Deano!

Good morning Moz!

Great Gig. Sound was superb. Morrissey was in great mood, very talkative and upbeat. Introduced his nephew Sam on stage his "pride and joy" - asked if we remembered him from the Suedehead video. Same set list as usual - worth the price of the ticket for "Trouble Loves me". All in all a great night.

For the second tour in a row, Morrissey’s Birmingham performance was easily the worst of the shows I saw.

Beautiful though Symphony Hall is, it is a wholly inappropriate venue for a Morrissey concert as the performance was completely lacking in any sense of atmosphere.

The crowd consisted mainly of over-dressed yuppie types, who seemed more interested in their telephones during the performance than what was happening on stage. The squeals of delight with which ‘Let Me Kiss You’ was met reminded me of the David Gray Barmy Army.

Morrissey wore the smoking jacket he used at Earl’s Court two years ago, and the band swapped their matching Playboy tees for bland matching white collared shirts, presumably in recognition of the posh venue.

The set was identical to Reading, and the fantastic acoustics at least allowed me to marvel again at how well the band play, particularly on ‘Life Is A Pigsty’.
Morrissey was in the midst of a monologue early in the show, and the band suddenly started playing the next song. He was not happy, some dismissals will inevitably follow.

Happily for me the next two shows are in all-standing venues; Cheltenham in particular I expect to be full of drunken hooligans like Morrissey gigs are supposed to be!

Birmingham Symphony Hall 20/05/06

First Of The Gang To Die
Still Ill
The Youngest Was The Most Loved
In The Future When All's Well
To Me You Are A Work Of Art
Girlfriend In A Coma
You Have Killed Me
I Will See You In Far-Off Places
At Last I Am Born
The Father Who Must Be Killed
Ganglord
Let Me Kiss You
Life Is A Pigsty
Trouble Loves Me
I Just Want To See The Boy Happy
How Soon Is Now?

Irish Blood, English Heart

Just got back a few quick notes for those who want to know.

Set list seemed to be the same as Reading.

Birmingham crowd were excellent - one of the better ones on this tour that I've been to.

He brought his nephew on he stage (v.good looking), informed us he was his pride and joy, and remarked on him being in the Suedehead video.

At the start of YHKM he was talking to the audience and the boys started playing ahead of his expectation.... the next song was started with him asking Can I sing now?

Early stage invader - more intent on being seen. Later stage invader made it and hugged Morrissey.

Just got back from Symphony Hall – I live 3 miles down the road.
Everyone in the stalls got to their feet even before Morrissey stepped out, so it wasn’t quite as staid as I’d feared, but the place didn’t exactly rock, not at any point. But then this is my first and only gig of this tour so have nothing to compare with.
No references to Birmingham that I remember, any significance of the intro to “Trouble Loves Me” entirely escaped me, but even I would be at a loss as to know what to say about Brum that wasn’t insulting. (For those who don’t know it, Birmingham is a vast and depressing conurbation that is generally considered to be the armpit of England).
Thanks to the superb bootleg of the Glasgow gig, I thought I knew what to expect, so was slightly disappointed not to hear “on the Streets…” (presumably too high a pitch to sing any more on this tour) or “Floorboards”.
Highlights (by which I means ANYTHING that differs from the last few report of previous gigs): Moz’s nephew, Sam, (the little boy from the “Suedehead” video) was invited onto the stage from the wings to say hello – which he did, and when the band was being introduced, they struck up the intro for the next tune a bit too soon so depriving Moz of making some pseudo-modest remark about himself – just as well, it makes me cringe. And that was it really, other than a wonderfully floor shuddering rendition of “I will see you…”.
Lowlights: Julia got the obligatory mention, a couple of lone stage invaders were promptly dispatched and otherwise the whole affair was, well, perfunctory.
(Have just noted that these last items have already been reported)
Such at pity that Freddie Garrity of Freddie and the Dreamers – (NOT Eddie Garrity of the Nosebleeds) who passed away yesterday, failed to get a mention, but the Eurovision Song Contest did (it’s on the box tonight and probably explains why the streets were practically deserted as I drove home).
Off to listen to that Glasgow bootleg again – far more exciting.
RIP Freddie.

Anyody know what the 60s eurovision tune is that is played during his intro tape when the roadies are setting up?? I take it he made ne remarks about the contest?

Where have you been? Did you already go back to America? Where's my JD and Coke? Yeah. I know where it is. - Mrs. Gobshite.

Just got back from my 7th gig of the tour.(No i don't want a medal)What a terrible crowd!Utter shite!Thank god Moz was on form,hopefully he will never do another show in Birmingham,they don't deserve him.
No wonder he did four nights in Manchester.
Stay up north in the future,bollocks to the rest of them!

Isn't this just beautiful....?

www.supercult.com/site2/welike/morrissey/dream.jpg

At last Moz plays close enough for me to travel home and write a small (and probably rather pathetic!) review.
Crowd seemed really into it, and around song #3 I thought it was all going to kick off with a full-on stage invasion!. Luckily (?) it quietend down a bit and Moz settled into what was one of the most polished performances I've ever seen. Jessies guitar seemed to be in the wrong octave or something on The Father Who Must Be Killed (well, maybe not, but it just sounded odd to me ?), but other than that it all went like clockwork. That's not to say it was boring - far from it!. One of the best gigs this tour (I think that was show 7 on my list so far). For a seated gig it is easily one of the best ones. The sound was equal if not better than St. David's Hall in Cardiff, there was a strange sound refelection across the hall which gave Mozzers voice a real depth. Utterly brilliant.
The was the only show that I've seen so far that's had a successful stage invasion!. The guy was clearly pleased - both arms in the air looking at the crowd like he'd climed Everest or something!. Mozzers nephew came on stage (the one from Suedehead) which was a nice (and entertaining) touch. Again, unique to this show and something that will make the show memorable.

Trouble Loves Me was just spellbinding. During the quiter passages there was hardly any noise from the crowd, just a respectful silence whilst Moz delivered the goods, and he did - in spades.

Took my bro tonight - his first Moz concert (not really a fan) and said it was a really good concert. I think he has a better appreciation of the man now :-). He even commented on how good the band were!.
When I asked what song stood out for him - it was Girlfriend in a Coma... LOL

I highly recommend this as one of the best seated venues...first time I'd been. Will deffo go back. The Quo are playing tomorrow night. Now where did I leave my denim jacket ? ;-)

PS - the cloakroom was free too *grin*

What a fabtastic gig! Don't believe the grumpy ol' gits. The crowd were ok, but I was looking at the stage. Could do without people trying to dislocate Morrissey's arms, though! How can he hold his microphone, you fools?!

Kristeen Young was marvellous. She has lovely legs.

Boz and Jesse came out the back afterwards and chatted through the gate with us, like we were feral children in Borstal. Well, that's how we were behaving earlier! Boz had already cracked open a bottle of 'vino'. Matt and Mikey waved shyly....

So yes, a nice way to spend the evening. Shame I missed Terry Wogan waffle drunkenly about the Baltic states, however....

But the kind souls at the venue let us stand in the lobby.
bEST DAMNED GIG I'VE EVER HEARD

What a bloody fantastic night! My first Moz gig and it was the best night of my life..by far!
I was front row, leaning on the left hand side of the stage. He held my hands 3 times! When he first came out I was the first person of the night to touch him, then during Still Ill I grabbed him again....Then just before HSIS started, I shouting and he went ''What?''..then bent down gracially and held my hand, I said thank you and he nodded with a smile! Ahh sorry if I seem overly hyper...I am.
Did think he was going to turn nasty with the rest of the band though, which I don't blame him at all. He was speaking, then they started to play YHKM..Oooh the look on Moz's face was pure evil..And Gary and Boz gave each other the eye.Loved it when he said ''I can't talk much, they'll just drown me out''.

I thought he sang every song with passion, but highlights for me were ''Life Is A Pigsty', 'Trouble Loves Me' and 'To Me You Are A Work Of Art'
Thought only us lot up front were enjoying it though, the rest of the crowd seemed dead.

Will be uploaded pics and vids later on. I'm sure I've got one of Sam if no one else has.

are morons. having lived all over the UK i have to say that there's very little difference between birmingham and several other of the major cities. perhaps the difference is there's no pretentiousness, no patronising people who think that there's somehow something more worthy about the place than elsewhere, which you might find in manchester or london.

birmingham is not a particularly shit city, it's as shitty as the rest of the country.

I was way up in the gods but I took a couple anyway, I've put them on my weblog.
http://www.suaveharv.com/weblog.htm

Myspace blog entry for last night..

http://blog.myspace.com/34895546

Anyone have any photos/videos?

I got the setlist =]

An absolutely outstanding night.This was our seventh Moz gig in all and third of the current tour.Although "all seater" gigs do tend to have a worse atmosphere than standing gigs i dont think there was anybody in the hall that remained seated(although you still don"t get that sweaty mass of thronging bodies that make a concert truly memorable).BUT THIS ONE WAS!!!!!.Up at the front row to witness the master himself and all that he surveys.It all seemed to be so surreal...every twisting and self flagellating action that he performed within just a few feet.I will not dwell on what others have already commented on (setlist,Sam,etc)but just want to say that Morrissey both as a man and as an artist has my absolute admiration,and that all of the detractors and the carnivores who persist in criticising him for what he stands for both morally and musically should just piss off to MacTurds or kentucky faeces Chicken and wallow in their own pointless,Moribund and sterile lives.Managed to shake his hand twice (he has a lovely grip)and received a look and nod of approval when i held out my "Animal Liberation" T shirt.Met and spoke to Julia after the gig and she seems to be a very pleasant and amiable lady.All in all THE gig of my life....Next stop the London Palladium on the 28th...I can"t wait......

Did anyone see him holding a letter in his hand?

.. astounds me how you could get tickets for SEVEN shows, when ShitTickets.com managed to cancel our tickets, because they hadn't taken the money out of our account, even though we had a confirmation.

Much as I appreciate the length of the tour, and the initimate venues, I think seven times is greedy when many people can't even get tickets for one show. Moz should be playing larger venues.

anyone see morrissey holding a letter?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/63706889@N00/sets/720 57594141058636/

Could somebody tell me who the man in the suit playing a guitar on the backdrop is/was?

How can anybody say that it wasn't good or it was the worst they've been to? This was my first time i'd seen him Live and those who were busy with their phones were only trying to take away a memory a photo or video. It doesn't matter what you say it was BRILLIANT!

Another Moz comment; when finished with Ganglord he said something along the lines of "we did find the courage to release a new song and that was the extra track on... ", some guy shouted: "extra track and a tacky badge". Moz seemed to appreciate the comment and said well, yes, but rather two tracks than one..... paused a while and said, "that wasn't a clever reply of me, was it. He (the guy that shouted) was right.... ".

I swear Tiger Army were meant to be supporting moz, did want to see them but Kristeen Young was just as good very original and different.

...and have been happy ever since, due to his absolutely impeccable manners! And the fact that it was him who said "Thank you very much". WoW

I shook hands with the man himself - TWICE. I was visibly shaking for the entire gig after that moment.

I was to the left of the stage (my left), right at the front, and between this very sound bloke named Pete and this other women wearing a black leather jacket, who was also very friendly. It's only the second time I've been to see Morrissey (the first being Earls court, right at the very back!), and to be at the very front, and to have the honour and priveledge to actually shake his hand and shout "I LOVE YOU!" at him is just... mind boggling.

I'm smiling as I write this. Most definately the best gig of my entire living existence.

yawn and double yawn.
you are tiresome and not funny.

Joining the band for the rest of the Tour!!

Dear Anonymous,

Thank you for your appliction to join the prestigous University of Humour. Unfortunatley although we have 3000 spaces available we can not accept your application as our team of experts failed to detect a smidgen of humor in your application.

We suggest you iron your head and donate your body to science prior to your death.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Ulcer Major