Wow - Morrissey is in *very* good health. Looking better than ever in wide slacks and black shirt. All the new songs were played - the autobiography in four gentle words stealing the show for me. The cavernous arena and quiet crowd made for an odd atmosphere ... but no doubting the quality. Surely the voice has never sounded better? Late Night Maudlin Street was to die for. Can somebody tell me to whom the song was dedicated? An actress recently died. Don't leave us in the dark for so long next time. There are some who still love you here. Hope everyone had fun ...

1/ I want the one I can't
2/ Hairdresser
3/ Suedehead
4/ Little man?
5/ The first of the gang
6/ Jack the Rrrrr
7/ I like you
8/ Mexico
9/ Sister I'm a P
10/ Alsatian
11/ Everyday is
12/ Crashing bores
13/ Meat is Mmmm
14/ Irish blood English heart
15/ Maudlin street
16/ Speedway

enc; there is an L that never goes O

ADIOS MI AMIGOS - GRACIAS

All typos are correct (sic) straight from the sound dudes mouth,well photo copier.
must say Morrissey is in very good form,and his Personal Assistant,Blossom,has done a sterling job also behind the scenes.

ps hope you all have a life changing experience !!

all the best
alex,
                  alex_wasajetski@hotmail.com

ps hope you all have a life changing experience !!

english heart" sound? I have always been curious about that song? Mp3's would be great.

Song was dedicated to Katrin Cartlidge see following link:

www.guardian.co.uk/arts/features/story/0,11710,791340,00.html

The show was fantastic and, rather importantly, Moz denounced that awful interview by saying 'thanks for turning up despite The Observer'!

The singing was fantastic, he was full of self-deprecation, humour and cheekiness!

Band were introduced as 4 great musicians he met in a psychiatric institution last year!

The crowd in the standing bit went bonkers for all songs especially There Is A Light drowning out Steven Patrick!

New songs went down well particularly First Of and English Heart.

John Steed sustained his first ever 'rock concert' injury when Moz threw his shirt into the audience during the encore. My little finger nail bled quite badly; sympathy please Suzanne!

has never sounded better. The only complaint was the sound, which I felt slightly marred (excuse the expression)an otherwise remarkable evening. For me the highlight was Irish blood, English Heart, which although a little too short in duration for my liking is a simply incredible song both musically and lyrically, and is obviously a personal favourite of Morrissey's it appears.

Between song banter was amusing and became something I was looking forward no matter how much I was enjoying the songs!

Morrissey dedicated "Late Night, Maudlin St" to the late, great Katrin Cartlidge (see "Naked" and "Career Girls" if you don't know her work).
Morrissey was wonderful as ever, despite an all too brief performance.Those of you fortunate enough to have enjoyed the performance from the arena (standing): I envy you. I roared from the stalls (3rd row from the front) but my enjoyment of the evening was tragically marred by the prematurely aged losers sitting close to me who insisted on SITTING for most of the set, and swaying limply for the rest of it!! I'd like to ask these people: how often are you going to see Morrissey live in London??? Anyway, it was wonderful to hear the immortal lines "if you ever need self validation/ just meet me in the alley by the railway station" reverberate around the Albert Hall. Too bad there were no "Your Arsenal" glam stompers included in the set.

Love you Morrissey, hope the next time I see you I will be STANDING!!

Did anyone else get stuck in the massive traffic jam on the M1 ? It tok us 3.5 hours from Northampton ! At least we got to see 40 minutes of the show. I have no finger nails left and i think i had a nervous breakdown.

That’s what Morrissey called to me tonight. He’d just sung, I think, ‘Irish Heart, English Blood’ and said something like “well if we ever play that one again we’ll bring an applause machine.” I shouted “WE LOVE IT!” He: “What?”, I repeat it and he says, “That’s right, now’s the time boy, scream your guts out!”.

What Morrissey wore tonight:

A black pleated-front shirt which he changed for a pink double-cuff, plain-front shirt for the encore.
Almost hipster-ish type trousers which had a high pocket like combats/ cargos.
Black formal loafer-style shoes.

This was a wonderful gig. It was the best I have been to because of the anticipation, the excitement, the build-up having read reports from the USA and Japan. I thought the sound was good too appart from some bad connection making a chainsaw sound early on.

I hung back to start with but got into the crush down the front for the later songs. It was rammed. Imagine a packed tube train in rush hour but actually crushing up against everyone around. I’ve never smelt so much Arimist and Insignia in one place from so many bodies. Everyone I saw had a great time and though there was pressure to go forward there was no violence, just competition to get to the front. I sang the encore into some guy's armpit. I don't suppose he minds or even knew. We were all stretching to touch the hand of Morrissey. A few people got on stage to chears. One guy interrupted the singing early on and was hauled off, arm round his neck. A girl danced on stage but bizarrly didn’t appear to go for Moz. Was she from the Alain fan club?

After the encore he threw his pink shirt into the audience. As he ran off stage he looked back. Did I see the top of his buttocks??? Surely not. But that is a FINE body he has.

He said: (and these are APPROXIMATIONS ‘cos I don’t have a recording)

The intro about Kensington mentioned something about “we bring you noise pollution” which I could not hear clearly for the cheering (Yeah!) & he said something along the lines of “Welcome to an evening of poetry and music, and choreography ..... and probably booing”

He recognised someone to his right at the front apparently holding a big reflective card or something and said “We know who you are.” Oh how I wish he were to know me.

He mentioned that the venue was intimidating “It feels intimidating, but then I’M so intimidating I can’t be intimidated by anything…..”

He DID seem a little disappointed with what he thought were quiet responses to especially the new songs. ……. He said “thanks for listening SO intently” and “thanks for your polite applause”. After the first new song he said, after the applause “well that was worth a scream” and he got one or two.

He’s very aware of how he comes across, saying “and er, I’ve said ‘and er’too many times”

Before ‘Everyday is like Sunday” he asked A couple of times “Do you know where you are? Where are you?” I think maybe he wanted people to act more like they were at a Morrissey gig than window shopping in Croydon.

He made a point of saying “this proves, this proves, what? that we can still write songs” I think this was a joke shared with Alain.

He introduced Jack the Ripper saying “imagine it’s 1888, you’re in Whitechapel, and someone touches your knee, or at least he thinks it’s your knee, and you turn and you’re faced with Jack the Ripper”.

To someone who called from the balcony he seemed a little put out and said “Well that’s why I’m standing here”.

He introduced the band from the institution “Hither Boz, hither Gary, hither Deano and Alain.” Deano seemed to get a great reception “Deano-Deano-Deano” I guess because it’s easy to chant but maybe, I hope because people had read the poor reports of him and wanted to be encouraging. I am I romanticising too much?

Meat is Murder was introduced he said “It’s just a matter of time before you’re all vegetarians”.

That’s half an hour gone and it’s late, so bye-bye

Read the rest of this comment...

I have to say, after downloading IBEH from Ambitious outsiders, it is Moz's best song in years. Listen to it next to Maladjusted and Southpaw, and it's just so much more relevant and inspired. Excellent! Does anyone agree?

Well, I don't want to repeat what's already been said here. Morrissey was in great form, but personally I felt *something* wasn't 100% right! Maybe it was his flirtation with American culture in the guise of Mexico and The First of the Gang to Die, even though these songs are as powerful as ever, they didn't seem to gel, they weren't truly the Morrissey we know and love...

That aside, great, great performance. The man is well and truly back!

As I left the RAH, some of us were asked to say a few words about the concert to Granada television for the up and coming UK documentary, I just waffled on, so if they show my bit, I'll just cringe...:)

Finally, I'd like to say hello and thanks to all the fans I met in The Catherine Wheel, you were very kind. You know who you are :-) I was also pleased to speak to many new (& young) fans who were seeing Morrissey for the first time. I envied you all, as no one can describe the emotion of the first time! Oh the memories of Dublin 1991...

www.workingclassproduction.co.uk

juat wanted to know which where his new songs as ive been out of it for a while,although i know all the classics,his new songs im interestd in.
cant wait for tonight.outside the venue today i met mozza fans from france italy etc..

1/ I want the one I can't
2/ Hairdresser
3/ Suedehead
4/ Little man?
5/ The first of the gang
6/ Jack the Rrrrr
7/ I like you
8/ Mexico
9/ Sister I'm a P
10/ Alsatian
11/ Everyday is
12/ Crashing bores
13/ Meat is Mmmm
14/ Irish blood English heart
15/ Maudlin street
16/ Speedway

Is it my imagination or was the (in)famous Morrissey fan Simon Ward at the RAH last night? He was dancing in the gallery but luckily we were far enough away from him NOT to hear him sing.

Can anyone tell me who they were? I thought they were quote good.

It was witty, it was fun. The new songs are great. He's a genius. And I booed my eyes out (never seen him live before) with sentimental-happy-sadness.

The struggle for the shirt (and later bits of the shirt) went on until the hall was almost empty.

I don't know why 'The World is Full of Crashing Bores' got a tame reception - "we'll bring an applause machine if we play that one again" - I thought it was the best of the new songs. Does anyone have an MP3?

"As some of you know .. I spent some time in a psychiatric institution last year .. where I met these musicians"

I want to know what was called out that caused Moz to say "I have. That's why I'm standing here".

Anyone know?

You can find a review of last night's (excellent) gig by the London Evening Standard at:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/dynamic/hottx/top_review.html?in_review_id=533216& in_review_text_id=498848

Nice looking building, but a crap place to see Moz. 80% of the crowd were forced into seats and strung out around the edge of the building, or worse still stranded in boxes at the top of the building. Consequently the show totally lacked atmosphere.

I phoned for tickets when the lines opened and didn't get through for an hour. This was the first time I have been relegated to the seats at a Moz gig and it's terrible. Half the fun is getting stuck in. We didn't cos we were rooted to the fringes.

Some guy at one of the upper galleries shouted "Liven it up a bit", Moz replied "I am, that is why I am stood here". The fact that this guy in the audience could be heard from the upper gallery says to me that the audience was quiet and not enthused.

Despite the seating and lack of atmosphere (I blame the seating!), Moz did a great job, with the uphill task on his hands.

The new songs were all excellent. His voice somehow seemed to fit the new material better than his older stuff (not taking anything away from the back catalogue, all great songs and well performed), just an observation. It was clearly a great experience to hear the new songs played live for the first listen.

Other than the new songs, the highlights for me were Meat is Murder and Speedway, purely because Moz seemed to convey more emotion and the crowd were responding.

I loved Mozzers jokey, what I interpreted as, Americanisms. Pronouncing Los Angeles as an intro something along the lines "a song for our friends in Los Hangeles". Introducing the band members, one by one, finally with Alain Whyte (spelling, can't be arsed to check??) as "Over Yonder is Alain". He introduced himself as something like (can't remember!!) "and I'm Eddie Zimmerman" - it was along those lines anyway............. I'd never make a journalist.

So all in all. Good performance, crap venue. Can we go back to Brixton Academy next time please Mr Morrissey???

and is he still alive?

The use of the bells before Morrissey mounts the stage is a fantastically dramatic device. The sound of the bells ringing round the Albert Hall signalled the start of even more excitement, they made me think of air-raids and the Blitz on London (I wasn't there!!), alarm, funerals, death, life drama, terror. The bells aren't a pretty sound at all but they heighten your senses to the fact that someting exciting or dreadful is coming. He knows how to put on a show doesn't he?

Had a feeling there might be some minor celebrity Moz fans at the RAH last night and I was RIGHT!

SPOTTED:

James Redmond (Him of ex-Hollyoaks fame and crap SM;TV live presenting stint)

David Baddiel (Resisted the urge to kick him in the knackers)

That ultra cool female comic who looks like she just stepped out of the 1950's - can't remember her name - but she rocks!

Hey - I know it's not many celebs, but still...I tried

Fantastic gig though - bawled my eyes out at the end as I think that's the last time I'll get to see Moz in this green and pleasant land - PROVE ME WRONG MOZ..and in God's name, get yourself a record company as those new songs are a real return to form...

I had three tickest for tonight's show. One friend has a non working shoulder and cannot go. Any takers on his ticket. I am no tout! (well not of tickets anyroad)and it's a good seat ticket so is probably best for the older (wiser??!!)Moz fan. I'd rather it went to someone genuine rather than have to sell it to someone outside the Albert Hall who'll no doubt rip off some poor bugger!!

I'll even pay you for it (plus I might get you half a shandy in the bar)!
Don't really mind standing or sitting.
Please text/phone me on 07866 874338 if you've got a spare.
Cheers.
Neil

Did anyone else see that arrogant twat who punched a very defenceless asian girl down the front just before the show started last night? Fucking disgusting. I hope the bouncers beat the shit out of him. It really put a downer on the gig. Fucking arsehole.

The show itself was ok. The band aren't very good. They're a bit tired. But not as tired as the audience. I think it's time to come to the conclusion that we can't Smiths it up like we could in 1985. Crowd surfing and my arthritis really don't mix. The new songs are just ok except for Mexico which is embarrassing. "If you're rich and you're white, you'll be alright". What an insight! Morrissey was on great form, though. His voice was excellent. Hope there's a big improvement tonight.

Probably the venue is to blame for the lack of enthusiasm within the audience. What's okay for a classical concert doesn't really fit Morrissey - I never felt the urge to climb on stage and try to hug the conductor of the BBC orchestra, but for this occasion, the audience was too far away from the stage. The bouncers didn't help, either - they'd even told us to stay in our seats when Morrissey came near us and there was a mad rush towards him.

As for Morrissey himself, he didn't disappoint. Despite the bad acoustics, his singing was awesome. His voice sound even better live. The band? I always believed they were completely interchangeable, nice blokes they seem, but their performance has confirmed that. I didn't catch most lyrics for the new songs, but apart from 'The First of the Gang to die' with its magnificent chorus, they weren't exactly Morrissey in his prime! God and Oscar Wilde don't seem to have a clue about songwriting. Maybe he come back to England and finds some inspiration in underpayment, collapsing health service, Tory impotence and foot and mouth (Meat Is Murder Opus 2?)

As someone who never quite had the guts to ambush Morrissey backstage, I'd like to ask if anyone has tried to meet him after the gig or is this totally hopeless? I am dyeing to meet Morrissey once in my life - I have heard so many opinions about him, from 'sad old queen' to 'GOD' and everyone seems to have to say something about him. I do understand that as a great performer and pop icon, he has very little interest in what people think about him, but at least he wrote 'please please let me get what I want' so maybe not all hope is lost.

Answers before tonight, if possible!

Hello dear friends!

I went to the Royal Albert Hall gig yesterday (17th) and to be perfectly honest, I have never experienced any worse sound than there! It is a shame when Moz is really in shape and everything else is just magic, the sound lets it down. It was echoing, ringing and utterly distorted sound that made my ears bleed. The sound techies did a really bad job exaggregating treble beyond the speakers capability. The sound system is designed for classical music at low listening levels, not a rock consert! I was really disappointed, one could hardly follow the lyrics nor the speach. Did anyone else have the same experience or were you too drunk to notice? Also, the gig was really short and I was hoping for more songs from the "Maladjusted" and "Vauxhall & I" albums. Morrissey is still strong however, and I really hope he gets a good record deal soon. The new material was stunning!

what is it with Moz and rubbish Irish bands. Next he'll be getting U2 to support him. (That's not gonna happen, but if there was any justice it would!)

The new songs are excellent, really strong and I look forward to owning them sometime soon. His voice was better than I have ever heard it and much higher in the mix than on previous occasions so you could appreciate every nuance.

The set-list was too obscure for most of this curious, general audience and I think for this reason many of these people may have felt a little disengaged from proceedings (serves them right you may say).

I can understand why he didn't want to perform his Greatest Hits for a fair-weather nostalgia-seekers, but this was a big opportunity to shame all those who have ignored his marvellous solo canon and I don't believe the set-list took this opportunity (I don't know why I'm saying this in one sense because when did we expect anything else from him).
     
The RAH is a grand venue and seeing him framed against its fantastic vista was quite something but, as everyone has said, the acoustics were poor. The band weren't nearly loud enough and instead of being enveloped by sound it was 'happening over there' rather than reverberating inside you.

The band look old (Boz - what has he been doing?) and played without any real sense of purpose or energy, but Moz still looks and sounds quite wonderful and was full of playful asides and lyrical gestures.

Watching him, I was full of admiration for an artist who has remained so true to his exceptional talents.
 
Best wishes to one and all.

Simon

who is blossom?

Alas! I have caught up with you at last!

I only became aware of Moz and the Smiths a few years ago (living in my quiet southern town) and missed him and them the first time round. Being mainly overseas and out of the limelight Morrisey has seemed such a distant figure who passed me by.

I am on the rockin/rockabilly circuit and I have met people who met Morrisey when he used to hang around some of Londons 50's clubs (especially during his slap base experiments) and once again I always felt that I was one step behind his presence.

Tuesday nite however changed that!

There he was. Real. And he wasnt old or out of it! He looked totally cool, his voice was perfect and his new material showed that this guy hasnt lost anything of his godlike profile.

No longer do I feel I have missed out and with his goals to break back into the mainstream I cant help feeling like I want to punch the air and shout "yesssssss!!!" like at the end of a feel good movie when everything comes out on tops.

Woooooooo Hoooooooooo!

In a weird kind of syncronicity to Morrissey's dedication to the late Katrin Cartlidge during last night's gig, but who should I see walking towards me whilst walking to the Royal Albert Hall before the concert....Mike Leigh, British film director who's film 'Naked' was Katrin Cartlidge's first major role.

Wicked concert by the way.

I finally achieved my dream of seeing Morrissey last night at the RAH and wasn't disapointed by the man himself. What a fanstastic voice dispite the venue.Was it me or did it sound strange? He had me cheering especially when he sang Jack the Ripper.
Set list was great but like everything good in life it was over far to quickly. Roll on the Dublin shows, where again I will see him again!!!

the gig was absolutely amazing, i was the guy who shouted 'FUCK EM' when Moz denounced the Observer. I got to touch Moz's finger, and got loads of that lovely pink shirt, people were offering me serious amounts of money as i ducked out of the arena.. i fought for that shirt, got knocked, bruised and crushed on the floor. To me it is priceless...
every song was amazing, apart, i thought from Speedway: maybe i was expecting too much from this and was too wrapped up in things, but it just lacked the feeling and intensity of the studio version, in terms of music dramatisation!!! (big words)
but it was a seriously life-changing experience, just wish it lasted for longer.
Oh and thank you to everyone:
'WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE'
Geth
Hugh
Lynne
George
Lauren
Steph (there via sattelite!!)
and the others.....

april_spawned_a_monster@yahoo.co.uk

Am i the only one who thought the venue was fantastic!!!!!! i also thought the atmosphere was fantastic too!!!!!! if everyone else thought the crowd were quiet on the 17th then i wonder what loud is! I thought the sound was good aswell! ive only seen morrissey twice the last time being on the oye esteban tour so perhaps i have nothing to compare it to seeing as i didnt see mozza in his hey day!!!!!!!!!!!! Morrissey was fantastic! Better than i thought he would be! Wow what a great voice! I felt he sounded better and the band played better than on the oye esteban tour. His comments were v.funny! What did he say about praying to God or Oscar Wilde? anyone know? I cant remember and its annoying me! The new songs were good esp irish blood english heart. I was sitting( well i was standing but i had seating tickets) and it was good! I was pissed off that i didnt get standing tickets but i really enjoyed where i was i had a great view and im not the sort of person who enjoys moshing and crowd surfing, if i was standing i wouldnt have been able to see Moz/God. The only bad part of the evening was the c*** in the audience who told Mozza to "stop talking and play more songs"!!!!!! I loved mozza talking! They could have fitted loads more ppl in the standing area If anyone recorded the concert and wants to sell me a copy then please contact me! I hope he does some more English dates I knew i should have booked tickets for both dates. Do u think its likely that he will do more english dates?
There were quite a few ppl moving around coming in and out of the hall during songs which i didnt understand! What did he say when he forgot what he was supposed to say and had to ask one of the guitarists!
Well im very disappointed that loads of ppl r slagging the gig off saying the venue was crap when it was a really great building and i think it suited morrissey as both are awesome and intimidating! The band and the sound were fantastic aswell!!!! I dont know why everyone is saying that they werent!!!!!!! Well if anyone agrees with me please say so!!!!!!!!!! And could u please attempt to answer my questions!
much love
stay devoted
p.s do u really think mozza would be disappointed with the gig then? do u think he would be offended by the reception and supposed lack of cheering?

What was wrong with the Observer interview? i thought it was good!

Every manjack's written his/her piece on our hero's first night at the RAH, so I'll focus on something else - namely - Deano's drumming. I'll just say that his style is definitely jazzier than the previous ones. I know these things, I'm a drummer. And a guitar player. And a singer. I do it all.

I thought the show was absolutely cracking. Don't be put off by Moz's dry wit about the audience not being responsive - he would have been saying that if the whole lot of us were on the stage!

I did think the squealing microphones were a bit annoying - not the band's fault of course.

Deano the drummer was a good addition - did anyone else see that he was being filmed for the entire gig??

P.S. I got a lot of strange/lingering looks on Tuesday, I think due to the shirt I was wearing. It was white, with a colour pic of 'Viva Hate' on the front and a little pic of Moz from 'Your Arsenal' on the back. Can anyone tell me whether I was just being paranoid, or did it really get some attention? I will divulge where I got it from if you prove I am not going mad...

Was mozza being filmed on the 17th aswell? cos i heard that he was being filmed on the 18th but i didnt see any cameras there on the 17th.

My birthday is on the 17th September 1970. I'm from Frankfurt/Germany and I decided to visit both of the shows at the RAH.

The first problem was, that I booked a flight with Ryanair at 9:20 a.m. on Tuesday and they decided to cancel the flight due to the bad weather conditions. Can you imagine, how pi..ed I was.

Then my friend and me decided to fly with another airline from the airport in Frankfurt, Buzz Airline, they saved my day, because, we left Germany at 3:20 p.m. and we reached the RAH in time.

Moz was so fantastic, I've weared my "West Ham Boys Club"-Shirt from the 16/11/99 show at the Forum and it was just so wonderful to see him for the 11th time of my life.

I just want to say "Thank you!!!" to him for the greatest birthday gift I've ever got!

I love this new song "Irish Blood....". It's one of the finest songs, he ever wrote. Does anyone know, who has written the music for this song?

Deano is a fantastic drummer and a very nice person. I've met him after the second show on door 1. Someone gave me his backstage-pass and I saw the fantastic Linder.

I also want say to all english people: You are a great nation with a fantastic humour:

One of the older visitors left the building and someone asked him, if he's Mr. Morrissey and he answered spontanous "No, I'm Mrs. Morrissey!". Fantastic! This kind of humour I will always missing in Germany!

... it took me 200€ to see morrissey in london, but it was worth every cent. it was the first time i was in london, and i like this city. rayn air flight was also ok, but the youth hostel was a catastrophe! also london has some great bookshops and the best vegan food and ice cream... so now i am dead broke, but happy. the show was just awesome, wether i have to say that MOZ seemed a bit tired, but he is not 20... i missed some songs from maladjusted, but the new songs were great. and he played MEAT IS MURDER! that brought some tears to my eyes! viva moz! viva london! see ya all in paris!

So does anybody have a good bootleg from Royal albert Hall? I would very much like one :)
  So please e-mail me if you do

angelica_segerback@telia.com

You must be very unaware of him recently stating that he Resides in Ireland part time.