Was Johnny Marr there?

Nothing new, but for those who are curious:
(Moz comes out in tuxedo)
This Charming Man
Something Is Squeezing My Skull
Billy Budd
Black Cloud
How Soon Is Now? (Band Introductions)
Irish Blood, English Heart
How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel?
Ask
I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris
The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores
Death Of A Disco Dancer (Change to black shit)
The Loop
I Keep Mine Hidden
One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell
Seasick, Yet Still Docked
Best Friend On The Payroll
Let Me Kiss You (Shirt off at usual line, change to blue)
Sorry Doesn't Help
When Last I Spoke to Carol
I'm OK By Myself
-----------------------------
First of the Gang to Die

Fantastic concert. My first Moz show ever. When he showed up on stage for the first time, it was the most surreal moment I've ever had at a concert, and that feeling never went away. The first three songs were very good, but things really picked up with Black Cloud. From then on, it was great. How Soon Is Now? was awesome, with Matt banging the hell out of his kit and the gong with big mallets. Irish Blood, English Heart and How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel? were both incredibly strong. Maybe it's just because I'd never seen it beore, but I loved having all the Quarry material. Best Friend On The Payroll kicked ass. It was an unexpected highlight. And then, as Sorry Doesn't Help began, I knew I had lost all chance of hearing When Last I Said Goodbye To Carol, my favorite YOR track. And just as I'd almost succeded in convincing myself that I didn't care, it came out of NOWHERE. Amazing. Sure the performance was a little sloppy, but who the hell cares. It was awesome. Moz almost seemed to be mocking First of the Gang to die with his performance, but I enjoyed every second of it. The build up at the end was wonderful. What a great night.

Not from Morrissey. He was rather quiet. Instead, everyone around me spent the entire show talking. I found it incredibly disrespectful to both Morrissey and all of the fans around them who actually came to a concert to listen to music.

Where is Julia? Was she there?

I hope she's okay!! I mean, damn, she really had a long record there of shows-in-a-row to just... stop. :(

Someone said "the money ran out" - wtf does that mean? I mean, she's been going to every show for over 10 years now...

I hope she's alright. Any news on what's going on?
*confused*

Any Mozzites attending the Minneapolis gig? I WILL BE THERE.

How many times has he played there now? He was there with The Smiths in 1986, and on the "Kill Uncle" tour in 1991, and at least once more since then... how many altogether?

for gen adm shows, they should administer a test to those who want to be in the front. if you don't know the lyrics to at least three songs, you don't get to be there. what is with all these obsessed loonbirds who only know "how soon is now" who also feel pressed to incessantly scream "i love you" who always end up in the front. wtf? ...and for those of you who do know the songs, its great to mouth the words along but don't fucking scream the whole song in someone's ear. you are not the only person there, okay?

oh, and for god's sake, stop reaching for the man when he's on a hella-high platform. he's not going to reach down and topple over trying to touch your sorry ass. you may think you love him, and i'm sure he's pleased you bought a ticket and enjoy his tunes, but he will never want to know you. so have a nice time, but stop obsessing...its not becoming (and rather creepy.) why do you think he avoids eye contact and turns his back during long instrumental sections? he does not want to egg you on or give you any hope that there is anything more than a singer/fan relationship. goodbye and thank you.

He reached for a newspaper wrapped in a clear plastic bag. Moz placed it next to the drum set. Someone threw a white towel or t-shirt and Moz commented that it looked like a baby, that it moved and called him daddy. He reached for an 8x10 b/w photo and placed it standing up in front of the bass drum. Someone threw a red zinnia, Moz cut the stem off and placed the flower over his right ear. After the encore, the band threw the usual things. I reached up and grabbed a yellow guitar pick that read MEXI CAN.
Other comments:
He introduced Boz as Bob
Moz threw a long black sleeve shirt into the crowd
There were no stage invaders
The band wore white ties with Morrissey's profile in black

Hi to the guys we met who have known each other since they were 2. Sorry we missed you at the Fat Cat. We went to the Wild Pug and hunt out with dear friends. Ended the night with a flat tire :(

Flying back to the Bay Area today. Will put the videos on youtube as soon as I can. I know I've got 'Let Me Kiss You', 'Crashing Bores', 'First of the Gang' and 'HSIN' and more.

Great performance by Moz and Band. This was my first of the tour. Moz hit the stage on fire, looking in great shape and quite daper in his tux. He deliverd on spot versions of "Death of a Disco Dancer" and "How Soon is Now" as well as adding a lot of energy to the new tracks. Audience was a real mixed bag, that unforunatley held a lot of chatty cell phone talkers, and semi-coma induced sleep walkers; perhaps a good inspiration for the spirited version of "Crashing Bores"; so many people not living in this great moment! Moz made mention of the new album by saying something like "go the the nearest outpost ( I think he mentioned Borders) and do what?", to which there was no response from the audience, and he then responded by saying "nothing!" Moz delivered powerful versions of old and new material, and at two points even lied down on the stage floor. Moz has always held Chicago close to his heart, and even mentioned that he had first played the Aragon twenty-four years prior. The show ended with a fantastic verion of "I'm OK by Myself" and "Gang" afterwhich the audience came alive with thundering applause and cheers, which seemed to please Moz; taking several curtain bows with band. A perfect end to a simply perfect night!

...Morrissey's voice sounded stronger than ever.
I had lots of fun!
I didn't let the "crashing bores" around me bring me down either.
If they wanted to just stand there, who cares? If they wanted to talk, who cares?
What matters is being able to see Morrissey sing live and taking in the music we all love!
So for those complaining, just stop.

Fantasy setlist (but let's be realistic) for this tour competition.

Right,

1. This Charming Man
2. Black Cloud
3. That's How People Grow Up
4. Best Friend On The Payroll
5. I'm Okay By Myself
6. What Difference Does It Make?
7. Seasick Yet Still Docked
8. When Last I Spoke To Carol
9. Suedehead
10. Billy Budd
11. I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris
12. Boxers
13. Ask
14. All The Lazy Dykes
15. It's Not Your Birthday Anymore
16. I Will See You In Far Off Places
17. Trouble Loves Me
18. Nobody Loves Us
19. First Of The Gang To Die
----
20. These Things Take Time

Chicago Tribune Rock Critic, Greg Kot's fair review of last night's show. (www.gregkot.com)

        Morrissey returned to the scene of his first Chicago triumph Saturday, 24 years after his long-defunct band the Smiths first enthralled a capacity audience at the Aragon.

        The venerable if acoustically challenged ballroom was once again filled to the brim for the graying singer, who wore a tux and rakishly tipped his hip, jutted his jaw and thrust a fist as he minced around the stage. His microphone cord twirled like a lariat, and the lean melodies, dark wit and voluptuous croon remained intact. It was almost like old times. Almost.

        Though the singer’s relationship with his fans could hardly be described as casual, his performance bordered on the remote. Part of it had to do with the set-up. Guard rails separated fans from the stage, and Morrissey reached gingerly across the security moat to accept the occasional gift. But there was none of the free-flowing exchange of hugs, kisses and gladiolas that characterized many of the most electrifying Morrissey shows.

        This was a smoother, more sedate Morrissey, without the Liza Minnelli melodramatics, his five-piece band workmanlike in the background. The musicians occasionally rose up to put a chip on the singer’s shoulder, in the ominous finale of “How Soon is Now” and the massive fuzz bass that drove “I’m OK by Myself.” But they didn’t sustain the forceful intensity heard on his latest album, “Years of Refusal.”

        Morrissey struck a defiant tone. He played a familiar role: the estranged loner in a world “full of crashing bores.” He was in fine voice, the range a bit lower but the flexibility still evident as he mocked those who would write him off.

        “I just want to say … I am still right here/Just like I always was,” he insisted in “The Loop.”

        “This might make you throw up in your bed,” he declared with arched eyebrow, “I’m OK by myself and I don’t need you.”

        But where was the flamboyance? The only bit of Morrissey theater was canned, in the shirt-tearing finale to “Let Me Kiss You.” Otherwise, his personality was strangely underplayed. On this night, he was simply a pro trying to sum up a three-decade career in 21 tidily performed songs.

Although the Aragon is a gorgeous ballroom, it is just not the place to see Moz since the stage is so far away.

Nonetheless, it was a fantastic show. All the guys looked and sounded great.

Though now I am extremely depressed now that my shows are done with.

Jon P

Moz came to acknowledge the crowd and was singing the first few lyrics of a classic tune without musical accompaniment.... I can't clearly recall what it was exactly??? Can somebody please help fill in the blank.

Was it the beginning of, "I want you, I need you, I love you" by Elvis?

"Hold me close, hold me tight
Make me thrill with delight
Let me know where I stand from the start..." and he stopped right before the "I want you, I need you, I love you" part...

Please correct me, if my info is erroneous

Judging from most of the comments, I am sure glad I went to the Milwaukee show instead...It was amazing, and the crowd was full-on into it. It really seemed like Moz was having a blast. Plus, I know how impossible it is to even get close to a handshake from him at the Aragon. Regardless, I hope everyone had a good time at the show...
Milwaukee love you, Morrissey!

-bradley-

The Aragon show on 4/4 was the 8th Moz show I've been to since 1991 at various venues around the midwest.

I disagree that it was uninspired or phoned-in; I think the big difference at this show was that the crowd - in most cases so anxious to be as close to Moz as possible - packed themselves in so tightly on the ballroom floor that there was hardly any room to dance about and physically engage with the music. As a result, the crowd looked somewhat subdued - all staring up at Morrissey, most bouncing or swaying as much as their invaded personal space would allow - and in turn I think that made Moz himself a bit more subdued physically. I danced to the extent of my feeble abilities, but quite honestly it was hard to even raise one's hands above one's head without hitting a half-dozen concertgoers.

Still, while he wasn't emoting or dancing as wildly as he has in the past, his vocal performances (with the exception of the rushed encore that made it appear as though he'd forgotten the words) were very strong and quite impressive. He made quite a few quips between songs and also by archly changing his lyrics in a few key places (the most memorable example was on "How Soon is Now?" - I definitely chuckled).

I wasn't disappointed at all in the show he put on - his personality was still on full display. Compared to previous shows, this one was just more about the music and less about a visual spectacle. I'm older, he's older - I'm perfectly willing to forgive the man that much.

He Went from jeans and a shirt, then to a suit and now to a tuxeduo. Can he go any futher.
http://www.allmylittlewordsonline.com

He Went from jeans and a shirt, then to a suit and now to a tuxeduo. Can he go any futher.
http://www.allmylittlewordsonline.com [allmylittl...online.com]

I don't really know what people expect. The show rocked. The show was worth the cost of admission. Morrissey "going through the motions" of swinging his ass off and shaking it as well is much better than going braindead at an Interpol concert. Did you expect the show to crescendo to 'Live In Vegas'? We are all twenty years older.

I don't care for the Aragon and the stage is too high but those who were close to the stage were into it and did know the words. The couple I talked to were cool and I was happy to see that the crowd let Angela make her way close enough to throw her orchids on stage. I got a pick that Solomon threw out. Plus, I was able to say hello to Corrissey and PFTLT, which was very cool.

Other than the high stage, my only complaint was that there were some people who were pretty smelly. For a GA show, please use deodorant and wash your hair the week before.

I think that this was my 10th Morrissey show spanning back to 1992. The sound, the band, and Morrissey were great. My first Moz show was actually at the Aargon when in college. Always nice to see Smiths songs. Death of a Disco Dancer was great!

What shocked me was the lack of "vintage" Morrissey songs. I don't think I've ever been to a Moz show w/o hearing at least one like Suedehead, November Spawned, Everyday like Sunday, etc. For that the show I saw during his 10 show stint in Hollywood was better. I do tend to expect more than a 90 minute set for an artist who has over 20 years of work to play/share. I felt it was a bit short.

I'll hope he plays some "vintage Moz" during his Albuquerque show...and I won't have to travel 1,500 miles to see it!

i had a wonderful time in chicago! i thought that morrissey and the band put on a really good performance(didn't think it sounded as good as it could have "thank you aragon"). since i had traveled 8 hours for this show, i was ready to explore/party. i had the most amazing night. my friends and i walked around the neighborhood in which the aragon was located and luckily came across a bar (the wild pug) that had the smiths pulsating out into the streets. we then noticed a poster on the window advertising a smiths/morrissey after party. we danced all night to some of the best music on the planet. this was definitely a night that i will remember. i was just curious about other experiences!

Chicago Sun-Times Aragon review by Mark Guarino

The article http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/music/poprock/1512327,morrissey-concert-review-aragon-chicago-040509.article# [suntimes.com] with links to several photos.

Band's harder edge robs Morrissey of Sweetness

Ever since Chuck Berry wrote “School Days” in 1957, modern pop music became the natural channel for the despondence, agitation and self-absorption of youth culture. But it took Morrissey to give the bummer years their literary flair.

The debonair, single-named British singer, best known as the suffering saint behind The Smiths in the 1980s, is now a 49-year-old adult singing about the same things he always has: how the world is full of bores, how there is no one on this earth who will ever love him, how serenity will never happen in this life and how he’d like to go out tonight but he doesn’t have anything to wear — and really, what’s the point anyway?

The difference between then and now is presentation. Saturday night at the Aragon Ballroom, Morrissey and his five-member road band played a perfunctory 80-minute set designed to refashion the songs with a tough punk edge at the expense of their former sweetness and subtle humor. Morrissey made his entrance in formal black tie to sing “This Charming Man,” a landmark Smiths single from 1983; his Sinatra swagger was first-rate, but like any lounge singer injecting the oldies with some good old panache, the song’s vulnerability and youthful anxiety was whitewashed.

The 21-song set was divided among his three career phases: some Smiths, his 1990’s solo output and the three albums from the past five years that represent both an artistic comeback and a savvy affirmation of the brand.

Despite the wide scope, many of the songs got stuffed in the band’s blender programmed for speed and brawn. On “Death of a Disco Dancer,” another from the Smiths, the band took a moment to level chaos with the subtlety of an 18-wheel semi. The majority of the show was played at this extreme level, which lacked the dynamics that would have given it balance. Even new songs like “Sorry Doesn’t Help” or “I’m OK by Myself” had such airtight execution, the effect felt like strangling.

“Seasick, Yet Still Docked,” the show’s sole ballad, allowed the inclinations of both singer and band (featuring bassist Solomon Walker and drummer Matt Walker, both Chicago natives) to integrate. With each anguished couplet he sang (“You can tell I have never really loved / you can tell by the way I sleep all day”), the band answered in a way that made them glow.

Morrissey performed largely with detachment from his former self so that now his stage persona borders parody and wistful nostalgia. His stage gestures were limited to the familiar ones: ripping off his own shirt (and quickly exiting to put on its replacement), curling up on the floor, lightly whipping his microphone chord.

With his runs into the high octaves and deeply expressive phrasing, his continuous vocal strength became the single thing that gave the show luster.

By night’s end, Morrissey made one final statement without words. After handed flowers from the crowd, he tore off each pedal and threw them – one by one – into the audience, until there remained one thing left: a rose. That went behind his ear.

Morrissey show afterparty confirmed at the 7th St. Entry (walking distance from the State Theater), 18+, No cover, Moz/Smiths music, video, and giveaways. Hosted by DJ Jake Rudh (Club Jager/Transmission).

I cannot understand all of these negative comments... the show on Saturday was absolutely amazing. Of course the stage at the Aragon is a bit too high, but Morrissey always delivers a great show in Chicago. Morrissey kicked it off right by coming out in his tuxedo and breaking into "This Charming Man." I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing that song live. The people left of center stage were all very into the show.... some of them were even crying! I was glad to hear "This World is Full of Crashing Bores" live again and managed to snatch up a very large piece of Moz's shirt after "Let Me Kiss You." (Although I was nearly choked out for it by the hooligans behind me) The encore was exciting and I managed breach the great distance between the audience and the stage to get a brief handshake. All in all, it was an incredible night, as it always is with Morrissey. I was glad to see my good friends Ange and Jiffy again, as well as actually get to speak with the infamous Corrissey. These are the moments we live for...

-Lucas

Pretty much, dropped Mama & Grow Up for Bores & Farewell, 21 songs in all, slightly different order. Our man looked so hot in the tux!

Lame show. I've seen a bunch. He mailed it in!