be after your 20th hug from a total stranger?

There was one last Smiths highlight on deck to enjoy. Fan-favorite encore “How Soon Is Now” had a low bar to clear, but soar it did, with a cool syncopated lightning storm from above. Then the former Smiths heartthrob vanished, having played for barely 75 minutes. Back in the early 1980s, the Cars’ reputation was sullied by microscopic 45-minute shows and a crushing indifference to loyal supporters. Given tonight’s overabundance of whimsy, not to mention prices north of $120, even an iconoclast like Morrissey risks alienating his audience.

To be fair, these ‘set-list’ vs. ‘hit-list’ arguments can go both ways. Sing too many popular songs in concert, and the peanut gallery labels you a sellout; dust off esoteric Track Eight from your 40-year-old debut LP, and casual fans will invariably complain.

But hearing “Suedehead” sure would’ve been nice.

• Morrissey: You Are the Quarry
• Morrissey: Twitter
• Morrissey: Facebook

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Morrissey review — in the wilderness, and in fine voice

Challenge yourself with today’s puzzles.

★★★★☆ He opened with How Soon Is Now? and it was wonderful, but is being wonderful enough? Morrissey, now 63, has long been a divisive figure. However, more recent public statements, including his support of the far-right political party For Britain, have made it difficult for some fans to continue to follow and enjoy his work. To attend a concert is to ask oneself: am I, with my presence and money, condoning his views? I would not buy his new music, but I listen to the old records with pleasure. I know people who do not have even that consolation. The Smiths, for them, are soured.

Clearly, not everyone is troubled by such quandaries. Indeed, it may be that a feeling of being embattled has

• Consequence

Morrissey Announces Fall US Tour Dates

The 14-date run kicks off next month

Morrissey has mapped out a new run of US tour dates set to take place in the fall.

The 14-date leg marks Moz’s first US headlining tour in three years. It begins in mid-November with a string of shows in California. He’ll then make his way east, playing dates in Salt Lake City, Denver, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee along the way. The tour finally concludes with concerts in Washington, DC, Brooklyn, Newark, and Boston in late November / early December. Check out the full schedule below.

A Live Nation pre-sale begins Thursday, September 15th at 10:00 a.m. local time (use code VENUE) via Ticketmaster , with a public on-sale following on Friday, September 16th. Get tickets here .

Prior to visiting the US, Morrissey will tour the UK beginning later this month . He also recently wrapped up a residency in Las Vegas, where he debuted a new song about the suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in 2017 and took a swipe at Liam Gallagher in the process.

Morrissey 2022 Tour Dates: 09/24 – Killarney, UK @ INEC Arena 09/28 – Blackpool, UK @ Opera House 09/30 – Doncaster, UK @ Dome 10/02 – Glasgow, UK @ SEC Armadillo 10/04 – Manchester, UK @ Apollo 10/05 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy 10/07 – Stockton, UK @ Globe 10/09 – London, UK @ The Palladium 10/11 – London, UK @ O2 Brixton Academy 10/14 – Brighton, UK @ Center 11/11 – Ontario, CA @ Toyota Arena 11/12 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre 11/14 – El Cajon, CA @ The Magnolia 11/15 – El Cajon, CA @ The Magnolia 11/18 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater 11/22 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Union 11/23 – Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre 11/25 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore 11/26 – Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theatre 11/28 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem 11/30 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre 12/01 – Newark, NJ @ New Jersey Performing Arts Center 12/03 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met 12/04 – Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway

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With Morrissey and Bauhaus Headlining, L.A.’s Cruel World Festival Conjured Dark Magic in the Daylight: Concert Review

By Lina Lecaro

Lina Lecaro

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A sprawling all-day springtime event celebrating the darker edge of ’80s music held under a brutal Southern California sun? It might sound antithetical, but the Cruel World Festival, which took over Pasadena’s Brookside golf course at the Rose Bowl this weekend, was a fitting, full-circle moment for music, celebrating and validating an often misunderstood — and even mocked — subculture. It was also a reminder that the U.S., and specifically Los Angeles, has long served as a welcoming home for gloomy post-punk — maybe even more so than the U.K.

Saturday and Sunday’s festivities highlighted the legacy of Gen-X’s dark side with a dynamic and defiant bill full of enigmatic weirdos and erstwhile rock heroes, most in their sixties or older. Indeed, all of the headliners – Morrissey , Bauhaus , Devo , Blondie, Psychedelic Furs, Violent Femmes, the Damned — have had extensive, storied careers as outsider artists who managed to break through with some mainstream hits, mainly via MTV and movie soundtracks. They are older now, but so are their faithful fans, and nostalgic allure can’t be overstated.

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If Woodstock-era classic rock exemplifies anti-establishment ethos and coming of age for the boomer set, new wave and dark wave embodies a different kind of self expression and view of the (cruel) world that came after it. It might be more cynical but it’s also more theatrical.

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Goldenvoice smartly saw this niche between Coachella and 2016’s Desert Trip (“Oldchella”) and, like many L.A. residents, we were excited to see them fill it when the festival was first announced a couple years ago. The promoters had to postpone both Cruel World and Coachella in 2021 due to the pandemic, and after two successful weekends with the latter in Indio last month, anticipation for Cruel World hit a fever pitch.

It didn’t hurt attendance that Coachella has consciously pivoted toward pop stars and influencer-friendly acts in recent years, and away from the band reunions and retro-rock act bookings of its early days. For those who started going to the desert fest in the early 2000s, this gradual shift was fine because it allowed for the best of both worlds — watching acts of your youth and catching new artists creating buzz. And Coachella could be relied upon for musical diversity — old and new, popular and alternative, with plenty of rock, hip-hop and dance offerings.

There’s a reason why Danny Elfman got so much attention for his Coachella set this year. An elder statesman of the scene (via L.A.’s Oingo Boingo and Tim Burton film scores), he delivered a performance in grandiose fashion, looking and sounding as magnetic as ever.

For this goth girl — who listened to Richard Blade and Rodney Bingenheimer on KROQ religiously, and went to clubs like Scream and Marilyn’s (not far from the fest grounds in Pasadena) donning excessive eyeliner, fishnets and black finery — Cruel World represented a return to the grim yet glam energy that made L.A. nightlife so exciting in the ’80’s and ’90s, and continues to this day. The fest accomplished that and then some.

Still, that scorching sun was no fun, especially seeing as walking felt endless at times — like Coachella, you’re exhausted from the trek just to get in. On Saturday, temperatures hit the 90s, and all the SPF, big hats and fanciful parasols in the world could not save you from melting. Sunday was a little bit breezier and better organized all-around, but for those who attended both, there was lots of chatter about “feeling one’s age.”

Indeed, if there was an underlying theme to the weekend, it might be the dedication of those in attendance to the soundtrack of their youth. Blondie’s “Dreaming,” Berlin’s “Masquerade,” Missing Persons’ “Walking in L.A.,” Psychedelic Furs’ “Love My Way” … these are timeless songs, even if they do mark a specific, and relatively short-lived, era.

Festival organizers Goldenvoice clearly know the signposts for this audience, as evidenced by everything from the stage names (“Sad Girls” and “Lost Boys”) to the concession stands (Tears for Beers), as well as the bookings, which included newer acts like Automatic, Soft Kill, Sextile, Drab Majesty and Blaqk Audio. Equally captivating and multifaceted, they provided the perfect balance to older gothfather / gothmother bands such as London After Midnight, 45 Grave and Gene Loves Jezebel.

It was also heartening to see so many young ghouls done up to the nines in corsets, sky-high creepers and kabuki-esque face paint — SoCal sizzle be damned.

The question on ticket buyers’ minds as the day progressed: how will the elders sound? Debbie Harry, Terri Nunn, Dale Bozzio and Richard Butler don’t exactly bear the vocals of their heydays, but they came pretty close. Their sets were exuberant flashbacks, with fans singing along to every word.

Morrissey was technically the headliner and Moz diehards were representing for sure, but many left before he even started, due either to exhaustion from the day or distaste for his politics.

Public Image Ltd. (PIL) frontman John Lydon is another contentious character, and a bit too screechy for some. Still, he was fun to watch on the main “Outsiders” stage, thanks to the more spacious and shady surroundings of the VIP area.

Other highlights included Devo, which doled out a vibrant, kooky and perfectly devolutionary set of hits, including “Girl You Want” and “Whip It,” along with their robotic but strangely groovy take on the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction,” all backdropped by vivid and wonderfully strange visuals. The band members donned their iconic yellow jumpsuits and red dome hats during the set, but it was the charisma of Mark Mothersbaugh (pictured above), Jerry Casale and company that made for an immersive sonic experience.

To that end, Bauhaus epitomized the spirit of Cruel World. While singer Peter Murphy did not hang upside down like a bat during “Bela Lugosi’s Dead,” as he did at Coachella in 2005, he did prance and croon like the beloved melodious vampire he is. (On Saturday, the singer took a minor tumble during the band’s cover of “Ziggy Stardust,” but got right back up.) Under a nearly full moon — appropriately, a lunar eclipse coincided with the festival — but often in shadow, Bauhaus’ potent set had moments of sheer macabre magic.

Here’s hoping Cruel World stays undead and returns for an encore.

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Morrissey: Liverpool Empire – Live Review

Morrissey Liverpool Empire 18 July 2023

Life-long Smiths and Mozphile Del Pike finds himself transported 32 years into the future to the Liverpool Empire to witness a very different Morrissey and a less hirsute audience to that of his youth.

As Morrissey embarks on gig one of his two night residency, scenes are looking very similar to July 24, 1991, when the then fresh-faced icon took the stage of the Empire with just two solo albums under his belt. The streets teeming with Smiths and Moz tee shirts, and quiffs rippled in the wind on that glorious night 32 years ago. In the eyes of any left-thinking individual, Morrissey could do or say no wrong. Times have changed, the tee shirts remain but quiffs have long since changed to shining domes, glistening in the rain. Morrissey’s far-right political comments too have made him less bulletproof, with many here tonight possibly having to face a moral dilemma before clicking onto a £50 plus ticket.

Having worshipped at the Church of Morrissey for most of my teenage and adult life, the decision to continue my support of Morrissey has been a difficult one, it is almost impossible to justify his views in recent years. He has always courted controversy as we know, but where once he created awareness and much hilarity, there is now a darkness and awkwardness in most interviews that has lost him a great many followers and denied him a record deal for the last three years.

That said, Lime Street tonight was alive with good and diverse fans, people who, like myself, want to celebrate the soundtrack of our lives. Arguably The Smiths were one of the very best bands of the 20 th Century, and Morrissey was their figurehead with an arsenal of the finest lyrics you could shake your gladioli at. Morrissey’s solo career has also outlived the reign of The Smiths multi-fold and has rarely disappointed either. Earlier songs such as Asian Rut and National Front Disco have courted controversy but were decidedly vague in their intentions, but in Morrissey’s more recent troubling years, his lyrical output has stayed much safer, his most recent album, I Am Not A Dog On A Chain recalling more humourous and charming lyrics in a throwback to The Smiths style.

And so, I enter the auditorium solely to enjoy the music and the spectacle, and already it feels like a party, a reunion where people don’t necessarily know each other, and are possibly alone like the protagonist of How Soon is Now? – but feel part of an exclusive club that has been alive for 40 years and shows no sign of dying, despite their leader’s misguided ways.

Morrissey’s advertised “special guest “tonight is a video mixtape of what can only be described as “ The World of Morrissey ”, a visual companion to Simon Goddard’s Mozpedia. 30 minutes of the inside of the artist’s head are projected widescreen for our pleasure. The expected stuff is there, The Stooges Search and Destroy kickstarts the reel and we see Bowie, The New York Dolls and Anthony Newley, alongside less obvious clips of The Who and a tribute to the recently deceased Jane Birkin, singing Je t’aime with Serge Gainsborough. True Smiths fans would appreciate the clips of Kenneth Williams, Minnie Caldwell from Coronation Street (talking about pussies) and Lulu in From Sir with Love. Civil rights campaigner and author, James Baldwin’s face appears on-screen in triplicate, a long-standing figure in Morrissey’s canon of backdrop and tee shirt icons and possibly a calculated response to multiple claims of racism the singer has faced recently.  He and his band casually appear beneath the images, making the most inauspicious of entrances.

Approaching the mic, Morrissey sighs the words to Cilla Black’s Work is a Four Letter word as a nod to one of Liverpool’s most famous daughters. That the song is one of the most vilified Smiths recordings, famously hated by Johnny Marr “ I didn’t form a group to perform Cilla Black songs ” is unexpected. As an intro to How Soon is Now, however, it is a stroke of genius.

Morrissey’s angst-ridden aged persona is so different from the elegant flower-flailing Smith of his youth and the growling delivery of this classic cut gives it a whole other life and meaning. Helplessness is replaced by heightened, anguished desperation as the lonely clubber paces the stage demanding an answer to his self-questioned “ So, when exactly do you mean? !”

Suedehead is a perfect follow-up in the classic track stakes, but perhaps the highlight of the night comes too early (in my view) with the epic Strangeways track, Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Having seen The Smiths and Morrissey live on many occasions, I can honestly say his voice has never sounded stronger. This is a song that demands searing vocals and that is exactly what we get. Perfection. The outro of the song, so beautifully performed by Marr on the album is given a heavy-handed treatment tonight, however. During Morrissey’s mid-career albums (Ringleader of the Tormentors and Years of Refusal), over-production and bombastic instrumentation blighted much of the output and this is an echo of that. Morrissey’s finer moments have often been his most tender.

2017’s I Wish You Lonely clearly has its fans and is performed well, but pales in comparison to timeless favourites like Frankly Mr Shankly, making its tour debut tonight and introduced as a song “… about someone you won’t have heard of ”. An image of Bill Shankly and Kevin Keegan appears as a punchline.

In another nod to his Liverpool residency, Morrissey tells us of his hobby of taking bus journeys to cemeteries and how he has been visiting the graves of Liverpool stars, Ken Dodd, Billy Fury, Cilla Black and to cries of dismay, Edwina Currie. “ Isn’t she dead yet ?” he asks, followed by mutters of the wishful thinking variety. Nice to see his Tory baiting hasn’t gone altogether.

We expect Cemetry Gates but instead, get an equally pleasing Girlfriend In A Coma in a set that is decidedly Smiths heavy so far.

More tory baiting comes in an uncomfortable routine where Morrissey asks the audience “ three questions ”. Do you like Fishy Sunack? Do you like Sadiq Khan? Do you like Zelenskyy?, the audience answers speak for themselves, but Morrissey’s punchline of “ Two out of Three isn’t bad ” is an uncomfortable moment to say the least.

Stick to the music Morrissey.

Our Frank, with Frankenstein backdrop, 2020’s Knockabout World and new track Sure enough, the telephone rings raise the mood, the latter’s lyric of ” Please be fair, You must tell the kids they live in hell now ”, show Morrissey has lost none of his lyrical humour.  As repetitive and hilarious as You’re the one for me Fatty, its all part of the charm. The Smith’s evergreen B side, Half a Person rounds up this lighter section nicely.

My Hurling Days are over, for me a low point of his otherwise pleasing last album is given an airing before the brooding Bonfire of Teenagers, his much-discussed account of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing. Referred to at previous gigs as England’s own 9/11, the song attacks the “ Morons who say Don’t look back in anger ” and “ Go easy on the killer ”. Its as heavy-handed and as passionate as Meat is Murder, and the Joyce / Rourke-trial baiting Sorrow will come in the end, with a similar tone, and evidences Morrissey’s power to convey when he truly believes in the cause.

It is worth mentioning at this point my personal disappointment that Morrissey did not mention Smiths bassist Andy Rourke who passed recently, especially given that Jane Birkin was referenced in both video and backdrop tonight.

The boy’s club image that has permeated Morrissey’s solo career, hitting a peak with an almost naked group shot (modesty saved by meticulously placed 7”singles) on the inner sleeve of the I’m throwing my arms around Paris single, is now less obvious and refreshing with the inclusion of guitarist Carmen Vandenburg and Pianist Camila Grey. Grey’s extended and intricate solo lead into Every Day is Like Sunday is a gig highlight which sees stage invaders grappled by security but welcomed as “ My Friends ” by Morrissey who hugs them dearly.

The Loop, B-side of Sing Your Life, has become a live favourite with its rockabilly heavy double bass and recalls the tone of that 1991 gig and Morrissey’s classic, bequiffed early 90s Whyte / Boorer / Cobrin/ Bridgewood / Day lineup.

Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want is an obvious crowd-pleaser and still ranks as one of the greatest songs ever written (again, my humble opinion), but can happily survive without drums, particularly the rumbling climax that we hear tonight.

The closing Speedway, an attack on the music press and Morrissey’s critics feels more pertinent than ever as his popularity wobbles along and is the one song that deserves the bombastic delivery of Mozzer’s big band.

A beautiful black shirt is torn to pieces by the cotton-hungry crowd and the band re-appear for an encore of Irish Blood, English Heart, Morrissey’s big comeback single from 2004, preceded by one final Liverpool tribute to Glenda Jackson and her belief in always being the “ Shepherd and never the sheep” .

More stage invasions, another destroyed tee shirt and the bare-chested Morrissey disappears leaving a desperate crowd baying for more.

Morrissey is still a hero to many and with two album’s worth of unreleased material waiting to be picked up, his critics are still a long cry from being a serious threat to Morrissey and his loyal followers.

Morrissey once sang “ You silly old man, in your mis-guided trousers ”, aimed at the likes of Mick Jagger and his generation of never say die troopers. The man himself has now reached that point and his trousers may well be as mis-guided as his politics. His stage presence however is as graceful and majestic as ever and tonight saw him at his confident best with no sign of retirement.

Morrissey can be found at Morrissey – MORRISSEY CENTRAL

All words by Del Pike, you can find more at his Author  profile

Photos by Hels Millington, author profile is here – you can find Hels photography at Facebook

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35 comments.

This is a very fair review that doesn’t dig the elephant in the room.

https://hopenothate.org.uk/

Oops…dodge the elephant.

https://louderthanwar.com/morrissey-02-apollo-manchester-live-review/

Richard Chorley, in the Comments section, gives you the facts.

Dear Mr. Robb. I understand your feelings regarding the fair exposure of Music Artists on LTW but, really, I would like to see you and everyone at your fantastic operation taking a stand in these terrible times of hatred and social breakdown. The actual review is quite balanced but that’s not the point. Is it morally right to keep on featuring an artist who has openly supported ultra Right Wing politics and is, by definition, contributing to the almost daily violence occurring in our towns and cities? I have never seen anything like this and I’m including the late 70’s/80’s when you cut your (Punk) teeth, John. Fight The Nazis, indeed. Please consider this request as I’m CERTAIN that the majority of your readership feels the same way as myself. PLEASE STOP FEATURING MORRISSEY AND HIS RACIST POISON. Thank you.

You’re not speaking for me.. I want to read reviews of this artists work.

Dear mr Rochdale, no- thankfully not everyone agrees with your misconceived views. I think that your call for censorship is a morally unstable position that threatens our democracy. Whether you disagree with someone or not shutting them down is harmful to debate and can exacerbate the issues you outline. Censorship is not the answer. Almost as an aside to this morrissey is NOT a racist (or indeed a nazi- such a lazy and thoughtless term thrown around these days which is offensive to those who have historically been at the receiving end of actual nazis). He has written and expressed several anti racist lyrics and sentiments and cannot be attributed to a single racist statement. He has also said categorically that he is not a racist. He is certainly guilty of being contrary and prepared to speak his own mind though. That’s where the art comes from. The affiliation with the party you reference is more to do with their peta esque animal rights stance and his 1950s romanticism around preserving cultures- not some desire to eradicate groups of society. I may not agree with what he said but I don’t start hurling lazy nazi labels at him and just put him in a “nazi” box. People are complex and when those people express themselves freely (rather than follow a script like 99.9% of modern artists) they sometimes come unstuck. Fundamentally though – not racist. I think you need some sense of proportion in your analysis and views. Demanding removal/censorship of others based on guardian hate pieces veers dangerously near the fascism you accuse him of. Thank you.

John, I’m not going to be drawn into any kind of “discussion”, here. You’re an intelligent man and Tommy Robinson’s, sorry, Morrissey’s “views” have been well documented. It’s a p**s-poor response to the social ills that I’m describing, in any way, but at least the cancellation/censorship/good riddance of Morrissey on LTW might go some small way towards stopping the rot (although it’s probably too late for us as a society, already). You’re the Gaffer on LTW, John, it’s up to you, mate?

You can’t be drawn into any “discussion”. Says it all.

It’s a time for action, now, not discussion, I’m afraid, Nick. In this case, I’m calling for some action to be taken by Mr. Robb.

The time is not for empty virtue signalling but for enjoying the live experience. He was great at the troxy on Saturday!

This is where it starts to get very messy. Are you asking for all media to not write about or mention musicians who have right wing leanings? or ones you disagree with? or ignore all cultural figures who are not ‘correct’? Should Morrissey only be ignored by LTW or by all media? the BBC? social media? Spotify? Of course this ban would have to encompass all ‘difficult’ artists like the Ramones, Ian Curtis, The Fall, Ted Nugent, Alice Cooper, Moe Tucker etc. How about cultural figures who have unsavoury private lives like maybe John Peel? or do you want this to be ignored? if ignored does that mean you agree with their activities? is it a case of burn all the books! or just the ones you don’t read?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00vc149

Worse than the 70s and 80s? As someone who comes from an area of the east midlands that was a hotbed of racist neo nazi groups in those days I seriously doubt that. Agree about the violence but thats driven by drugs and criminality in the places I know not racism. As for Morrissey sorry but I think any rise in the right wing will be fuelled by the ‘the my way or the highway’ cancelling and censorship lobby not aging pop stars like him or Lydon etc.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/video/2023/feb/10/far-right-protestors-set-fire-to-police-van-outside-merseyside-asylum-seeker-hotel-video

https://hopenothate.org.uk/2023/07/20/far-right-seek-to-exploit-campaign-against-asylum-seekers-accommodation-in-llanelli/

What on earth does this have to do with morrissey? Is he also responsible for the invasion of Ukraine? Or maybe climate change? You really are clueless.

Yes, you’re right, Nick, of course! The endorsement of extreme Far Right ideology which leads to these unprecedented levels of violence has got absolutely nothing to do with Tommy Morrissey! How silly of me! Move along now, folks! Nothing to see here!

Perhaps you are responsible for homophobua as you tap your empty words in your apple product manufactured in a country that doesn’t recognise gay rights or perhaps you endorse slavery as you munch your Ben and Jerry’s? Small acts don’t form the whole person. Get off your soapbox.

Hey, we’ve got to giggle at these Morrissey Deniers and Apologists with their stock phrases trotted out parrot-fashion haven’t we, John? Well, we would if it all wasn’t so deadly serious, eh, John! John—?

Don’t self flagellate for being a moz fan. He really should sue for the “far right” nonsense thrown his way. Do the people who use this term these days even know what it actually means in its horrible form throughout history anymore?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00vdxp0

Brilliant review well done Del x

I’ve often winced at some of the comments attributed to Steven Patrick too but why should that mean he shouldn’t be reviewed, that people should stop attending his gigs or that I should stop listening to his music?

We’ve lost the ability to agree to disagree, we’re unable to accept a different point of view, you’re either with us or against us. I disagree with the comments that made me wince but, I’d imagine, I could make comments that would make Moz wince and you too. And?

Exactly. The difference with morrissey is that he just refuses to play the fame game. Ultimately it has damaged him as he has lost a % of his casual audience and his albums remain unreleased. I too have thought sometimes – just play the game a bit! However he places his truth above all else. If we were all truthful and spoke our minds all the time we would also face exclusion. We are all complex. He is just complex on a highly exposed public stage. He is a true artist. People can’t deal with that- especially in 2023.

What is your opinion, John Robb?

It looks like you’ve got a weird obsession with John Robb here pal. You’re directing questions to him as if he wrote the piece, you’re addressing him in responses to other commentators and the whole thing just appears pretty creepy.

Get well soon.

You’re a real attention seeking hoor ain’t ya, Ritchie?! Get a life. Go conform to societies standards like the rest of your mates… Yawn.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00vdxr9

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00vdxrk

Richie Rochdale – You seem to be perfectly happy to dish it out but not so good at answering back so I ask again… Are you asking for all media to not write about or mention musicians who have right wing leanings? or ones you disagree with? or ignore all cultural figures who are not ‘correct’? Should Morrissey only be ignored by LTW or by all media? the BBC? social media? Spotify? Of course this ban would have to encompass all ‘difficult’ artists like the Ramones, Ian Curtis, The Fall, Ted Nugent, Alice Cooper, Moe Tucker etc. How about cultural figures who have unsavoury private lives like maybe John Peel? or do you want this to be ignored? if ignored does that mean you agree with their activities? is it a case of burn all the books! or just the ones you don’t read?

Hi, Abi, I’m really sorry but I’m not here to discuss these very important issues. I’m here to try to force John Robb into a corner over giving space to Morrissey on LTW (my go-to source for Music Coverage on the internet with fabulous, collaborative work BTW). As an aside, if it’s possible to deliver a Lecture, at the same time, it begins with, “Dear Morrissey Fans. Please open your eyes instead of your mouths”, and it continues in a similar vein. I’ve tried to “discuss” and engage with Morrissey fans, in the past, but it’s an impossible task. Instead, I feel that it’s far better for them to face with the harsh reality and human cost of the activities of such organisations as Patriotic Alternative or, indeed, the dogma of Morrissey’s beloved Anti-Islam Party. If they would be so kind as to watch the videos that I posted, perhaps they might remember Ali or Navid or Rachel when they are singing and dancing along to “Bengali In Platforms” or “Asian Rut” or “The National Front Disco?”

You appear to be not only an incredibly conceited person but also an entirely ignorant one. The national front disco is a lament to losing a son to far right extremism. Benjamin in platforms and Asian rut are social comments on the difficulties of fitting in with a dominant culture- in the 1970s. They are both a bit ham fisted in the way they are written but the intension is sympathetic (ah, the days of considering intension over immediate perception…..). Your inability to engage with anyone’s point says so much about you.

Please carry on with the personal insults, Morrissey People. The well established pattern seems to be a progression on to personal threats and menacing messages. Having achieved my aims of bringing the reality on the ground of support for Far Right ideas and politics to the attention of this readership (at the very least), I’ll leave you with my final words. You cannot defend the indefensible. I thank you for bearing with me.

I dont see any menacing messages – just slander against morrissey and a refusal to take off the blinkers by you.

Stand down Morrissey People, stand down. “Richie Rochdale” has now finished his drive by.

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Scottish Music Network

Scottish Music Resource

CONCERT REVIEW : Morrissey – SEC Armadillo Glasgow 2nd October 2022

Photo Credit James Edmond

“Blah. Blah. BLAH!”

For a man who is not normally of few words, most of which tend to be controversial, Morrissey’s introduction set the tone from the get-go; he meant BUSINESS.

Cutting a flamboyant, yet non-plussed figure, he tore into “How Soon Is Now?”, arguably the biggest hit from the band that made him, richoeting fans back to a long lost (but loved) time when Morrissey and Marr ruled the world. Now with a single handed stint spanning over 3 decades, Morrissey’s extensive back catalogue got an airing, including, “We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful”, “Billy Budd”, “First Of The Gang To Die”, “Sure, The Telephone Rings”, “I Am Veronica” and “Bonfire Of Teenagers”. Morrissey sauntered, sashayed and shimmied over the set, more on top of his game than he’s ever been.

However, as with ALL frontmen going it alone, it is the hits of the band that made you that your audience have come for; “Frankly, Mr Shankly”, “Half A Person”, “Never Had No One Ever” and an emotionally charged, “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” were embraced with a fierceness which will always be reserved for The Smiths, regardless of how successful Morrissey is in his own right.

The undisputed highlight came in the form of an impromptu piano version of “Auld Lang Syne” accompanied by a mass singalong from the crowd; something Glasgow do better than any crowd in the world – you play it, we’ll sing it – before melting effortlessly into the familiar opening bars of the anthemic “Every Day Is Like Sunday”, unifying all the outcasts, lost souls, weirdos and off beats in the room, saying YOU’RE NOT ALONE, just as it has for 30 years.

Morrissey kept chat to a minimum, but did reflect on the tabloids reporting on “half the crowd leaving” his last gig in Glasgow following his comments on Scotland’s First Minister, “Glasgow, you don’t know what I go through for you …” he quipped in his trademark melancholy manner. A rousing version of “Irish Blood, English Heart” closed the evening with Morrissey shedding both his shirt and suit jacket before bowing out, leaving his crowd baying for a second encore, which sadly didn’t come.

Morrissey is the unequivocal M in Manchester, but the adoration of him stretches way beyond Salford Lads Club.

Review by Siobhanne Beattie Photographs by James Edmond

Author: Admin_SMN

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Morrissey announces full dates and venues for 2022 UK tour

Details of the shows were first shared last week

Morrissey has shared full details of dates and venues for his forthcoming UK tour.

• READ MORE:  Morrissey at Riot Fest review: pop’s problematic uncle wisely shuts up and plays the hits

Last week, the former Smiths star announced nine forthcoming shows in Blackpool, Doncaster, Glasgow, Stockton, Manchester, Birmingham, London and Brighton along with his previously announced concert in Ireland .

Now, he has given a further update on the tour on his Instagram page. The jaunt will see Morrissey kick off the tour at the Gleneagles INEC Arena in Killarney on September 24 before wrapping up at Brighton Centre on October 14.

The tour will also include two London dates at the capital’s Coliseum and the O2 Academy Brixton on October 9 and 11. Ticket details are yet to be announced but you can view the full list of tour dates below.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Morrissey (@official_morrissey_central)

Morrissey’s last UK date was at London’s SSE Arena, Wembley in March 2020.

Last month, the former Smiths man said that songs from his long-mooted fourteenth solo album ‘Bonfire Of Teenagers’ will be given their debut at his forthcoming Las Vegas residency . A  post  on his website said: “The Morrissey concerts in Las Vegas in July will showcase songs from the album ‘Bonfire Of Teenagers’, which was recorded in January 2021.”

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A statement from the former Smiths frontman himself added: “The thrill of this album was the speed under which it was recorded. Considering the knots of grief I had experience [sic] at the time, it made ‘Bonfire’ an incredible achievement for me.”

Morrissey will play a residency titled ‘Viva Moz Vegas’ at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on July 1, 2, 6, 7, and 9. For more info and tickets, click here .

It has been almost a year since he announced ‘Bonfire Of Teenagers’, his first album since leaving his former label BMG . Last May, he said it would be “sold to the highest bidder,” however details of a label and firm release date are yet to emerge.

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Morrissey's live album, Beethoven Was Deaf, has been remastered at Abbey Road Studios and will be reissued for the first time since its original release in 1993. Recorded during theYour Arsenaltour in Paris '93, the remastered album will be available on black biovinyl, CD and digitally. Morrissey has created new artwork for this release.

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• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.31 x 12.36 x 12.32 inches; 11.01 ounces
• Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Rhino/Warner Records
• Date First Available ‏ : ‎ June 3, 2024
• Label ‏ : ‎ Rhino/Warner Records
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D5YY1NMP
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• #20 in Rock (CDs & Vinyl)

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