© CPU – Bert Savels
We should not hide the fact that Morrissey is a much-discussed figure. The man who started his career as the frontman of The Smiths can no longer go through the same door with those band members and his sometimes fierce statements do not help either. Nevertheless, the Briton, who turns 64 this year, continues to appeal to a large audience and that is what he likes to see. Tickets with a price tag of more than a hundred euros are no problem for them and so the first of two shows in the Stadsschouwburg in Antwerp was almost sold out. We saw a Morrissey on form giving an anthology of his career in just over an hour.
At 8 pm a movie started playing on stage, after which we were treated to music from the quiet years for half an hour. Towards the end, clips from Sex Pistols and New York Dolls, among others, came to the fore, which already excited the audience a little bit. The room started to bubble and when TV clips in which Moz’s name was mentioned, he had to come on stage quickly, didn’t he? It took a long time, but once the lights went out after half an hour, everyone suddenly stood up. Yes, the seats in the Stadsschouwburg were of no use to the wild mob of Morrissey fans. Everyone had to experience this concert standing up.
© CPU – Bert Savels
With “Alma Matters” Morissey took the stage with confidence. Surrounded by his five-piece band, he could draw all the attention in the center of attention. The fans in the front rows were right next to him and could touch him, so to speak. The fact that the singer held out his hands to those fans made them even more enthusiastic: they could touch his hand, the hand of the master who is on stage. Like a true Messiah, he healed all their worries and made the room dream of an evening with him.
Because the fans of Morrissey, they are still as adolescent as in their younger years. The employees of Stadsschouwburg kindly asked the spectators to sit back, but the damage was already done. You have to experience a rock show standing up, so it was sometimes a bit strange to see Morrissey at work in this setting. This was especially noticeable with a song like “Irish Blood, English Heart”, which rocks hard. The audience just wanted to join in, but there was a barrier of seats in the way of them being able to throw themselves fully.
© CPU – Bert Savels
Musically Morrissey could actually charm from start to finish. He wasn’t grumpy, in fact he was very pleasant on stage. With off and a predictable binding text in which he mentioned the title of the upcoming song, such as “Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before” or ‘some friendships are a waste of time, we have no choice, this is a “Knockabout World”’, it felt a bit forced at times, but that was compensated by his sometimes witty reactions to loud screams from the audience. “How soon is now?” someone shouted, after which he replied: “Never, that’s how soon it is.” And that wit sometimes worked on the laughing muscles, so that he got the sympathy of his fans.
With an anthology from the man’s rich career, it was striking that the songs of The Smiths in particular could count on the most recognition and euphoria. “Girlfriend In a Coma” caused nostalgic feelings and was played briefly but nicely. “Everyday is Like Sunday” was preceded by a piano intermezzo that provided a nice melancholy, followed by the hit of course. There was even room for the audience to sing along. Moz himself kept his tambourine at hand and provided the necessary percussion. Then songs like “Let Me Kiss You” and “Knockabout World” were less interesting in themselves, which caused the set to collapse at times.
© CPU – Bert Savels
There was also something to see in the background of the stage. Especially older photos, but in “The Bullfighter Dies” shocking images of bullfights with which Morrissey tries to kick his audience against the conscience. There was also room for new work and that sounded promising. “The Night Pop Dropped” sounded pretty funky and “Without Music the World Dies” is a cool bluesy track. Hopefully Moz finds a label to release those songs, because there too the saga is too long to go into now.
Towards the end, Morrissey once again brought out his stronger work from The Smiths, with “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” and “Half The Person” where the audience became just a little more euphoric. For closing track “Jack The Ripper” some smoke was even sprayed on stage and everything suddenly became much darker and more aggressive, while before it was mainly airy. This got the spectators more excited and when the man started the punky bisong “Sweet and Tender Hooligan” with a different wardrobe after a short interlude, one fan after another jumped on stage to hug him. That was nipped in the bud several times by security and someone who wanted to crowdsurf was also not allowed to embrace his happiness.
In the end, this powerful song became a solid end to a very nice set. Morrissey did not give a world-class performance, he played too many insignificant solo tracks for that and the setting was not ideal, but he delivered everything with conviction. It became a mix of his dreamy indie rock songs, with the occasional heavier song to keep the power in the set.
Tonight Morrissey plays again in Belgium and that in BOZAR Brusselsthere are still a small number of tickets available.
Fan of the photos? To our Instagram there are many more!
Setlist:
Alma Matters
I Wish You Lonely
Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before (The Smiths)
Irish Blood, English Heart
I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris
Jim Jim Falls
Sure Enough, the Telephone Rings
Let Me Kiss You
Girlfriend in a Coma (The Smiths)
The Night Pop Dropped
Everyday Is Like Sunday
The Bullfighter Dies
Istanbul
The Loop
Knockabout World
Without Music the World Dies
Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want (The Smiths)
Half a Person (The Smiths)
Jack the Ripper
Sweet and Tender Hooligan (The Smiths)
