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Morrissey delighted his devout fans at a packed-out Roundhouse |
Don't be Suede, Moz's English heart is in the right place
REVIEW
MORRISSEY
Roundhouse
VERY few music artists going into the 26th year of their career could aspire to do a week-long residency at a venue like the Roundhouse – but then Morrissey has always commanded unconditional love from his fans.
Now 48, he is an enduring icon to many who remember their teenage years listening to lyrics that confirmed their isolation from the norm and yet were steeped with self-deprecating, camp, Northern humour.
Of the three nights I went, Morrissey swaggered on to the stage with a tight set of songs spanning his long career in music, from a small number of Smiths songs right through to his upcoming solo Greatest Hits album.
Unfortunately, a croaky voice caused the Friday night concert to be abandoned three songs in – announced by Russell Brand – and the rest of the run to be postponed until a later date.
His band may no longer feature the beloved guitarist Johnny Marr, but West Hampstead’s Boz Boorer proved that he’s penned some equally stunning tracks. New songs like I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris seem as endurable as those written in the early 1980s.
Varying the set each night, it was surprising to see how many devoted fans went to the concerts every night of the week arriving at the Roundhouse in the early afternoon to guarantee a front-row standing position as close as possible to the man himself.
The concert opened on two nights with a dark, brooding version of The Smiths’ classic How Soon is Now? While the self-pity remains at the core of the song (which features the plea “I am human and I need to be loved”), more than a quarter of a century later Morrissey no longer looks like a pale waif who has spent too much time in a bedsit in Whalley Range (Manchester). His looks are of an old matinee idol and his voice has improved over the years to give him an impressive range. Other Smiths songs such as Stop Me if You’ve Heard This One Before show that young pretenders like Mark Ronson should think twice before covering Moz songs.
Morrissey has always been a bag of contradictions in many ways. Considering the historic spat with the NME and recent accusations of racism, it was a bold decision to include the song National Front Disco in the set throughout the week. The controversial solo song about a family losing their son to the far Right is highly provocative with a third-person cry of “England for the English”. Yet at numerous points during the week he encouraged his fanbase to back Barack Obama to be the Democrats’ choice and hopefully the first black president in the White House.
The lasting feeling you get after seeing your idol perform at a smaller venue on your doorstep is that while other rock stars come and go, Morrissey will always be there for you. With an audience ranging from men in their 50s to teenagers escorted by their parents to their first-ever gig, we were all brought together by the wit and wisdom of a man who inspires passions in a way that very few can comprehend.
JONATHAN SIMPSON
YOU left your girlfriend on the platform, With this really ragged notion that you’ll return...
This line from The Smiths’ song, London, rattled around my head on Saturday evening as I walked up Chalk Farm Road: I had, indeed, left my girlfriend on the platform, and what’s worse, it was her birthday.
But there are some artists that grab hold of you early on in life and never let go.
So when a ticket for Morrissey’s gig came through at the last minute, my better half’s reaction was unequivocal – “Just go”.
Call it Karma, say I got what I deserved, but Mozza’s “sore throat” saw the gig cancelled.
There are countless stories of artists singing through the pain, as it were: Bono in Sarajevo in 1997, Bowie’s fanclub gig in in 2000.
What Bono and Bowie recognised was that their fans would rather sing along and drown out a missed note than turn heel and go home with a refund. Perhaps this has escaped Mozza’s attention.
No doubt the tour will roll back towards Camden in the near future, and the cancelled shows will be rescheduled. It’s just a shame I’ll have to wait a lot longer for my girlfriend’s next birthday...
TONY KIELY |
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