morrissey

Concert Review: Morrissey, October 19, Rapids Theatre, Niagara Falls, USA

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Ricky in Concerts | Leave a comment

morrissey niagara falls

It’s been a whole eight years since Morrissey last toured these parts, so when it was announced that the English troubadour would be embarking on a worldwide tour, you would think that one of those places he would visit would be our fair land of Canada.

Well, not really.

A staunch lover of all animals, Morrissey has refused to tour in our country over a disagreement with our seal clubbing policies. Instead, his Canadian tour stop consisted of a singular date at the Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls, USA a mere five minutes over the border. Of course, the irony was not lost on us when we found out the only place to eat around the theatre was Burger King.

Say what you want about the man and his polices, but Morrissey knows how to put on a show. Before a packed, excited and mostly Canadian crowd, Moz delivered a sterling 90 minute set that nicely blended solo-era tracks with a few Smiths songs, which were undoubtedly the highlights of the sets.

Let’s break it down:

Smiths tracks
Shoplifters Of The World Unite
Still Ill
Meat Is Murder
I Know It’s Over
Sweet And Tender Hooligan
How Soon Is Now?

An impressive ensemble of Smiths tracks were played on Friday night, including a rare performance of Sweet and Tender Hooligan, which came much to the surprise of me and my friend Aviva. We had both analyze previous set lists to determine the tracks that we would hear and nowhere on the list was that song. I think my concert going experience for some part has been ruined by setlist.fm since I can’t help myself from checking out the setlist, and ruining the surprise of say, when Morrissey plays I Know It’s Over, one of my favorite tracks of all time. If I hadn’t known it was coming, I probably would have lost it when that song came on, instead, I was satisfied he didn’t skip it. Did that song sound amazing? Yes. Was it a bucket list moment? yes.

The only damper on this set was the inclusion of Meat is Murder, a fine track on it’s own but Morrissey felt the need to play videos of farm animals getting slaughtered on the big screen during the song. Probably a downer for some. Iconic Smith’s track How Soon is Now closed off the set. You simply can’t go wrong with that. Watch it in all it’s glory

You might notice a few people taking the stage to hug Morrissey during that video. That’s a tradition at Morrissey shows, I was surprised it didn’t happen earlier/more frequently. At the Toronto show eight years ago, there were so many people rushing the stage that I think they had a number queuing system put in, like those at the super markets.

Early Morrissey Solo stuff
You’re The One For Me, Fatty
Everyday Is Like Sunday
Maladjusted
Ouija Board, Ouija Board
The Youngest Was The Most Loved
Fantastic Bird
Speedway

Everyday is Like Sunday sounded fantastic and one of the highlights of the show for me. Ouija Board was also great. If anything these tracks served as a gentle reminder to Smiths-era diehards that Morrissey, as a solo artist, has put out a buffet of fantastic tracks. You’re the one for me, Fatty is one of my favorite song titles ever. Malajusted, with it’s dark dramatic lighting, came off as a bit trying, but I have never been a fan of that track.

Modern Day Morrissey
You Have Killed Me
I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris
Let Me Kiss You
Black Cloud
Scandinavia

Modern day Morrissey tracks (I am referring to tracks off his last three albums), have been met with mixed results. The excellent You are the Quarry was only represented with one track, while Years of Refusal and Ringleader of the Tormentors had roughly equal representation. I can’t say I know Years of Refusal very well, and judging by the reaction from the crowd, I was not alone in that aspect. New track Scandinavia was also met without much fanfare. It’s always one of the struggles of an artist with a vast catalog – getting your fans interested in your new music. It’s something all nostalgia related shows deal with, and this was no different. I guess the key is to mix the old and the new well to maintain the ebb and flow of the crowd, something Morrissey did quite well.

Covers
To Give (The Reason I Live)

Morrissey had been doing this Franki Valli cover most of this tour, and it was met for a polite applause to which he retorted “You didn’t really mean it, but thanks. Time to pick up the pieces!” before immediately launching into I Know It’s Over. Classic.

All in all, the man sounded great and still commands a room like few. In a world now dominated by indistinguishable hipster bands, Morrissey stands out like no other – opinionated, stubborn, clever and incredibly honest. You might not agree with his politics or methods, but when Morrissey comes to town and plays one of those classic tracks you listened to in your bedroom when you were a teenager, none of it really matters, nor should it.

Classic Album Review: The Queen Is Dead – Smiths [1986, Rough Trade Records]

Posted on November 16, 2010 by Allison in Classic Albums, Music | Leave a comment

After a long self-imposed hiatus that no one appears to have noticed, the Classic Album Review is back, and this week’s is a doozy.

Firstly, I have somewhat conflicted feelings about including this album at all. As a collective album, I am not sure if it has necessarily stood the test of time given my gargantuan initial appraisal (masterpiece, numero uno, and thrillingly deep all came to mind). As a series of fragmented songs, many of them continue to hold up very nicely.

But then, there is the element of “that was then, this is now,” that plagues much of the music and books I enjoyed in my early teens. When you are a teenager, even discounting the fact that being depressed is very much considered en vogue, there is a definitive end all and be all element to everything you experience in art and hold dear to your heart. The Queen Is Dead is pretty much the epitome of such gnawing emotional tsunami, and for better or for worse represents some embarrassing times for me. No wonder I hardly listen to it anymore. It’s like when you remember sobbing uncontrollably to The Joy Luck Club and thinking that was a pinnacle.

That said, there are some gems on here that will always represent the magic of powerhouse songwriting. The album achieves several coveted things in music:

  1. Distinct atmosphere and era – No doubt due to Morrissey’s album cover choices, love of sophisticated 60’s actors, and the general hollow feel. Listening to this again I realize how underrated Mike Joyce’s drumming is.
  2. Powerful storytelling – So many of the songs from this album derive their impact with the skilled simplicity with which the lyrics construct everything. Frankly, Mr. Shankly is still the ultimate letter of resignation. I’ll get onto the others in a moment.
  3. Intrigue and directness – The best songs on the album create a brilliant dual counterintuitive effect: being direct while creating intrigue. When I use words like “simple” and “plain” stories and ideas, this is the ultimate form of praise. (Almost) everyone is striving for clarity; not everyone manages to achieve it. The uncomplicated potency of these songs just makes us want to know more. And yes, I think Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others means exactly what its title implies.
  4. Humanity – I’m hard pressed to think of an album that might parallel The Queen Is Dead in terms of staunch, raw feelings. Even the sunnier-composed songs (Cemetry Gates, The Boy with the Thorn in His Side) carry an anchor-weight to them and considering the number of times I played it in completion from start to finish, uninterrupted, I wonder how much of the joy in the listening experience is distilled from the wonder of feelings, nothing more than feelings. One of the reasons I think The Queen Is Dead resonates so strongly with teenagers is because everything is heightened…after all, hormones make for technicolor emotions.

BEST

  1. I Know It’s Over – An exploration in self-hatred, human fear and loathing. This song really swims in everyone’s greatest fear: loneliness. But at the core of its being is inspirational optimism for how everyone should be striving to live a better life. This song is a shining example of why the Smiths are a wonderful role model for the young and ought not be thought of as a suicide-making machine. Can you really think of a better general message than, “it’s so easy to laugh, it’s so easy to hate…it takes guts to be gentle and kind”? With messages like this, it’s amazing to think Morrissey has never been a guest star on Sesame Street.
  2. The Boy with the Thorn in His Side – Probably tied for my favorite song of the album and the strongest demonstration of what Marr, Joyce, and Rourke contributed to the livelihood of the Smiths and live energy. I still find it difficult to listen to this without scream-singing at the absolute top of my lungs because it’s just so damned easy to listen to. One day children, this song will be considered “adult contemporary” and “easy listening.” Mark my words.
  3. There Is a Light That Never Goes Out – Maybe the most memorable in terms of maudlin thoughts and feelings. After all, it’s all about undying, everlasting, over-the-top love. This song could very well have a subtitle of “a million and one painful ways to die while running away,” yet in spite of all its pyrotechnic dramatism, it  somehow works. Probably the most treasured song of my adolescence, bar none.

Also, does anyone else think that that last song is all about a teenage boy coming out of the closet, running away from his gay bashing parents, and meeting his lover on the way? Just sayin’.