There was no support act beforehand, the posters stated. There would just be a 30 minute video before Morrissey started his performance.
Of course, Morrissey needed no introduction. An icon of British music, he has still managed to remain relevant even today – usually for his opinions on Brexit. But would this performance show his talents to still be relevant as well?
The starting video featured many songs I didn’t know, but I didn’t need to know them to find them an interesting glimpse into Morrissey’s listenings and inspirations. One song that stood out in this was the rock girl band tATu’s unique cover of The Smiths’ song ‘How Soon is Now?’. It’s nice that he can appreciate people interpreting his song into their own style.
The starting song ‘Suedehead’ was upbeat, well-known and catchy, perfect for getting the audience warmed up. People were already grabbing for his hands, squabbling to be touched by the all-mighty Morrissey. A tamer version of what used to happen when he performed in the 80s.
The use of video visuals was really smart, both in terms of visuals on such a massive stage and sending home the impact of various songs. A particularly powerful one was ‘The Bullfighter Dies’, where the video showed bulls being tortured as part of the sport. My friend was shocked at what was being shown, but that was the point of them – to shed light on the problem and make people want change.
Whether you agree with Morrissey’s politics or not, there’s no denying that he is a great performer. I’d say his voice has become even richer with age, and he knows it. Powerful new songs like ‘I Spent the Day in Bed and ‘I Wish You Lonely’ displayed this beautifully on stage.
This was an amazing performance, from a talented artist that has proudly shown that he is still on the scene. And that he will be for a long time.
(… Or, just take my opinion as you want. Didn’t you know the news contrives to frighten you?).
By Eve Smallman