... any comments on health matters or the episode the other night?

Please , tell everything! did he look better? What did he say?

SETLIST?

MatthewLumby Morrissey's first words: "Fasten your seatbelts, it is going to be a bumpy ride"

O_PARRY_ART So far so good at Moz, he's a bit sweaty but on good form!! Phew!! # morrissey

Eamonn_Forde "The doctor said I shouldn't smile. I told him I don't." God love Morrissey.

Not the best,but i am sure he and the band pulled though.C'mon,someone say something,shoooooo.

please?

Has there been any offical word as to what struck Morrissey down in Swindon?

was they selling them? I hope so.

Come on people, give us the details! I'm tired and i want to go to bed. Work tomorrow, to make money to buy more Morrissey tickets.

No surprises. Charming Man to start, Black Cloud, Carol, Ganglord, How Soon is Now, Cemetry Gates, Nowhere Fast, is It Really So Strange, Death at Ones Elbow, The Loop, ok By Myslef. Enc. First of The Gang.
Not in exactly that order but close and I have forgotten a few.
He was on good form. A few empty seats but a good show all in all.
Annoyed by people around me going to the toilet during classic Smiths songs. Seemed like a typical trendy London crowd round me!

I really hope he brings seasick yet still docked back.

it was like moz never had health problems, glad to hear more smiths songs. lovin it when he said no celeb chefs were veggie lol. then crashing bores. i so expected him to mention something about the BNP.

amazing night and i almost caught his shirt, damn if only i did.

Just on the way home from the gig and what a belter it was ! Morrissey's playfull fall on entering being just the start of it . . . Loud , energetic and entertaining, he was back to his best !

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1223432/Morrissey-makes-triumphant-return-stage-collapsing-stage-Swindon.html/ [dailymail.co.uk]

Thought was great show 2nite, even got to shake his xtra sweaty hand when he launched himself onto the speakers during First of the gang, still on high ..... but shall I wash it?

Looks like thats cancelled. He said it isnt selling and for everyone to stay at home.

Thank fuck as ive done £500 on tickets this year and I cant do anymore!

Strange audience tonight, appeared very middle class and not very up for it.

Thought they missed a versatile musician on keyboards.

You can tell enough is enough for this year. Even the tshirt touts havent bothered witj any new designs!

Fair play to Moz. Onwards. . .

Many thanks to Aubry who kindly let me copy the setlist of Solomon:

This Charming Man
Black Cloud
Carol
How Soon Is Now?
Ganglord
Cemetry Gates
Paris
Teenage Dad
Nowhere Fast
Irish Blood, English Heart
Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself
One Day Good Bye
Death At One's Elbow
Craching Bores
Is It Really So Strange?
The Loop
Because Of My Poor Education
I'm OK By Myself
First Of The Gang To Die

Morrissey was in a good spirit which made all of at ease.
About a dozen photographers in the pit, expect tonight's live will be reviewed in many papers and magazines.
Morrissey was in pale blue with navy blue check shirt, navy blue blazer and blue stonewashed jeans.
The lads were wearing a white shirt, black trousers with grey suspenders.

Many banters tonight. 'Thank you Swindon (sic)', have a go at celebrity chefs before 'Crashing Bores'. 'Cemetry Gates' was dedicated to Linder Stirling.

Well done to a forum user sweetness522 who managed to hand a James Dean LP.

Simply great to see Morrissey's back in form!

Literally: Morrissey was on form tonight! A Fantastic show. No surprises on the set-list but it was a triumphant show nonetheless.

Spotted many "old time" die-hards at RAH. Hello!

Loads of *brand* new merchandise: spotted some football-type scarves in West Ham colours with "Morrissey" in capital letters....surely to become a collector's item.

Simply a Great night. Long Live Morrissey.

I have been a fan for 20 years and seen good shows and not so good shows. This show was near perfect, very muscular and fast paced. Moz had a point to prove and he proved it! He is fully fit and as he warned at the outset 'you are in for a bumpy ride'.

Quite a quiet crowd tonight, no chanting, no succesful stage invaders.

Had to sit for once tonight, but great banter from Moz, put everyone's mind at ease following the episode, didn't quite hit 100% but still very very well! LONG LIVE MORRISSEY.

ps...not too sure what the comment about Ally Pally suggests...may well just be a bit of advertising as opposed to a cancellation! x

He didn't quite, but he did raise the roof.

In the intros, Millie Small sang 'My boy Lollipop'. There were other familiars; plus one of the late Joe Dolan singing Such a Good Looking Woman - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfm0Vsh5Tjo [youtube.com] - and a change just before he came on, showing a caberet-styled woman panicing as the curtain came up on her act! The music as Morrissey jumped on stage, was the ominous film score in 'He was Good in His Time".

As other posters have described, it was a top-class show. The full house was up for it. The band members wore black trousers and Persil-white shirts. He wore baby-blue shirts and denim jeans. I loved the 3-4 rockabilly numbers. What a treat to hear Nowhere Fast, Is It Really So Strange, Death at One's Elbow, and all the Swords tracks! He thanked the audience.

Delighted that Moz is back wielding a bicycle chain. : )

Praise Jesus!

The setlist was ok but the performance was a great one! well done Mozza

Enjoyed the gig - not one of his very best but good. (For context i've been a regular since the early days.)

Moz looked fine - but had a couple of wobbles - at one point he looked liked he was struggling - but he ploughed on.

He made light of his health problems throughout - "I can choke myself to please you" in black cloud seemed to gain added poignance in light of his respiratory problems - especially as he pretended to throttle himself.

The voice missed a few notes here and there... (some lines he just didn't bother with) There was a sense that he wasn't completely pushing it - staying well within his safety zone - perfectly understandable.

Crowd were quite tame - mostly over 40s - absorbed rather than partying - but appreciative - and the big Smiths tracks were suitably cherished.

Highlight for me: Death at one's Elbow - he seemed to mean this one more than any other. (Lots to enjoy

Lowlight: Bad Education - voice felt weakest on this, and crowd response was minimal. (Morrissey even said: "That bad, eh?" afterwards.)

Saw a couple of celebs in the standing area - not good with names tho... But someone said one was Jamie something who was in hollyoaks years ago - and is now a model? (looked a bit like Damon Albarn.)

Anyway, it was a good gig - and great to see Moz on good form.

These are just my opinions - others I'm sure had very different experiences.

Fantastic gig...... Lots of jokes and comments from the big man.

He looked in good shape, but is obviously trying to do too much!

Cancel America, most of them do not get it anyway..... stay home.... Cannot wait for Salisbury!.... and the Swindon Bournemouth second attempts will be fun too!

Stop working so hard!!!!! If I have upset Bormerica... I will survive... no doubt!

Good setlist last night!
Baffled by how retards are going mad for 'Crashing Bores', then sit scratching their heads for the likes of Nowhere fast and Is it really so strange.
Shame on you, you spacs!

Fantastic show, though the crowd were a bit subdued especially considering the drama of the weekend. Definitely didn't feel as big a sense of occasion as when he played Albert Hall in 2002.

But the performance itself was great and whatever anybody has said above, his VOICE was incredible and incredibly strong while the set list was as varied and diverse as I've seen or heard him play.

Good luck to everyone else with tickets for rest of tour. If his voice/health can hold the same as it did at Albert Hall then you're in for a great night.

Fingers crossed for Ally Pally...

I loved the bumper sticker they had on sale - "I swerve for Morrissey"

The venue was fantastic, Morrissey was at his best..full of witty banter..at some point he lay on the floor in a pretend collapse, then got up & thanked Swindon..
Highlight for me was How Soon Is Now & Cemetery Gates.
Morrissey is definately back on top form, we all enjoyed every minute!

was they selling them?

So, after parking in Whitechapel - we finally managed to get to the RAH after giving up the car and going on the underground, a bit late but excited. We find door 3, get a quick beer and go in half way through Doll and the Kicks set.

However there is a strange smell - of dead fish (which i am later told was a rather good Cod Mornay?!?). We sit in our seats,in front of the private boxes just above the standing area - a good view we think.

So the intro finishes - the curtain drops and we stand and cheer, only to find that most people have remained seated. The stench of cod wafts around the seated and only adds. Just the oddest bunch of people, whom i am sure are great fans - just didnt have ANY enthusiasm beyond clapping (i think this is very Royal Albert Hall behavour)

At this point we make a run for it - hurdle the low barrier and hit the floor running to be among the standing near the stage. Its much better there, i am hoping the stench of fish is not clinging to my clothes.

Great gig - once at the front, although still a little subdued from the audience, but it was a Tuesday. Boz seemed to be having an unlucky instrument night - when his clarinet misses a note in Paris and he seemed (i couldnt really see) to smash his guitar at the end. Thought the set list was great, really perfect mix.

Morrissey looked well, not sure what news is coming re Ally Pally, but he said something like 'you and i cannot afford it' which i presume means there are spare tickets.

Word of advice, never do the seated option.

some of us weren't lucky enough to get to RAH YOU SELFISH CUNTS

Worst Moz gig i've ever been to. 25 plus.. Berating your guitarist was as low as low as can be. Until you start having a go at the audience. Who were half-dead admittedly. All over the space of 75 mins. Shocking.

honestly I thought this show was the best I have seen him since the Quarry dates in 2004. came away from the first night at Brixton feeling really let down, quite a dull show and he really didn't seem into it which with hindsight could have been an illness thing but last night the man was really on form. looking and sounding great, he seemed to be really enjoying himself, quite a few jokes about Swindon, much better setlist as well, Teenage Dad sounded amazing!! Seriously I really can't stress enough how good this show was, I was seriously worried after Brixton that he had kind of lost it but last night it was the Morrissey of five years ago. The band as always were fantastic as well. If he stays on form like this for the rest of the shows then you are all in for a treat. On another note I have to say I'm pretty shocked by all of the negative and sometimes crass comments on here, I'm not into blind devotion like some on here and I think it's good to criticize when it is justified but some of the posts on here are horrible. what is wrong with some people. Anyway, back to the show, can't praise it enough, a real return to form in my book!!

Morrissey came on to a (so it seemed to me) standing ovation and (mostly) everyone in my section stayed upstanding throughout.

From my perspective, Morrissey seemed to be holding back a little; this is not a criticism, merely an observation and I appreciate that other people may not have felt this. There was a dose of mordant humour when Morrissey lay in a foetal huddle for quite some time while the band played the final bars of “How Soon Is Now?” For the first few numbers, Morrissey wandered centre stage with his back to the audience when not singing. Anyone else pick up on this? Not sure it was significant.

Having bought a ticket for May 11th, which was the “Years of Refusal” Tour, I would have preferred to have heard more of that album. That said, it’s always good to sing along with Morrissey whatever he plays.

Boz seemed to be having problems with his footswitch a couple of times, although towards the end of the penultimate (or thereabouts) number he “on and offed” it deliberately. He didn’t smash his guitar at the end, he was a little “theatrical” with it though.

I didn’t appreciate the couple of occasions when the bassist came centre stage; the fuzz sound of his bass works well on “All You Need Is Me” (which they didn’t play) but isn’t deserving of our attention other than that, so the legs astride, look at me, rockstar pose was ridiculous when what he was playing sounded like a novice in a punk band. Anyone else agree?

The band sounded best on the sparser numbers, for example, “Why Don’t You Find Out For Yourself”, and I thought they did a pretty good job, generally. However, I thought Jesse Tobias was a little too high in the mix at the expense of the keyboards; it sounded cluttered, no more so than on the appalling beginning of “This Charming Man”.

It is a relief to see that Morrissey is not at death’s door However, my own take is that he needs a long break to recharge. Another incomplete b-side album to promote? Not what he needs.

kms

I'm surprised at all the positive comments here. I thought it was an OK show. How Soon Is Now? and Irish Blood were fab but others weren't including This Charming Man which had little charm about it.

Most of Moz's between song repartee was funny, some was just crass eg saying the guitarist was doing OK and whinging about "you probably won't buy the new album" and apparent lack of ticket sales for Ally Pally. Is he on about a b-sides album and a gig in an aerodrome after cancelling all but a handful of London gigs in the last 2 years. £40 a ticket in the aerodrome won't help sales for Moz or the fans.

Might be time for someone to get back in touch with reality.

whats the name of that new keyboardist?
saw him in brum, miles better than kris pooley
he was a load of wank tbh

I really really don't understand why people go to the lengths of registering for a forum that is soley about one man only to then spend their time moaning because a guitarist may or may not have missed a fucking note.

For the record, I thought last night was awesome. Why? because I love Morrissey. I couldn't give a shit about anything else even had I noticed. Even the people sitting around me wasn't enough to ruin the night.

Thanks Moz.

so much for 'the swords tour' as these dates are advertised on www.itsmorrisseysworld.com and elsewhere. 19 songs played last night, of which 3 are from 'swords'. of those 3 only one ('teenage dad') has not been played recently (sounded great last night), and another 'ganglord' was repeatedly played in the last 3-4 years. This paucity didn't stop Moz from complaining that no-one's buying the album - i wanted to ask 'why aren't you playing it?'

Moz also said 'don't worry about ally pally if you can't afford it...I can't afford it.'

if sales for ally pally are poor, i wonder if the fact that we've all seen this show (basically 'Refusal' plus set staples of the last 4 years - Irish Blood/First of the Gang/HSIN/Loop) too many times has anything to do with it?

money, and time passing, are foremost in his mind i suspect. rehearsing new stuff seems to be a cost not worth incurring. what 'new' additions there are are smiths songs. is this Moz giving some long-neglected tunes a last run? will there be another album?

well, Morrissey at the albert hall was always and still is an occasion. voice wondrous, band more energetic than i've seen in a while. but when you've got a collection of your best work of the decade out, why not perform it?

after 'poor education' drew quiet applause Moz said: 'that bad, eh?'. indeed i think the audience plays a part. for at least the last 3 shows i've seen, the biggest reactions by far are for 'Irish Blood', 'First of the gang' and HSIN, with lots of sitting down or chatting during 'obscure' tunes like 'poor education'. who are these people? what happened to trainspotters like me who want to hear the unheard stuff, something different??

as for the the 'new' smiths tunes, nice as it is to hear them, moz seemed unconvincing singing 'cemetery gates' and 'nowhere fast' . he's not the early-20s man who wrote those words. he (and the band) put a lot more into 'death at one's elbow' and 'is it really so strange' - really good. the band has generally been better at the more pastiche, less pure-marr smiths songs.

i know i'm not alone in feeling let down. the recent poll here showed lots of people wanting a refreshed set, excitement at hearing 'swords' tunes live - in other words wanting MORE morrissey. but i'm not sure if he wants much more. i still love you moz and i hope you've saved mountains of cash for a splendid retirement. i think it's not far off...

off to buy swords on vinyl now

Excellent show - somehow he made the Albert Hall seem an intimate venue for once.
Moz was a bit tentative to start but once he got going his performance really grew - he obviously thrived on the response from the audience - I didn't think (whatever people might say to the contrary) that they were in the slightest bit subdued - and that goes for those, like me, who were in the seated areas too.
  Not the best selection of songs ever but they did suit his lower register and I have no complaints - in fact I can only describe him as
  witty, masterful and gorgeous - and I'm falling in love again!

i was in the arena and swear i smelt weed.. any one smelt it?

We rocked in the upper circle as much as anyone could 300 foot in the air on a cliff face. These were the only seats left back in January so it was sad to see some empty seats. Morrissey was absolutely brilliant. End of story.

Here we go again....

Let's face it: Morrissey can never come up with a setlist which would please all the fans.

However, I've seen Morrissey 7 times this year (last night included) and I agree more variation wouldn't go amiss.

I don't know about other hard touring bands - do they change their setlists more frequently?

Personally, I really enjoyed last night's show but more than 50% of the crowd were sitting on their hands, literally.

I'm sure many felt anxious that there would be some kind of repeat of Swindon but my fear was that he would walk off due to audience apathy. There were only pockets of people either dancing, standing or even applauding enthusiastically at the end of songs in the lower seats, and there was only a pocket of activity at the front of the standing area.

I know many of us feel rather inconvenienced by the cancelled / aborted shows in the UK since Roundhouse, but let's face it, this has been par for the course for the US audience for yonks!

If he shows up, you might as well enjoy it! Can't say it was the worst setlist - The Loop, Nowhere Fast, Is It Really So Strange, Irish Blood were all delivered with gusto...

Not sure whether to buy tickets now for Ally Pally...but I wouldn't read too much into his comments, it was just a "I don't mind if you can't go because of the money, I don't have any myself now either" tongue in check remark.

Doesn't make good reading....

http://bit.ly/3HKvrV

Was the beautiful opera music Morrissey played before DATK -

Madame Butterfly by Puccini, sung by Maria Callas?

Thank you Morrissey, and thank you for your majestic bow to stage right. A King stands before the crowd - my curtsey low in return to you . . .

Can't believe nobody is commenting on anything!! No wonderfully, alledgedly, carefully crafted points of praise or blasts of criticism. Moz isn't the man he was once was; he's a millionnaire singing about misery. Am not sure he is able to reflect on things so intangible to him anymore, however. I still love him though.

just wondering because overall the set list is the same as the refusal set list. At least over half the set is from the previous tour, but keep mine hidden had to go, but i am not to sure that death at ones elbow was a proper replacement.

I've posted the beginning of the Royal Albert Hall concert including "This Charming Man" in its entirety on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/corporate.entertainment [facebook.com]

If you were at the concert, please tag yourself in the video and share with your friends!

Morrissey's voice sounded great from where we were seated (2nd tier box seats). The crowd's enthusiasm did wane by the end, and I was afraid Moz might not come out for the encore.

All in all, a good performance and a fun night!

Am I missing the point here?

Every established performer has a few songs which are their best which is why they are famous and songs most people would want to/expect to here when paying to watch them perform.

Obviously, for Morrissey it's songs like Everyday is like Sunday, There is a Light, This Charming Man. Songs like this should exploited as a safe bet, majority crowd pleaser and should be the highlights for shows.

I appreciate that it's always nice to hear obscure songs but too many just makes the setlist dislocated and a bit hit and miss- hence the comments on here that some people loved the setlist while others were dissapointed.

It would be like going to see the rolling stones and not hearing satisfaction or jumping jack flash etc. They often play both- either end of the concert sometimes. There is always room for popular and less popular songs- it makes you appreciate the lesser known ones that much more instead of getting lost in a 5 song block of which you've never heard.

Many of Morrissey's fans got into him via the Smiths, well I don't believe there is a great bunch of Smiths songs in this setlist and at the end of the day this is the closest Smiths fans get to it. Not everybody is a die-hard anorak wearing obsessed fan who likes Mozza because he gives a voice to their meaningless and insignificant mundane lives and makes them feel they are doing something about it. Some of us like him because of his music, so why not play some bigger songs and get the crowd going?

I'm going to see him in Salsbury hopefully and it would make my night to hear some of the songs I've suggested- those songs get people going and make them feel alive a lot more than promoted b-sides! They are b-sides for a reason- so why do a b-sided, second rate tour?

i keep hearing that this will be his last tour. anyone know?