Setlist Brussels: same as Paris 25/8 but different order. Started with "In the future", then "Panic", then all pretty much the same, if I recall well.

Wilde was lurking from behind.

Gaz & Boz were later out of the bus, together. Looked OK, were not disturbed, and quickly disappeared towards the rear entry.

Good show. At first some sound difficulties.

Three shirt changes, two of which got tossed in the crowd.

Crowd very civilized - no stage invaders, no attempts.

Banter: a funny incident about a large spider who'd apparently come to listen as well and sat center stage. Morrissey wanted it to be removed, as he didn't want to kill it.

Also thanked the small man with a moustache who cleaned the floor, and said it was very slippery and we'd have to be prepared for him to fall and break his neck. He didn't. Luckily.

Thanked Kristeen (and Jeff), and congratulated her with her first single charting.

Thanked crew before launching into "To [us] you are a work of art".

Thanked the lads as well and presented them. Lads wore white pants, black shirts and striped tie (If I remember well).

Good show, strong ending. Said they concluded the European tour, 70 dates. Then asked Julia some final words. She came up with the most uninspiring line.

So ... all's well that ends ..... well ?

Just got back from the AB.
The facts:
It was a short set, started with 'In the future'. There was no Human Being, no Ganglord, no If you don't like me. He ended with a marvelous Now my heart is full.
The impressions:
He started by saying: 'Yes we came to please the press in Belgium!', which set the tone for the show, because it felt a bit like a chore. The first half Moz was very chatty, but the crowd was a little disrespectful, kept shouting old Smiths songtitles to him while he was talking, interrupting him. He choked afterwards, I think.
He also thanked the little guy with the moustache who polished the floor of the stage, until it was nearly too slippy to perform.
At one point he even gave his microphone to Julia, who said something like "I thank you with all my heart". After which a lookalike in tux screamed: "Moz, well why don't you sing 'Julia, Julia, fookin' Julia' then?" This was the guy who got manhandled by security at the beginning of the show.
Moz clearly ran out of shirts after Marlay Park (4 or 5 counts), because he only handed over (not threw) two shirts. He changed three times, but I believe the first and the third shirt were the same.

Vinz & JF, I'm the winner;-)
Great show in the most fantastic place in Belgium.
I'm happy that the Moz ended his show with "Now my hart is full"!

no more moz for a while then .
what a great tour this has been, thank you moz for everything and thank you all for being such great friends.
viva moz

:(

It seems so unfair
I want to cry

VIVA MOZ

JIM

He was on good form and said this is gig number 70 and the last of the tour. He acknowledged Julia and Winnie and gave Winnie his shirt. I went to the afteshow but Morrissey didn't turn up. It was great but sad to think that it was the end until the next album,

thank you Moz for a great tour. You are indeed a work of art.
x

Did anyone else go?
Sorry to change subject but it's my first time in England and just want to say what a fantastic city, filled with lovely people.
I came for the Beatles Convention and want to stay here.
They are adorable.

...but now that the European tour is over, it'll be time soon enough for Moz to come to America, take some dollars back to Rome and hopefully get some of the radio play here that he seems to so desperately crave. When he comes to America later this year, he has to come back to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (yes, that Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). He's cancelled shows twice here, once under very mysterious circumstances. But, as the current single goes, confront what you are afraid of. Maybe it's a little too familiar of a place to Moz: the north side of the city -- where the Warhol Museum is located -- used to be named ... Manchester.

As a brit living in Germany I thought it was a good opportunity to see Moz in a small venue so we drove the 3 and half hours to AB. Long story short we paid 100 euro each for our tickets and these were from "so called Morrissey fans" not towts. Managed to get 2 rows from front after the "reshuffle" of Panic" This being the 8th show of the tour I thought last night was one of the better shows, and stopping for the spider which was on borrowed time if it hadn’t moved out of the way! Was very funny. I may touch a nerve here as in the review above ref the man in tux making comment about Julia. I have posted comment on here before defending her by saying if we all had the money we would be doing the same and going to every show, but last night I did voice my disgruntled-ness at Moz for saying to Julia thank you for following him, there are others Moz, that use up their crap monthly salary, to buy tickets then the petrol or the train fare, flights and hotels but of course we do this willingly and gladly, just sometimes Moz I wish you would thank us "Joe blogs" as sincere. I just want to say hi the tall guy that I made a pack with, and he stuck to it, the last shirt came back don’t know how and we both got a piece each.... Thank you. A 100e for a ticket..100e in petrol. Priceless memories

Super show! Thanks Mozzer!

Highlights to me: Panic, How soon is now? Irish blood English hart, Girlfriend in a coma, First of the gang to die, You have killed me, Life is a pigsty and Stop me.

I hope (and with me the rest of Belgium, I'm sure) that you will be back soon.

Simon

The stage setlist had some cool titles, such as "Panique", "Bappy" (for I Just Want To See The Boy Happy), "Wok Of Art", "The Oldest Was The Least Loved", "Comber" (for Girlfriend In A Coma), "Snog" (for Let Me Kiss You)... Lyrics to Stop Me were a little twisted: 'only slightly more than I used to', 'I drank 1 ... or was it 4'.

• In The Future When All's Well
• Panic
• Irish Blood, English Heart
• Don’t Make Fun Of Daddy’s Voice
• I Just Want To See The Boy Happy
• Life Is A Pigsty
• How Soon Is Now?
• The Youngest Was The Most Loved
• To Me You Are A Work Of Art
• Girlfriend In A Coma
• Let Me Kiss You
• At Last I Am Born
• You Have Killed Me
• First Of The Gang To Die
• I Will See You In Far Off Places

• Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before
• Now My Heart If Full

A fantastic Night in one of the best European Venues. Morrissey was superbe! I'm sure he pleased the press in Belgium...

Let's now hope for a 'Live at the AB, Brussels' album.

Gig was fantastic, Now My Heart is Full a perfect set closer, very emotional! A lot of Belgian B-celebrities in the crowd (bet they didn't bought their tickets from the touts). The sound was excellent as was Mozzers voice, AB is definitely one of the best European venues. The 'spider moment' was indeed hilarious. Crowd was ok altough two couples (third row) asked me to cool down when we all started jumping and dancing ... What did they expect??? It's a Morrissey gig for god's sake.

Afterwards a nice mini Moz disco in a not so nice pub (next to AB). (Greets to M and her German friends). Proud to be Belgian!

I was so happy to see you again and listened to your great music once again.

The light and the sound was brilliant.

Also you have kind nice fans! Never forget them!
They really love you and I love you too.

You've been to many countries from Spring to Summer! That's wonderful thing. Tell me what you've seen later.

You must be really exhausted! So take a good rest now! I love you very much Morrissey. I'm always only thinking about you. X

The incident with the spider appearing to share the stage with Moz on this last gig of the tour has been mentioned a few times. It could be taken as an auspicious omen of Morrissey’s web growing, helped by weaving friends as he helps them! Would any other pop-star pause to ensure the rescue of such a little critter in the vicinity?! It’s a lovely story. The spider is an ancient symbol of creativity, control over destiny, ecological stability, good fortune, connectivity, healing, as the following excerpt outlines:

“The spider mythology within Europe can broadly be split in two - the more accessible "classical" and the darker folklore. The "classical" tends towards the spider as weaver of the web of creation, and we are familiar with the "web of Wyrd" (the high-tech nineties carries this on with the World Wide Web of the Internet), the three Feminine Fates (Sisters of Wyrd) who spin the thread of each man's life, weave it and sever it! One of the most important tales of the "classical" period concerns Arachne, who was not only a beautiful maiden but reknowned for her talents as a weaver. Thus she thought herself worthy to challenge the Goddess of the domestic arts, Athene (who also damned the beauty Medusa, who became a female protection deity) to a weaving contest; this they did, and Arachne won, causing the furious Athene to change her into a spider so that she should spin for ever. The maiden's fate wasn't so bad, as now all spiders have been named Arachnids after her, thus in fact deifying her to an extent to those who devote themselves to the spider.

The spider as a weaver of good fortune also comes from this "classical" side, ie the golden money spider bringing wealth and the saying "if you wish to live and thrive, let the spider run alive". People throughout Europe were therefore reluctant to kill a spider, being also used to cure ailments by people eating the spider and ingesting its power - a form of sacrement, or by being carried in the form of a locket…”
From: http://www.whitedragon.org.uk/articles/arachne.htm

Yes, indeed I was there yesterday at the AB show for the last concert of the tour. Great show, a lot of fun, power and emotion. I was standing behind the guy in charge of the lightshow and I had a beautiful view of the stage, until...... this big women came in with 2 others guesses. She just get in the lightshow area not paying any attention to the people behind her. She climbed on the stage where the lightshow table was dressed and stood in front of my face for the whole show, drinking beers, giggleling and playing with her hairs. So instead of seeing Mister Morrissey on stage, I had a view of this big huge women back. She might be related to the group ( a relative or something like that) but she could have payed attention to the people behind her.
Anyway, thanks to Mister Morrissey to make me forget this big women. THanks for this big show. I loved it. Take care. And of course, no thanks for the Big Queen of the Night

mozza you are the greatest ever!!!!!!!!
please hurry back.........

payed 100 euro's for a ticket from 'real fans' (and they sold at least 6 more..how did they got those tickets)...

the AB is a nice venue..but fuck'm for their policy to sell tickets at the day of announcing the concert..

anyway.... partied at the frontrows (Well, Vince where were you then?)..but really, i didn't think it was such a good show... The normal setlist was a bit, ... well... i don't know... boring or..dissapointing because of the choices he made with the songs he played...??? The band was not really energetic i thought...

The encores though were brilliant.. and our Man was lovely as ever.. But not my favourite of the shows i saw this tour...

And people, please stop whining about lame crowds.... because the people who nag about lame crowds are probably the most boring concert goers themselves...

Let's hope for more (but whith some new songs please)... :)

Eekandriah

Though it was an amazing gig, I left Mozza’s last date of the tour in true, un-consolable despair…Like many at the AB (bloody awful interiors if you ask me, but a perfect size intimate venue, with an ‘easy-to-reach’ stage), I guess I could not come to terms with the idea that, back at the office on Monday, I won’t have anything else to look forward to on the calendar. After four months of ‘a regular dose’ of Moz every 2,3 weeks..now it is no more.

Clearly I miss the tour bus arrival for matters of seconds; manage to get an autograph from Matt and Boz.
The usual faces outside the venue; some poor souls queuing from 6 a.m. (Brits of course! –and respect to you guys)…very messy queuing system (shame on the venue organisers for the lack of any barriers). So at around 4p.m. (3 hrs to go from the doors opening) we were all jam packed in this huge morrissey-ean hug. Tooooo old for this.

Anyway….run for your life to the first row. Now it’s all about making it through Kristeen Young and the trick is done…after that, hunger, thirst, pending toilet needs and aching limbs will all be forgotten. She is nice, bless her really…but we are all waiting for him.

Moz comes on stage holding a cigar; a level of handsomeness that it is pointless to describe cause that would be no words.
In good spirit, he thanks the “little man with the moustache that has been polishing the stage all day….don’t blame me if I fall”….The set-list is shaken and stirred and for that even more powerful. Boys in top form (don’t ask me why, but Gary Day…mmmhwwwwwaaa….I could do bad things to you! –sorry…a perv moment!…back to the story..). Moz stretches to touch hands (all but mine thankyouverymuch!) and there is this hilarious moment when all stops and every single person on the stage + security at the front, is looking for God-knows-what on the stage floor…what did you loose Moz??…he makes a joke about a big spider being on stage..

He thanks the band, the crew, Kristen Young, the “regular irregulars” that have been attending, and of course Julia, who gets to speak on his microphone (“..thank you with all of my heart”) and hands over a big envelope to him.

Just two shirts in the audience, the first one gets the full neck-chest-downthetrousers treatment before it gets thrown. If only….
One attempt of stage invasion that ends up a bit messy (Arturo is at the front tonight folks, no-one gets thru!).

We are already at the moment where the guys and Moz hold and bow in front of us. Where did this hour and half go??? He’s back with ‘Stop me..’ and then…and then..yes, the miracle repeats: ‘Now my heart is full’. I am in tears. We all are I guess.

It’s goodbye. For good.

Well, just for the ones of you thinking “I can’t get anymore pathetic than this”, I am just gonna prove you wrong as –in this general feeling of goodbyes– I just like to mention that these latest months have been possibly some of my best. Thanks to Morrissey, Boz, Gary, Jesse, Mike and Matt first of all, but also to all those familiar faces that I kept bumping into. I have been to ‘only’ 7 dates of this tour and really, I am no-one compared to those who have lost jobs, travel from country to country, left husbands/wives/children behind to follow this man that we all so unreasonably love.
Enough!…

The poet who wrote that was heard reading the full poem on Morrissey/NME's 2004 compilation "Songs to Save Your Life". John Betjeman is said to be Morrissey's favourite poet, and I think deserves a mention because today is the centenary of his birth. More at wikipedia e.g. "Sir John Betjeman CBE (28 August 1906–19 May 1984) was an English poet, writer and broadcaster who described himself in Who's Who as a "poet and hack". He was born to a middle-class family in Edwardian London. Although he failed his degree at Oxford University, his early ability in writing poetry and interest in architecture supported him throughout his life. Starting his career as a journalist, he ended it as British Poet Laureate and a much-loved figure on British television."

Tour 2006 RIP- Thank God this one is over!
thetexasbloke

Belgian newspaper "De Morgen" has a small review by Bart Steenhaut.

It's a negative one - the reviewer (not too much of a bright light in the music journo pathetic celibrities world) has the setlist not completely right, and then goes on to moan about how The Smiths songs were so much better, the ROTT songs flat and boring.

The journo concludes that Morrissey didn't "please the press in Belgium". Unwittingly, Steenhaut thus makes a very positive quality statement.

Last sunday was my 4th and last show this tour. Magic Moz was wearing a black shirt and holding a cigar when he entered the stage. The pigsty-lads wore black trousers, white shirts with black ties(with those ROTT tie-clips).

He seemed eager to end his tour in style. And he did, he did not slip.. His voice is like a good wine, it's just getting beter and better. I was blown away with NMHIF. Two encores... bless you Mozfather.

The whole spider thing was really funny, I was standing almost at the front but didn't see an arachnid. He even asked the security to help him find the wallcrawler using their flashlights. Funny? Yes.

After the band was introduced I(and others) asked him: Who are you? He yawned loudly into the microphone.

The look-alike Moz who was standing on the right should have been thrown out, what a sprout. He was constantely provocating security. He started whining about Julia, the jealous sprout. S-T-E-V-E-N seemed to avoid the right side of the stage because of him. Thanks again lookalike twat.

After the show I got my hands on an Pigsty bottle of water. Official ROTT posters were unofficialy sold for € 1,-. At the back entrance I saw Moz leaving the AB. Some fans there begging for an autograph.. but unfortunately he was gone in a blink of an eye.

The pub next to AB was nice. But I was disappointed there was no proper afterparty.

I'm allready looking forward to the live DVD.

Now my heart is (pretty) full..

Some drunken pictures of the before and after are online at www.sweetness-online.de
enjoy x

In the future went all's well!