What a tour ! Can't wait for next year....

I'm off to Spain for a few days. Enjoy the fun !

Hazard

totally awesome tonight! got some fantastic photo's!

usual setlist; we got Let Me Kiss You but no Under The Floorboards. The percussion at start of At Last I Am Born and at the end of HSIN is awesome !
Great crowd, a bit boisterous but certainly not violent.
Moz quotes(-ish)
"trouble at t'mill" (a ref to Bburn being a mill town)
"hello to the Clitheroe kids"
"you must be embarrassed about Jack Straw" (the MP)
he started to tell us about the UK news item - animal liberation activists jailed - but someone shouted some abuse (eff off ?), he took the hump and didn't finish the story, then intro'd the band. He was very quiet after that ...

now with my head ringing and my throat croaky & dry ... time for some toast and a glass of milk !

(hope I'm 1st again with this ! :-) )

Why did he have to throw the shirt right above my head!! Being engulfed in the 'pit was like drowning but lucky for me i was alive to witness one of the greatest morrissey gigs ever! A little point for future gigs, if mozzer starts talking about animal rights, try not to shout "fuck off!" He did threaten to leave but fortunately he stayed on to give a fantastic performance! No mention of Julia (A first!). Support wasn't too bad. Kristine (with a K) Young was okay (ah hem), but Tiger Army were brilliant for a support! Got a piece of the shirt (wonder how it smells so nice?) so check out eBay in the next couple of days. Thanks to the kind lady who saved me from being crushed and a thanks to adam, greg, chris and glinda for keeping me alive! Mick Holden

I wasn't at the concert, but I wouldn't want to listen to him pontificate about 4 animal rights activists being sent to prison for digging up some poor dears bones. Tossers

And if he thinks they've been hard done by, then he's a tosser too.

No 'Trouble loves me'
Boz made a mess at the beginning of'HSIN'
'Reader meet author' and 'The father who must be killed' back in the set.
Great crowd and great gig!just a few hiccups.

Moz, I like to listen what you're listening to!
Sight might be clearer!
I don't understand nothing about you!
So give me a little time to get close, Moz.
I love you Morrissey X

Great gig. Great venue. Band on top form; Moz in great voice. Flexed his muscles when he came on, and didn't disappoint. Interesting lyrical change in Let Me Kiss You: "There's a place in the sun /For anyone who has the will / To chase ME". :-)

Jesse seemed to have a problem with his guitar sound during Pigsty, but it hardly detracted from the greatness of the song.

There really is no substitute for attending a Live Morrissey show. For example, I didn't particularly like Ganglord when I downloaded it, but live it does sound great.

I hiltfish being of sound mind and body would likwe to say now loud and proud .That during how soon is now? at Blackburn K G H i touced mozzer's hand but my wife dosen't belive me can anybody prove her wrong?and oblige me with a photo?

To the ginger girl with the moustache called "natalie" i think - you're ugly and you stink, i got a good photo of Julia's head - she's losing her hair.

To the girl with the black hair and the blonde fainting friend, you are an evil bitch and i'm glad you heard me calling you one - if i wasn't so dignified, i'd have jabbed you in the face. The fat fainting friend kept on getting her tits out, which was a small recompence,

Sami.

When morrissey threw his pink shirt into the crowd, my mate was trying to get his share and was telling people to work as team so as to give everyone a slice. He then started to nibble at the shirt to try and tare it. While he was doing this sombody pulled hard and ripped his two front teeth out. He was on his way home when he saw me, and explained what had happend. I gave him a lift home just after Morrissey had aird his political views which i dident pay 50 quid to hear. Were off now to dig one of morrissey's dead reletives up for their teeth, Before freeing a load of laboratory chinchilla's kept captive somehere in Brunswick.

Thought this was the best song that i saw. Had to give my mate a lift home because he ripped his 2 front teeth out trying to get a bit of morrissey's sweaty pink shirt. Whoever pulled :Sorrow will come in the end.

5th time this tour i've seen Morrissey - i waved at him when he came on, he looked me in the eye and waved back, it was amazing, i've been at the front tonight, last night, the apollo and a few times at the bridgewater,

nice to have been acknowledged by the man

Sami

Is it true Moz played a cover of The Beautiful South's Woman In The Wall?

mozz's 3rd visit to georges hall, another great night, the jubilee pub as 2002 belting out smiths/mozz stuff pre-gig, excellent venue, very hot, morrssey's people trying to set fans to cool the great man down, clitheroe got a mention, thanks mozz for a top night, off to work now - life is a pigsty

when the shirt was thrown all hell broke loose, probably not wise on safety grounds! i managed to get two from the front in the middle (black viva hate shirt) and was obviously covered in sweat 5 minutes in, never mind by the end. bit disappointed that someone told moz to f- off when he was telling us about the animal story - he asked if we wanted him to leave. introduced the band but looked pissed off straight after. after that he was quiet which spoilt it for me as the banter makes the gig. as expected no changes to the set-list but the songs were excellent and the intimate venue setting a great choice. saw moz here in 91 and the atmosphere tonight was much better - shame one person could have spoilt it for all. why can't the security throw water on the people at the front? it was very hot. managed to get me nhs specs ripped off the side of me head (cheers!). yep, the jubilee pub was great - well done mr dj for the smiths songs - great warm up! what was the back-drop picture again? someone post some pics..

I'm disgusted that Moz once again came up with disparaging remarks about the Labour government.
It's all very well for Moz to slag off Labour, as his immense fortune means he will never want for anything, and he lives abroad anyway. Those in the UK who are less well off are absolutely dependent on Labour staying in power. By lending his voice to the ongoing backlash he is aiding and abetting David Cameron - the heir of Thatcher.

Just a few observations;

1) Great gig, a good atmosphere but I still felt that 75% of the audience were acting like they were in a library. It’s a gig for God’s sake – you’re supposed to jump up and down and dance and sing along to the songs! It only went a little crazy during the usual crowd pleasers, which is disappointing.

2) It’s the 2nd gig I’ve seen on the tour and Life is a Pigsty and Trouble Loves Me have been the overall highlights so far, plus the euphoria of opening the shows with First of the Gang to Die. Some of the other new stuff is brilliant live, and if you’ve not been to any of the tour yet you are in for a treat.

3) I am male and a screaming heterosexual, but I have to say that Moz looked very well. He looked a lot thinner than as he appears on TV and he looked very handsome indeed. I think I’ve said enough about that.

Finally, a big hello to the very nice lady who I spent most of the night singing and dancing with. It was fun, but I apologise if I was overly boisterous - I had been on the sherry and wine before the gig and had rather a lot of it.

Is it my imagination or did Morrissey become less chatty and less enthusiastic after he had his little chat about the animal rights protesters that 'got 40 years'?

No more quips, no more lyric changes etc....

Morrissey, I love you, but you've got to realise not everyone agrees with everything you say!

Still a good gig, but for me not as good as the Apollo or Opera House.

Can't understand it myself.

Handling charge?

Convenience fee?

Postage and Packing?

Who are the real touts? Greedy bastards...

Thanks to the prick who shouted abuse at Morrissey half way through the set, last night turned into the worst Moz gig I've ever seen.
During a story Morrissey was telling about animal rights activists, some wanker shouted abuse, to which Moz replied "should I go then?". After that he hardly said a word, apart from the odd thank you, and from his general body language, keeping his back to the audience, seemed like he couldn't wait to get off stage.
Not just that, but there seemed to be more missiles, empty/half-full plastic pint "glasses" etc. than usual thrown at the stage.
What kind of brainless moron throws drink all over those in front of them or tries to hit Morrissey with a half-full beer cup?
For the first time this tour there was no 'Trouble Loves Me', which may have been planned from the start, or maybe he just dropped it due to his haste to leave the stage.
Up until the troll scum shouted abuse, Moz had been in fine form, and it was turning into another fantastic night, but then Moz totally shut-down and you could see he'd been deeply hurt/annoyed by the rat who shouted out.
I have no doubt the idiot responsible posts here on SoLow, which seems to encourage his kind, one only needs read the fake "set-lists" posted by the homophobic scum, posts which are NOT marked down to -1 btw! WTF??
I don't expect Moz to play in Blackburn again, and I don't blame him one bit.

Brilliant gig just slighty spolied by the wanker who decided to tell Moz to "fuck off" for expressing an opinion. I mean come what do these idiots expect ? This is a Morrissey concert not Journey South.

Would any body who was at last night's gig at King Georges Hall,taking photo's ,especially during How Soon is Now?, be kind enough to share them with me. I managed to shake hands with Morrissey (after a crowd surf)it's somthing i'd cherish for many a year and i would be eternaly grateful!Thanks in anticipation.

Get Off the Stage
King Leer
Used to Be a Sweet Boy

---------------------------

Interlude

I believe it will be sometime soon before and after the end is the beginning that the full and diluted lies and honesty man will be seen as a lie. I kid youth not.

or whoever presents Points of View this week.

Not being funny but some of the messages that have appeared on the tour section are just downright rude. And joyless. And merely sad.

I know that I sign in anonymously (but leave a byname) but I really think that if its poss a similar situation to the new forum should be imposed on the main site. I would be prepared to sign up to that to ensure prevention of some of the decrepid filth that gets on here.

I love reading about folks' experiences at the gigs and most of the banter (even the not-so amusing setlists) but when it turns into remarks that aren't even merely crude something has to be done.

And, admittedly with circumstantial evidence, look what happens:

You get people shouting f-off at Moz at the gigs.... hmm for £30!!!
I hope the person who did that is very proud of themselves. They seemingly managed to ruin a gig at Blackburn (renowned in 2002 as THE gig of the tour and one of Moz's favourite venues)for most in there. Some of whom paid well over the odds for their tickets.
Its not a stand-up comedy show!!! Its a concert ffs

The fucking weirdos here really really should GET A LIFE.

But I suppose its its case of life reflecting art. Or art reflecting life?

BLUEBIRDS (I ain't been up the pub lunchtime, no sirree)

This can't be overstated enough, the gig was wonderful right up until he was told to fuck off. He was enjoying himself so much and said "You know, last night in Halifax I looked out into the audience and realised I am very blessed. I think I feel the same tonight", whcih was sweet, and then the 'Fuck off' happened and Morrissey completely shut up shop. He was SO angry. That was essentially gig over, he completely changed.

Just got back from Halifax and Blackburn and the former was the best Moz gig I've ever seen, last night could have been but you can't have fun watching Moz if you know he's fed up with it. The 'blah blah blah' bits of Born were delivered so sarcastically. He was not a happy camper.

Oh, and you'll probably 'troll' this comment for what I'm about to write but it's absolutely true. I know the manager of King Georges Hall having played the venue myself as a comic a couple of months ago. Anyway I bumped into him and he said he'd been backstage to see Morrissey and found him 'a really nice guy' who said he always enjoys playing the venue. Anyway, the the manager (chris) took me down to his office to show me the rider list, which was impossibly long and included certain soya milks, specific yoghurts, onions, mushrooms (they cook backstage), three newspapers, Volvic mineral water - 'NOT Evian' - and all sort of fancy goods. But apparently, and this is just what Chris told me, he might not have bothered getting the rider together because when Morrissey arrived he asked for fish and chips from a local chippy, which was provided for him, and he ate.

Fish, huh? Well there you go.

Only telling it as I heard it.

According to today's Manchester Evening News

"In an apparently thinly-veiled dig at the propensity of Burnley residents to elect BNP politicians, he tells the locals: "You must be pretty embarrassed by the people next door. Well, you should be.""

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainme nt/music/livereviews/s/212/212994_morrissey__king_ georges_hall.html

Can anyone confirm or deny this? If its true, good on 'im!!

Being at Blackburn last night made me wonder what people are thinking about the Tour now it is just over half way through?

My observations centre on what makes a Morrissey concert special. It seems that many of the posts I have read are trying to capture something about the excitement and atmosphere of the concerts and then try to assess whether this matches what has gone before. It is not just about being in the presence of the man it seems; rather, it is the quality of the experience too that people are interested in - and this always invites comparisons. Set lists, venue, crowd behaviour, stage divers, banter, security - we are all trying to capture what makes a truly classic Morrissey experience. After all, it is likely that we are going to have less rather than more opportunites to sample His Majesty's live offerings - although he looks fantastic on this tour, so who knows?

It is quite obvious to me that in a 30+ date Tour announced in advance, with a number one album, opportunties for experiencing a Morrissey classic will be spread much more thinly. Picking and choosing the right venue is important. There are perhaps only a handful of venues on this Tour capable of creating the correct vibe and atmosphere. Morrissey's higher media profile over the past 3 years will also affect the type of audience he gets. I have noticed many older 40 something Smiths fans at concerts who perhaps are using the Tour as a nostalgia trip down memory lane and are trying to relive (or revive) the vibe back them - abuse, beer throwing etc, all bands get this to a degree in their early years; Morrissey deserves (and I think expects) better these days - he has served his time.

Thinking back then to say 2002. What made these concerts 'great' - because most of them were great. The venues were brilliant - Blackburn, Bradford, Birmingham, Albert Hall. There was a huge air of expectation. Morrissey was off the media radar. No record deal. No TV. He perhaps had to prove he could still cut it live - perhaps his future career depended on it. The 'Importance of Being Morrissey' was again a reminder to others (record execs) that he was still with us and still mattered. He was hungry. The set lists were inspired. There was no new product to hawk - although he did play Irish Blood, First of the Gang, Crashing Bores, I like you - but also Smiths songs and some classics from Viva, Arsenal, Vauxhall era. He did perform these songs like his life depended on it. The banter flowed - he wanted to connect with the audience. The atmosphere was electric and appreciative - he was remining us what a truly great artist he is; we reminded him what a loyal and devoted following he has.

Morrissey back then was a very precious commodity. 7 UK dates. Each of those dates was intense; inspired; classic concerts. The mix at the time was right: venue, audience, set-list, rationale for the Tour.

Why go back to 2002? Because it helps me understand where we are now in 2006. The imperative has changed: the context is different. Morrissey sort of went Global after 2002. He wanted to matter again; he wanted to matter as a commercial recording artist again. The media onslaught for YATQ; the festivals; the TV. He got what he wanted: things have changed.

It is possible to have too much of a good thing. A 30+ date UK Tour in 2006. The stardust is spread more thinly; something has to give. It is not possible for expectations to be as high as say 2002. Fatique, ambivalence, impatience: it must set in at some point.

Where does he go from here I wonder? Obscurity for 3 years? Revival Tour? Then it starts all over? I doubt it somehow.

Enjoy the ride while we can. This is not going to last. Let's appreciate him whilst he is still motivated to tour. For the sake of the remainder of the Tour, lets support him not abuse him. Viva Morrissey!

Cant beleive he didnt play trouble loves me and he has played it everywere elce. I have a ticket for liverpool tonite but im not sure if i can afford to go or not because of the taxi fares it cost me getting to my accomadation, £40 ive spent in the last two days, cos all the asian taxi drivers dont have a clue. It was a bit of a weird gig i thought, lacked something.

He was definitely in fine form saying he felt blessed the night before in Halifax and also tonight. He did go quiet after the animal rights thing but he was absolutely boiling up there. He kept turning his back to stick his face in a fan - I have never seen him throw a shirt so early on he was absolutely dripping with sweat. He was still playful at the end though so not in a mood - I reached up for his hand at the end of Irish blood and he tugged on his arm with his other arm and smiled, as if trying to make his arm longer so he could reach us. What a star! Cant wait for tonight even if I have got seats in the gods!

As I was at both these gigs I can honestly say that they were both as good for different reasons. Halifax is my home town the atmosphere was electric and all the componenets for a Morrissey experience were there. Last night I had a fantastic view from the side of the stage and I was able to enjoy the performance and the songs without doing my back in .Obviously Moz was pissed off following the idiots who swore and jeered him and the crowd were not quite so boisterous as us yorkshire folk. The security at Blackburn was evil and I saw in disbelief one lad been proper kicked in. No need men.If Morrissey had seen I am sure he would have been disgusted.

One final point to make . I have been a Morrissey/Smiths fan since I was 19 and am now in my 40's. Tour after tour I meet familiar faces (Older now but remarkebly dressed) .I take offence when I am considered to be jumping on some nostalgia bandwagon. People like me have seen him through all the bad times and all the recent much desreved resurgence. I will probably be singing my life with him until I croak long after others have ditched him for the newest craze. I remember Madchester after all !!! Viva Morrissey long may he reign and enrich our lives. Old enouff to know better Swallowneck x

Thanks to the person who bit my hand during the tug of war with the pink shirt !!
Awesome gig, got the Train there, got pissed, jumped around like a loony, thought I was back at Maxwell hall at one point (1986) !!! (Although I dont remember feeling as bad the day after Maxwell as I do today) !!
Cheers Moz, true hero

I have been a fan of Morrissey from his days in the Smiths and have followed this site for a couple of years but never posted on it before. I have been reading the comments about the shows on this tour but thought I wouldn't post until I had been to one of the gigs.
I wasn't sure at first whether to go on this tour but after hearimg the album I was impressed and thought why not as there could be a chance he won't tour again
Managed to gat a pretty decent deal on E Bay for a ticket
Got upto Blackburn no problem and got a spot pretty close to the front and saw both Kristen Young (average)and Tiger Amy (enjoyed them )Thought the atmosphere built up really well and thuoght the start to the gig by Morrissey was excellent. He lookwd in fine shape and seemed to have trimmed down from when I last saw him in Bradford in 2002
The concert did however go downhill a bit after the heckler said his bit whilst Morriseey was trying to say his Animal Rights piece. I personally don't agree with Morrissey that it was sad that these people have been jailed for 40 years in total. At the end of the day they have robbed a body from a grave and I don't honestly think that I would wish that on anyone.
From thereonin I thought Morrissey seemed a bit disinterested and bored. I have seen a lot said about the set list for the tour and I think it was just a bit ROTT heavy and maybe a few older songs would not have gone amiss. i think this may have helped the atmosphere a bit as I honestly think it dropped a bit
The band sounded good but overall I don't think it was as good as Bradford 2002. I think he had a bit more to prove then and with the set drawing from a wider back catalogue all in all it seemed better. I can recall after getting home from the Brsdford gig waking my wife up to tell her he had done Hand in glove but i didn' t feel that same joy last night
I did enjoy iy but not sure Morriseey did as much. No thank you or goodnight after both HSIN and IBEH
Still put ROTT on in the car today and brought back some good memories from the show

I would like to think that if I had been there, I would have shouted something out too, if Morrissey had tried to defend those animal rights protesters.

For any overseas fans who don't know, 3 of the 4 were convicted of conspiracy to blackmail an employee of an animal testing farm by DIGGING UP THE BODY of a deceased relative of that person and saying they would only get it back if they stopped working at that place.

Those actions were completely reprehensible and indefensible; they well deserved the 12-year prison sentences that were handed out. Even animal rights advocates (well, the ones that aren't insane) must see that those actions were completely disgusting. For Moz to do anything other than (i) remain silent about it or (ii) endorse the punishment that was handed out, is completely unacceptable.

Unfortunately, shouting "Fuck Off" was not the heckler's only crime. I had the misfortune of having to stand next to him from the very beginning. He was, to all intents and purposes, a chav, who'd only turned up for his girlfriend. He clearly didn't want to be here.

Even before Kristine (not sure how it's spelt....), he decided to urinate in the middle of the crowd into a glass, then just leave it on the floor. During Kristine's set, when she was saying how she wasn't used to builder's listening to techno, he said something along the lines of "Fuck off, nothing wrong with techno". He then told Tiger Army - who'd just been saying we were the best audience they'd played to so far - to "fuck off". Finally, when the crew were performing sound checks for Moz, the heckler got bored of waiting and shouted something like "stop taking the fucking piss - where's Morrissey?" (there's a pattern emerging here...)

All that, plus the "Fuck You" incident, however couldn't detract from the performance. Despite the fact that Morrissey was clearly miffed by the comment, he did turn out a compelling set. "Life Is A Pigsty" - even with Jesse's technical hitch - was absolutely amazing. Other highlights included "The Father Who Must Be Killed", "Girlfriend In A Coma" and "Irish Blood English Heart". However, the highlight had to be "How Soon Is Now", with it's extended instrumental ending. It's just a shame that some of the Moz's passion was taken away by someone who clearly wasn't even a fan..