went to the first two nights...really wish i'd gone deeper into my overdraft for a third :(

Not in the right order at all I'm afraid but from what I remember....

Something Is Squeezing My Skull
I Just Want To See The Boy Happy
How Soon Is Now?
First Of The Gang To Die
That's How People Grow Up
Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
Sister, I'm A Poet
Jack the Ripper
All You Need Is Me
Death Of A Disco Dancer
Life Is A Pigsty
Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want
Mama Lay Softly On The Riverbed
The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores
I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris
Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself?
Stretch Out And Wait
Irish Blood, English Heart
The Loop
Last Of The Famous International Playboys

Jack the Ripper and Please, Please wonderfully welcome additions. He dedicated Life is a Pigsty to Heath Ledger.

Friends I’ll do a quick recap now…
Great gig for me! I particularly asked for a seat with good sound, centre back of the venue and was rewarded with the most enjoyable sound quality of the three concerts I’ve been to. Sure, I was swaying this way and that around the pillar in my line of sight, but was too happy to care.

A long set, which started out roughly as (forgive abbrvns pls)
Something is Squeezing my skull
Boy happy
Jack
Stop me
Irish blood
All you need

then in no particular order I recall
Crashing bores
HSIN
1st of the gang
Please, please,please
Pigsty (dedicated, with love, to Heath Ledger)
Death of a disco dancer
The loop
Why don’t you find out
Sister, I’m a poet
Stretch out and wait
Playboys
Paris
Mama
Tomorrow

I probably have missed something, apologies …

About 1 ½ hours I think, a good amount since on the third song Morrissey’s voice seemed to crack a bit.
At the end he commented “Will my voice last to the end of the sixth song?” but it did. It got better later on, though sounded a bit hoarse at times, I was impressed, he gave his best.

The mic was passed to Julia, who said he sounded wonderful. M replied she was a dreadful liar and it was a terrible habit.
Later another person was given the mic and requested NFD, to which M replied “did you hear that?”

Moz was encouraging people to get up on stage. Quite early on during a slight technical hitch someone bounced up on stage and strolled casually over to Morrissey who politely shook hands. The gentle invader then kissed his hand as the bouncer belatedly laid hands on them and ushered them away. I hope they saw the rest of the gig, because they had style.

The Mo-rri-ssey chant was started with various degrees of success a few times.

The new songs sounded good. Oh, how I love live music, even the songs I lacked enthusiasm for before began to grow on me, and I was impressed at first listen to “Mama” particularly.

When I saw the big bass come out for a second time I knew it was time for the LOOP and I nearly had to use the half-empty water bottle in my bag for something other than it’s original purpose! Cracking rendition of the song, one of the highlights for me. I regret not trying to raise the balcony onto their feet, but I’m far too shy.

The musicians seemed to be really into it and I really appreciated Boz’s playing and stuff.

Only low note, some, not all, people in front two rows of balcony kept getting up for drinks. To one who was raptly intent on making the most of every moment this was a little distracting. I find it hard to understand why they don’t take it seriously. But for me this is a rare treat, and I’m soooooo pleased I got to go.

Sinistra

Just back and still slightly dazed! Tonight was a completely different experience than last night. I major shake up of the set order meant the crowd got into a lot more and the atmosphere was much up. Putting IBEH and FOTGTD in the middle of the set and closing with The Loop was genius! Really got everyone going! Just perfect.

Moz was definitely suffering with a sore throat. Lots of breath spray and at one point wanted to bet that his voice would be gone by song six, luckily it wasn't. Although when they played IBEH so early I thought he might be quitting early!

Please Please in and Pigsty was back (which he dedicated to Heath Ledger and was especially poignant).

Moz did a lot of lying on the floor - must have been tired.

Lots of stuff being thrown at the man, including a t-shirt which hit him in the face.

He asked at one point if anyone had seen the series Honesty and NO ONE said yes, so he said 'nevermind then. Does anyone know what he was on about?

Someone else will come on and do this much better then I can, so I'll stop babbling now.

Thanks to Moz and the boys for another night to remember.

Hairbrushedandparted

PS - Does anyone know if that is Billy Fury singing 'Whole Lotta Shaking Going On' in the pre-show video?

xx

He came on about 8.50, which may have caught some people out.
He strolled up to the microphone and said "I'd like to begin with a quote from Mother Theresa...Don't let the bastards drag you down" before breaking into "Something is squeezing my Skull" which was a bit of a surprise but at least it showed the set list was going to be shaken up a bit, which it was with "Jack the Ripper" making a come back.
He really seemed to be having trouble with his throat and it cracked quite badly during "That's How People Grow Up" though I feared an early finish he seemed to take it in good spirits and determined to get through it. Good job there is a night off tomorrow though. During "Please, Please, Please..." he on several occasions let the crowd take over, I wasn't sure if this was cos of his throat or he was just enjoying the sing a long. As mentioned above, putting IBEH and HSIN later in the set gave it a kind of second wind which got the crowd going. The crowd round me were pretty annoying, lots of trendy types discussing Morrissey as though they had never heard of him before at times right through the duration of a song!! London shows sometimes bring out the worst in hangers on and "media types" Still, the push and shove during FOTGTD allowed certain people to be shoved out the way to gain a better position!!
All in all a really good performance.

Damnit, this site’s gone down again!

Excellent recap, Sinsistra, Whalley Range, Zelda, et al.! I see my “work” is done for me! : ) Here are just some stray thoughts I have in addition to your excellent reports...

I don’t remember Tomorrow being played tonight, Sinistra, but my memory’s not the most reliable right now.

Moz wore grey trousers and a black shirt, which he kept on until the encore. No more James Dean tie. He only threw out one shirt at the encore, a light blue shirt. Th’Lads were in denims and pinstriped shirts that appeared to be pink and white fine pinstripes.

As others have mentioned, Mozzer’s throat was poorly, but he still sounded very good with some exceptions and soldiered on bravely, finishing the entire setlist. (Setlists were distributed after the show.) My heart sank when he quipped, “What do you want to bet my voice doesn’t last 6 songs?” Nobody wanted to make that bet. But with his fortitude and frequent applications of throat spray between the songs, he more than fulfilled his contractual obligations.

This was the night for an incredible setlist, if not exactly a clear voice and an exciting audience. I loved how he opened with “Something Is Squeezing My Skull”. What a delightful song! That should be a single.

Speaking of singles, he had to announce how unbelievable (again) that Radio 2 and XFM were actually playing his single.

After the stage invader who came in from the side and kissed Morrissey’s hand, Moz said, “At least somebody has balls…one or two.” Hah hah!

After dedicating Pigsty to Heath Ledger, there was a delay. For a while, he stood facing the backdrop, back to the audience, just waiting. Then he turned around and joked to us, “Did you enjoy it? It wasn’t over too fast for you, was it? We’re having technical difficulties, which means it’s physical.” Ooh-er!

During Paris, he sang, “I’ve TOURED all over the place” instead of “traveled”. With Playboys, he answers his own question of “Have I failed?” with an emphatic, “YES!” During Stretch, he was silent after singing, “Is there any point in having children?” I waited a bit and then yelled out, “NO!” During Jack the Ripper, did his usual adlib, “Well, I didn’t HEAR you refuse…” Actually sang "fat child from a WELFARE house" instead of "COUNCIL house" during "All You Need Is Me".

The encore was predictably wild, with many crowd surfers making it to the pit, then getting to touch Morrissey’s hand. But no one got up onstage during the encore.

I’m looking forward to having a lie-in Thursday with a lazy breakfast, a long soak in the bath, and a day full of bad British telly. Hope Mozzer rests his voice and feels fighting fit on Friday!

Just got back home from Camden. Really good gig. Crowd a lot more lively than on Monday night when I last went. Wonderful encore of Last of the famous international playboys. The backing tape didn't start for Pigsty so after dedicating it to Heath Ledger there was a long pregnant pause before Morrissey asked if we enjoyed that. Then someone got up on stage and kissed his hand to which Morrissey replied that some people have balls- one or two.

Regards to Lorraine who was trying to tape the gig on a dictaphone for her six year old daughter to listen to. Security though thought she was a professional taper and took her cassette away despite half the audience recording on mobile phones. It was good to meet someone else who had given birth in a Morrissey t-shirt.

On the way home whilst listening to Radio 2, Janice Long played that's how people grow up and said that she was looking forward to going to the Roundhouse on Saturday.

Something is Squeezing My Skull
I Just Want to See the Boy Happy
Jack the Ripper
That's How People Grow Up
Stop Me if You Think You've Heard This One Before
Irish Blood, English Heart
All You Need is Me
Death of a Disco Dancer
Life is a Pigsty
Mama Lay Softly on the Riverbed
Sister, I'm a Poet
Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want
I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris
How Soon is Now?
First of the Gang to Die
Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself?
The World is Full of Crashing Bores
Stretch Out and Wait
The Loop
------------------------------
The Last of the Famous International Playboys

Good show, Moz was in a much better mood than the other night, even if he still had the 'frog in his throat'. Setlist was shaken up a bit, a few dropped (NFD, Tomorrow etc.) and 'Please, Please, Please...' was back, although for my money it wasn't the same without Mikey's trumpet shadowing the guitar solo. Much chattier tonight than the other nights, best comment being- 'That's what you get with practice', during a solo at the end of a song (I can't remember which), and an honourable mention for the Mother Theresa quote.

I were in London right now. Seems like everyone is having a good time, but I'm still waiting for Morrissey to throw in a surprise in the setlist. That's really sweet of Morrissey to dedicate Pigsty to Heath. I still can't believe he's gone...

what a great gig, and what an interesting hangover i have :-) very very annoyed that this is the first time i've seen the moz live in my 35 years. and how good does Death of a Disco Dancer sound live!!!!!!!!

Yes...Morrissey was in reach of losing his voice at points but, oh my God, what a fabulous gig! Morrissey was really witty and I just love it when he chats inbetween songs...almost as good as the songs!! Never seen Morrissey in London before...didn't know what to expect from those cold Southerners but fortunately I was on the front row, hanging onto the barrier, so what a difference that makes! I don't think the band are great...no wonder he made that quip about about "that's what you get when you practise" (Boz was killing himself laughing at that!)

It just makes me laugh when people nod to every single lyric as though the messiah has spoken! Yes he's great but there is definitely a point in having children and life isn't always a pig sty! Ha, ha!

The King is dead, long live the Queen.

I had the best time last night. I was with my two oldest and best friends. We had a lot to drink. The set list was incredible with Jack the Ripper and Please Please Please added. Morrissey was just superb the whole night and in great humour.

The crowd was awesome. We were right near the front and it was properly rowdy and rough but all in good spirits. At the end he threw his white or maybe very light blue shirt right at me - i caught it as did about 43 other people but i didnt let go. My shoe came off but i didnt let go! Eventually more and more people let it go and i was holding it with just one young girl. I kept saying let the lady have it, let the lady have it and good people that Morrissey fans are they did exactly that so in the end i was able to give her his shirt. She kissed me and said i was awesome.

After the gig we got talking to a couple of really nice girls and went with them over the road to get some chips and humus and drunk some more beers at the big kebab shop which has live music playing - dunno whats its called but its bizarre.

Today I am covered in bruises, i am hungover, i am tired cos i stayed at my mates and didnt get much sleep, my shoes are ruined, my voice has gone from screaming the words to every song and my whole body feels like its been through a food processor. It was without doubt the best night ever.

I have never missed a Tour... and in all honesty I thought the atmosphere was rubbish! Maybe the average age of the audience has something to do with it!

Playboys was fantastic along the please, please..

Stop me was the worst performance I have ever seen, Morrissey was great.. but the band did not sound like they had ever played it before.

I have been to much better Morrissey Shows...

I didn't think it was possible to top Monday but he only went and did it! Sore throat, cold, whatever - the man was on top form. I was concerned that the set would be staying the same every night but he blew that worry out of the water last night! Opening with 'Skull' was a masterstroke - all of the new songs (yes, even THPGU you nay-sayers) are sounding great, I am almost willing this Greatest Hits record out of the way to get to the new studio album!
  Jack The Ripper almost brought me to my knees, I thought the crowd generally were brilliant and I'm even more excited about Sunday now.
  The only sour note came as we were leaving the gig room...anyone else hear those despicible vile Chelsea fans bellowing racist abuse, shouting vile things at girls that would turn your stomach and singing songs that mocked the Munich Air Disaster. My blood was boling that imbeciles like this still exist and would think they'd be welcome at a Morrissey. I heard them shouting that they were in the mood to pick a fight. I hope they found one and lost.
  And I wonder does anybody feel the same way I do...

Hi Gloom Chums,

We just wanted to remind you that we're having a Morrissey special night
this weekend at the Carling Academy Islington, in case you didn't get tickets to see him play this week. If
you were lucky enough to get some, then why not come and celebrate?

We'll be playing loads of the Master's tracks, and probably plenty of
Smiths too in amongst the normal tunes of Gloom, so please come down and
singalong with us.

This week is also Live Gloom, with performances by the brilliant Nebraska
, Ten City Nation, Dexy and the Hand Me Downs, Their Hearts Were Full of
Spring.

Don't forget our Anti-Valentines night 'Kill Cupid' on 16th Feb with the
return of Speed Hating and lots of anti- Valentines songs. Also check our
friends at Down With Dating who are staging an event for all those single
at Valentines on 14th Feb. www.DownWithDating.com

See you all there hopefully,

Love Len and Cliff
x

I really love you, Morrissey
You are my world.
But see the reality then it's really hard to
make it come true in our heads, isn't it?
So, don't waste your precious time on me.
Sometimes, there are things we have to let go.
My father passed away, Morrissey.
Life seems so long but in fact,it's quite short.
We can only live this moment, and it never comes back.
That's the life is so beautiful, and the nature is eternal. We pass the life to the other and we die. Die to live. (Don't die in hast!)
Do as many as you can to your parents! I can't do to my father, because I thought he never die.
So.
I keep on cheering but forget me for your sake.
OK?

Feel dazed today like after a onenightstand when you're 19. A truly jubilant night -- having seen him 30 or so times since 84 this was among the most memorable. It all clicked. Finally saw the benefits of playing a residency -- he owned the venue. Heartbreaking that poor Heath had LIAP dedicated to him, immediately followed by Please, Please, Please. Incidentally, saw Bobby Gillespie there (which surprised me as he is clearly from an alternate reality). All this and Boz' plectrum landed at me feet!

My pix and stuff here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaytando/sets/7215760 3773223202/ [flickr.com]

Cheers!

Jay

Nicely re-suffled setlist. The opening "Something is Squeezing My Skull" is a VERY strong catchy new song. "Paris" as beautiful as ever. The new song "Mama" also very good. "Why don't you Find out for Yourself" works perfectly live - better than on record. "Loop" is one of the highlights of the gig - such energy. Then the oldies "Poet" and "Playboys".
This goes to show what a GREAT live act Moz & his band are. Although Morrissey clearly had a sore throat, he carried the gig off perfectly.
Go on Mozza - That was near perfection! Fantatic mix of songs. Sorry for the sore throat, hope it'll be better on Friday. Can't wait!

Yes I know people miss Alain Whyte and Gary Day (I miss them too) but I've got to say that this current band is also very very tight. In fact they were fucking great on Wednesday! Whoever vets his musicians does a great job. I am well impressed by Solomon Walker in bass. Also you can tell that the lads really ENJOY playing the gig and give their best. Matt Walker is a GREAT drummer! Moz should hold onto him.

My first Morrissey show and I absolutely loved it. Because I'd been avoiding the board in the run up to it the brand new songs took me completely by surprise, and both were fantastic.

A couple of people think it's ok with three songs to go to try and push to the front. One bloke decided that he'd rather stand right in front of me despite spending the vast majority of the gig directly behind me, and then couldn't believe it when I pushed him back. Odd.

Either way, FANTASTIC!

There was some blokes having a real punch up on the left hand side of the stage. Anuone knows what was going on?

What a great new song?! I Love the fact that Morrissey does these new rocking numbers as well - alongside softer songs like I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris.
This new song really ROCKS! Check it out on Youtube. Fucking great stuff.

Morissey shows how its done - again! OK, he is older and wiser but he still has IT! Brilliant show. I am a 40 years old hetero male and I was crying. Mozza does it!

last night's show has been detailed as vividly as ever by mel, whalley range, sinistra etc. a good thing, since the only Moz comment i recall (which i think they missed) is that we (the audience) were 'tanked up', which i was - i put this partly down to the Roundhouse bars serving only Kronenbourg (rows of uniform taps somehow put me in mind of the Korova Milk Bar and Moloko Plus).

i walked into last night's show in a state of ambivalence towards Morrissey i've not felt before. as i've 'wittered' (copyright: Anon) about previously, i thought his comments to NME were uniquely controversial, and regardless of NME's hysterical (defamatory?) conclusion, i doubt he was significantly misquoted. whatever your view, surely no subject has been so endlessly discussed on message boards (here, on the guardian and elsewhere). i wondered if there would be ripples of that episode at these gigs, any evidence of damage to Morrissey.

answer: none. if anything the NME piece has worked for him, not against him. the audience was very adoring last night, and lapped up a fairly obscure set: 5 brand new songs, 4 b-sides, album tracks - only 4 hits. he's doing this over 6 nights at £40 a ticket. i went with 7 friends who consider themselves fans but don't know all the albums/singles/b-sides let alone the new song - like, i suspect, many people around us. they all LOVED it.

Morrissey himself is surely referring to recent events, with his opening remark tonight "don't let the bastards grind you down", and talk of 'bloodbaths'. By the entrance to the Roundhouse was the promised 'Love Music Hate Racism' stand (next to the one decrying Huntingdon Life Sciences).

i was glad of a re-jigged set ("squeezing my skull" is a great opener, "all you need is me" is a instant classic), but it wasn't a technically great show - the band were a bit ropey (enjoyably so) compared to a year ago at Wembley, the sound wasn't up to much, and while the Roundhouse is a fine building, its flat floor makes it just another crap venue (i'm 6 ft yet i saw much less than i would on the slope at Brixton).

nonetheless Moz was triumphant. having started croakily, he very impressively controlled his voice over a long (good value) show and easily achieved his unique intimacy with the audience. as the audience sang (i think) 'PPPLMGWIW' he sweetly said 'very good, very good'. beautiful stuff.

my conclusion is that he's armour-plated now. to come back into the record business after a 7-year exile, and despite (self-created?) media disasters, to be playing challenging sets to an audience too big to be obscurists, is just amazing. who else can do this? i think his future (if he wants it) is more secure now than at any time before.

and despite my wittering (and feeling a bit hypocritical for even going), the Moz worked his magic on me yet again. there is just no-one to touch him.

ps Anonymous above mentioned "despicable vile Chelsea fans bellowing racist abuse, shouting vile things at girls that would turn your stomach and singing songs that mocked the Munich Air Disaster." also Boxers71 mentioned fighting. sad fact: there have always been psychos (full of Kronenbourg) at Moz shows.

Last night was one of the best gigs Morrissey I have been to. What a contrast to Monday which was spoilt by a lacklustre crowd.

The new material is sounding so strong. "Mama" is becoming a firm favourite at Casa Spellbound.

Crowd down the front were delightful apart from an old aggressive ted who kept shouting at Moz "are you a rascist". More worrying was his habit of copping a feel of all the females in close proximity. A very short but splendid women saw him off with a few choice words.

I think the only thing missed by other reports is that he asked if anyone had seen a programme called "Honest". Clearly nobody had so he said 'right I'll shut up then'

Bring on tomorrow night. Beer, Moz and no work.

Lovely Stuff

how is Julia doing?

'Please, please, please... if you, if you, if you've...got poofy hair, tie it back next time...'

That's all I gotta say on behalf of audience on house right (stage left) last night. Like, ten of us couldn't see.

Before I get kicked off again at this internet cafe...
Cheers!

Topic :)

um, some guy came upto me when i was stood waiting and said that whilst i'd been upstairs he'd taken a photograph of me when i wasn't looking, he then took my email and said he'd send me that, along with some photos of moz from that night and the 2 prior. it would be lovely to get some so if you read this please send or post them!