This was an obvious opportunity to get some popular support, but instead Morrissey played virtually the same set as the last two nights in London when he was in front of his die-hard fan base. Surely it would have made sense to play a few more crowd pleasers. Everyday is Like Sunday was just not enough, and the crowd looked bored. If he had whacked out a few hits he would have had the crowd on side. Instead he thanked Julia and was probably one of the few to get the joke.

Well judged? Perhaps not.

this gig was an absolute disgrace. it was boring and the crowd was vile. morrissey did great but being that the crowds were there to see muse and orbital...where exactly did morrissey fit in? that was the main problem, no one was there to see him apart from julia and one guy who was singing the wrong words..

AND...(i just remembered) the two general twats that were doing the 'in between band commentating' (i think theyre on radio 1) were really spun on their dance music and were going on about how how much mozza's in the media and how he never answers a question.. she seemed annoyed... but who cares?? the've got bad hair!

Funny how Jo Wiley was reluctantly agreeing with Mark about how great Moz is. She hates Moz and described him as 'miserable Moz' in the past and made sarcastic comments about him on her show. Crowd looked a bit tame, songs were good. although little Barry seemed to be playing the wrong rhythm to 'irish..'.. Moz said 'thank you Julia' to julia Riley.

Unfortunately, only a small selection of tracks were shown on British TV tonight. They were

BBC 3 (Live)

Don't Make Fun Of Daddy's Voice
Shakespears Sister

BBC 3 @ 10pm (recorded)

The Headmaster Ritual
First Of The Gang To Die
(Subway Train) Everyday Is Like Sunday
Irish Blood, English Hear

BBC 2 @11.20pm

(Subway Train) Everyday Is Like Sunday
Irish Blood, English Heart

It's a pity for our sakes that BBC 2 chose to repeat two songs we'd already seen but I suppose they made sense for people tuning in.

For those not in the UK, BBC 3 is a cable channel that gets about 421 viewers, whilst BBC 2 could command about 2 million tonight. Therefore, BBC 3 has odious presenters you'd happily see eaten by rats whilst BBC 2 has more recognisable DJ's, in this case Mark Radcliffe and Jo Wiley.

Radcliffe, a huge Morrissey fan, spoke highly about Moz after the two songs had been played commending him on talking to the audience a lot (we saw none of this) and bringing "a bit of glamour" to the festival.

The two presenters also agreed that there was a great "sense of occasion" surrounding his appearance, that he "did the job" and that, as far as Radcliffe was concerned, we "could have done with seeing more" in reference to the fact we only saw two songs.

As far as the BBC 3 presenters go, the girl one said that as soon as Morrissey came off stage there was a car waiting with it's door open, a blanket to be put over his knees, and a cup of tea. Apparently he was driven off, holding his tea, laughing. This might be absolute nonsense and I wouldn't trust a word these two sickening wankstains said, the male one followed up with "Watch out for tulips!" You get the idea.

The footage LOOKED wonderful, very professional as you would expect, and the crowd were sort of into it. They certainly cheered loud enough at the end of each song and they had been standing there for hours.

Morrissey looked slightly fed up I thought but it's hard to tell with edited footage and no inter-song banter broadcast.

He did, however, say at the start "I know you're wet and you're cold... I'll try and sing as quickly as I can..."

There might be some negative comments about the gig from those, like me, who only saw the TV footage, but over the past two days the presenters have reviewed performances objectively and it seems from what they said it went down really well.

No idea of the setlist, the first to e-mail FROM Glastonbury should get sent a box of chocolates or something. Or a towell.

Anyone who was at the classical concert for the end of the Meltdown Festival at the RFH tonight was treated to the whole of Moz's Glastonbury show on a big screen in the ballroom afterwards! Magnificent indeed, if Moz a little quiet!

On the plus side he was quite funny, sang well, and the band played well.
But he's really got to realise that for festival gigs he's got to roll out a hell of a lot more crowdpleasers. If we wants to do Smiths songs, do the famous ones he's done in recent years (Shoplifters, Last Night etc).
Solo stuff needed is Suedehead, Ignore Me, etc.
Other big bands do more obscure stuff for their own shows, and crowd-pleasers for the festivals and so should Moz!
He's only signed up to the festivals to try and widen the audience so don't bore them with obscure songs like the cover of 'Candle' that many of even us lot hardly know!
John

Some Glasto observations:
What was the point of the light up Moz... wasted as it was still light! Would have looked superb if darker.
Moz could't stop fiddling with things!
Alain must have the brain disease as he is taking a long time to heal from his 'illness'.
The band looked uncomfortable.
Boz's short hair cut looks weird!
Deano's drumming really is good - all the nay sayers think again.
S.Sister sounded a bit country and western!
The overdose comment was typical Moz, but not needed.
I am not a Muse fan, but they were the appropriate act to close the headline - only 3 musicians but a loud crowd pleaser.
So you'd think Moz would have pulled something out of the bag.
Moz's refusal to change the set list is starting to annoy me - a very long-term fan.
His attitude towards the media and music industry seems to be extending to his fans.
Oh well, I'll never learn.

He should not do festivals!

I only watched what they showed in channel 2, (three songs) but from that he looked bored, and so did the crowd! Oh dear. He could have sung better too, but nobody at glastonbury sang well, so can't complain:P

I`m fed up of tuning in to watch Morrissey live and being disappointed. One or two bad performances I can uderstand, but lacklustre performances, to me seem to be becoming the norm. I think it`s time for a radical shake-up, or bow down gracefully. FIRSTODIE (SICKTODEATH)

Moz has accomplished a lot this year and the guy
who said he should stop is also correct. Go out
with a bang on top Moz. Just like The Jam or The Beatles stop while your on top. How long will it be before the Las Vegas years hit and we have to see a 55 year old Moz making a parody of himself in front of Quiff in the front bald in the back old 80's rockers and Julia Riley in a wheel chair with a respirator on gig 10,572.
How about writing a script & staring in his own movie and doing the entire soundtrack. No more touring. Don't wind up like Bowie on Face lift #3
singing Ziggy at 60.

Stop Now ! Take a dignified place in history

hmmmmm, bbc2 just showed the 2 songs he did on john ross show.
have to say he didn't cut the mustard.
he looked tired and fed up.
he was on when it was still light and also i think the crowd needed tunes they all new more,
couple more smiths tunes, suedehead etc, but mozz is mozz.
nice red shirt though.

must say keane sounded good and muse were bloody amazing.
orbital playing their last ever gig, were sheer crap.
haaaaaahaaaaa!!!!!!!!!

When he was due to headline in 92, his set would have suited the Glasto audience more - the Your Arsenal set was really rocking. But the Quarry set is very muted.

Its probably true that Morrissey would've gone down better with the Glasto crowd if he'd turned in a few more hits. I'm sure the 5 Moz fans there would have liked to hear Suedehead, Panic, Bigmouth etc. Hits like this tend to please the neutral fan too... but obviously this is not Morrissey's style. He has his current set, and must stick to it. He'll probably say that theses songs are he one's that matter most or something like that... Still it was a by-the-numbers performance.. No-one looked particularly impressed or overjoyed but there was a good cheer after each track.
I don't really think the crowd was there for Morrissey. He always sounds so much better in a small venue. When he played Doncaster dome [which is about as big as a basketball court] the atmosphere was electric. The MEN gig recently was flat in comparison, but not really a bad show.

BTW - MUSE were fantastic. I've never seen them before, and had only ever heard their cover of "Please, Please Please let me get what i want" before. To say they look like 3 gay scandinavian android hairdressers, they certainly know how "to rock". No doubt Moz was rushed home in his motor so he could watch them himself from the comfort of his antique chesterfield, with his cocoa

Well, I came in from the pub just as BBC2's coverage was starting - had set the video but sadly they only showed three tracks in total, which was slightly disappointing. I had to defend Moz from other people watching who were dissing him, but I must admit it was difficult - I ended up citing his past achievements! The performances I saw seemed slightly dull - not terrible, but Moz failed to energise the crowd and seemed to put in a perfunctory performance. More 'well-known' songs would have been most welcome I think - Paul McCartney's set on Sat was far better judged for that reason (plus Macca had a more energetic backing band). Sadly, Muse exuded far more energy than Moz! I'm afraid I agree with those who say he should quit touring, he is just starting to teeter on the brink of MOR parody and it's so frustrating in the light of his past accomplishments. I don't think he should stop making records since there's no reason for him to as long as they're good, but I think he should stop touring them/live performances cos he just isn't as good as once he was as a live act, and in that respect things can only get worse.

I thought Morrissey sang beautifully once again tonight. I'l so pleased he's stopped grunting and growling like he did in 2002, and just started singing the songs wonderfully.

Sure, the crowd weren't very positive and so forth, but that happens at festivals. It was a slightly muted performance, but that was thanks to the indifferent crowd more than anything. "First of the Gang to Die" sounded fantastic.

broken

From reading the above posts, Moz has not been appreciated lately. Come back to America, where your shows are more than welcome! All I see is complaints coming from overseas. Please plan another US tour!

Can someone who was there (or just knows) post a set list?

I came in just as the BBC2 show was starting too. I thought he was okay although Irish Blood sounded pretty horrible. Would have expected Alain back by now if he really was just ill. Mozzer did look a bit pissed off with the whole thing. Like he hates festivals (which he probably does) which begs the question why on Earth he agreed to do it?

Radcliffe seemed to think he was magnificent and wanted to see more than the two songs and although Whiley wasn't as keen she did say something about how great he looked and how it was good that he talked to the crowd.

I thought the 'thank you Julia' thing was quite funny but probably a bit out of place!

The "omnipresence" of Morrissey in the press over the past few months may have ensured decent sales figures, but it's an alienating oversaturation. Nothing is "an event" these days. And last night's Glastonbury proved that the band are past their peak. Musically awful, and Moz nervous and miserable, it was almost cringeworthy viewing.

Just to be a little controversial, I've posted what I believe would have been a much better set list for an occasion like this. What do you think?

FESTIVAL SET LIST:

You're Gonna Need Someone On Your Side/First Of The Gang To Die/Irish Blood, English Heart/The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get/November Spawned A Monster/Bigmouth Strikes Again/Everyday Is Like Sunday/Half A Person/I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday/Suedehead/The Headmaster Ritual/Panic/How Soon Is Now?/Trouble Loves Me//There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Performed with energy and passion, I believe a set list like that could easily have got the crowd going!

Moz got a good Glasto review in teletext and in The Independent this morning.
I think he should have been on the 'Other Stage'. His songs aren't sufficiently well known for the Pyramid Stage crowds unlike Radiohead, McCartney, Blur etc.
He could have got a headline slot on the Other Stage and played in the dark when the atmosphere would've been so much better.
Oh well, maybe next time!
John

i know, we'd all feel much better if he played 10 hits ('this charming man', 'bigmouth'?) to please the crowd and justify him to our friends gathered round the tv.

well - fuck your friends, if they don't get him now they never will.

also please note, the smiths have split up!

why should he do 'crowd pleasers'? he's not freddie mercury. much of the 'crowd' hated his hits when they first came out and still do.

yes it's a shame the performance looked pretty lacklustre at glastonbury (at least on tv). but the previous night at rfh he and the band were dynamite, one the best shows i've ever seen.

and let's face it, he craps on anything else at glastonbury (muse? come on!!).

I thought England "loved" Morrissey. No wonder He moved to Califas.

Although I only saw "highlights" of his set on BBC3, the setlist seemed fairly predictable, and I do agree with everyone who said that there should have been some more crowdpleasers.

That being said, when he played Everyday Is Like Sunday, everyone seemed a bit bored, and only really livened up when he went into Irish Blood English Heart which I think was just proof of what sort of Morrissey fans were there.

Edith Bowman and that Irish cunt are also a class A wankers.

I got home about two hours ago (after getting the first train out at 5.15am) and I have to say that Morrissey's performance was a little uncomfortable. The set was really quite slow and a little specialist at times ("No One Can Hold A Candle To You", "Don't Make Fun of Daddy's Voice), making it somewhat unsuitable for a festival crowd that is obviously very different from the crowd of fans you get at a Morrissey gig. I felt it might perhaps have been altered for the occasion.

It struck me that he wasn't enjoying the experience at all. He didn't speak much to the crowd and what he said seemed quite nervous and unfittingly negative ("I imagine you're all feeling quite disgusting..." We're at Glastonbury and the sun's finally come out; we feel great, even if we haven't washed for days! I also thought his comment about how he feels that way every day was a bit hackneyed. However tongue-in-cheek, it played a little too much to the 'Miserable Moz' image).

It was one of the performances I was most looking forward to, being a great fan, and I jumped around and threw up my hands to make up for those who were somewhat non-plussed. I felt, however, that he made little attempt to win the audience - ordinarily, I suppose, he doesn't have to. To me, the set lacked the energy and enthusiasm of the acts I saw over the weekend that are clearly influenced by Morrissey, such as The Killers and The Ordinary Boys. If I, knowing the songs and being so willing to enjoy myself, should say this, you can imagine how it might have gone down with less hardcore fans.

Muse made Morrissey look like a sad old talentless monkey.

I saw what Mark Radcliffe introduced as 'Morrissey's best solo song' followed by IBEH on BBC2 TV. It's obvious that Morrissey wasn't going to have 'his' crowd so inevitably the audience was going to be subued. Thankfully it wasn't a Finsbury Park. Doesn't anyone who has been posting negative comments realise that Morrissey is promoting a new LP? It's called 'You are the quarry' BTW.

It wouldn't be appropriate to play lots of Smiths songs - they were all a long time ago. Happily he threw some in including - let's not forget - the fantastic Shakespeare's Sister and There is a Light. People who think he's going to do a 'greatest hits' [oooh ! let's rush out and buy a Morrissey on EMI greatest hits CD kids],is just NOT going to happen. He's not keen on EMI, right? Apart from that he hasn't really had any great hits as such has he? (ooh let's have Suedehead, AGAIN). How demeaning to have a 16 year old track requested time and again when you've got a new album out. The World IS full of crashing bores. They think they can give Morrissey advice about set lists, venues, and even performance HA! HA! HA HA!

They can keep away from Morrissey gigs. But some people are never happy unless they're moaning about something.

I'll still go to the gigs, buy the records and have the time of my life.

I have now been to four Morrissey gigs. The first being in a Chester Sports hall in 97 on the maladjusted tour, followed by Liverpool Royal Court 1999, Blackburn 2002 and Manchester 2004.

I must say the best for me to date was the Blackburn Gig for its intimacy and set list.

I thought Manchester was great too though I had seats which took away some of the atmosphere.

I am now debating whether to buy tickets for the Move festival on the 11th.

I was hoping that Moz would play a slightly different setlist at Glasto but it sounds like it was pretty much the same as all the others.

I think that Move will be much of the same and this is where the dilema comes in.

I have enjoyed all the shows but never been to 2 in the same year. I am not sure Moz will be as good outdoors and for the first part of the set I think it will still be light.

I would like to see him change the set list a little for the Move festival. I have no problem with some of the new songs being played as they are great but surely November and Suedehead should be in his festival set. I would drop I know its gonna happen and Such a little thing.

Will still prob get one to see if my concerns prove correct but agree with some other posts on her re set list changes especially for festivals.

could all these complaints have something to do with the fact that in the seven years since maladjusted he has (horror of horrors) aged? he doesn't throw himself around like the mountain goat of old, he's slightly dumpier than the stick thin waver of gladioli he once was... yes, morrissey is middle aged. his new record is more middle of the road, he's even more middle of the midrif and the hair isn't as erect as it once was.
i think this record and tour are part of morrissey's grand plan to make the transition from cult figure to dearly loved crooner and there's a lot of frustration because of the tension between what he once was, and what he would like to become. he used to be a kind of cerebral, camp, dream of elvis, now he wants to be the anti (not nancy) sinatra. i really think this record and his next will be a watershed. we'll either stick with him, or look for someone new, someone who embodies the physical qualities that are inevitably deteriorating. all the complaints about a lack of energy etc. amount to one thing, not recognising the pursuit of gravitas.
why should morrissey stop performing live when his voice is better than ever? are we fans first and foremost of his youth (or memories of ours) and beauty? or is there something else, something about the words and the voice? anyone embarrassed by morrissey should be ashamed, he was always sneered at by non fans. the now beloved smiths were widely reviled by anyone who wasn't a fan during the 80s. that old moz is dead, long live the new moz.

Did anyone seriously expect the setlist to be radically different from the one he's been touring with? The band have been essentially honing their performance - they're certainly not going to suddenly pull out a 'greatest hits' setlist out of nowhere, and definately not when Little Barrie has only just managed to learn the current setlist! If you're sick of the setlist its your own fault for going to 15 gigs - the average glastonbury attendee wouldnt have heard this setlist before.

I thought Moz was very good - voice was great, band were tight. And though he could have thrown a few more well known songs into the set list those which were performed were excellent. he was at least as good as anyone else I saw on the telly this weekend. He was certainly as good as Supergrass who I also enjoyed. The problem was mainly the crowd who were shocking. Why bother going to a festival if you don't even want to get into the music? And as for Muse - they are just such a sad parody - every song includes the same intro, thrashy loud bit and morose Thom Yorke-like wailing. The world is too small for Radiohead tribute groups.

it wasn't a complete disaster. great to see him finally at Glasto (I went in 92 only because he was playing, he didn't show and my rucksack and jacket were nicked!).

but he must change things for Reading. it should be dark when he's on there (9ish in late August) and he's got to play at least a few different songs.

normally I think it's nice for him not to encore with a Smiths song but, at festivals, it would be more appropriate. lots of people will be seeing him knowing little about the songs,having been drawn along by the huge NME hype, so I reckon he should play a more representative set of songs to reflect this.

John

Okay so last night was a bit drab... big deal. Festivals and Moz aren't really the best bedfellows in my opinion, so it wasn't a surprise to me that it didn't quite work. I, however thought he was great as always(but then you'd expect that being a Moz fan) and even a set list resembling a singles/hits compilation wouldn't have made any difference to the atmosphere. It wasn't a Moz crowd and nothing would have got them going. On a diffenent note... I agree with a previous poster that the future is bright for Moz... very bright in fact and I would welcome a Vegas era Moz with as much zeal as the present and past eras. The giant red Morrissey backdrop is stunning and reeks of Elvis circa 68 comeback. All we need now is the sharp white suit! Roll on Corn Exchange and (hopefully) an as yet unannounced Barrowlands show!

I don't think Glasto is the right place for Moz certainly not when promoting you are the quarry. Saw Muse on TV, their performance was explosive, but then again they're a bit younger, I know it is a bit nasty but does anybody else think he should now get rid of the band except maybe for Dean and get a really strong set of musicians.

It would seem from reading these comments that a lot of you would prefer it if he were dead. You don't want a living, breathing, creative artist. You want Morrissey World, the Theme Park.

If its a greatest hits package you want, go and see These Charming Men or The Other Smiths.

The day I give up on Moz is the day he becomes what you seem to want: his own tribute act.

Quintin (Still can't sign in)

The person typing the captions on the BBC2 sho last night clearly wasn't a Moz fan. Before the clip of Moz preforming 'First of the Gang to Die', it was introduced as 'Last of the Gang to Die'. And Ph(at)ill Jupitus and Lauren Lavernes embarrassment-inducing impressions of Moz just ruined the show for me.

Where's John Peel when you need him???

It amazes me that some people seem to expect that Morrissey should do an entirely different setlist for every occassion...these appear to be the same people who are following him everywhere. Does any other artist have this same level of expectancy placed on them???

And also, did everyone expect Morrissey to have the entire crowd in raptures considering a) there are still a lot of people schooled in NME thinking of 1992 and b) the crowd weren't giving much of a reaction to any of the acts and c) the band are still probably adjusting to the loss of Alain.

I saw the Meltdown show on the 11th - which virtually everyone trashed...and I now look back at the bootleg of that show and I can't see what people are complaining about. All I can say is that some of the crowds on this tour (and also at the RAH last year) are sitting on their hands..

What a lot of anonymous comments! How easy it is to stab Moz in the back......

Sounds like he was burnt out and coming off the high that was Meltdown. Didn't he say as much? Can't blame him really.

just got back from the festival. Can't remember in exactly what order the setlist was but here goes:
-Don't Make Fun 0f Daddy's Voice
-Candle to You etc
-There is a light...
-Headmasters Ritual
-IHEB
-First of The Gang To Die
-I Know its Gonna Happen Someday..
-Everyday is Like Sunday
-The song about bike chains (sorry don't know the title!)
-I think there was a new b-side as well?
-World Is Full Of Crashing Bores

I think that was it??? The begining bit from Meltdown i.e the talking northerner was shorter and seemed cut. A funny bit happened when Boz started to play a song on the keyboard and Moz said "Light Boz, Light!" then riped into There is A Light. Did think Morrissey was good, but the band was lacklustre and the crowd WERE bored. Especially after a storming set by Supergrass. He should of done Suedehead or at least The More You Ignore Me.
P.S He did NOT do Shoplifters of the World....

Polly x

I guess the crowd were bored because the performance was boring. Rock music does not work with him, perhaps Morrissey should front an R'n'B group in a black eyed pees stylee or something.

I think it would be rather fetching for Mozza to be sporting a cap and nice sports ware whilst rapping and pointing at the crowd. Any thoughts?

I went home from Glastonbury Sunday morning because the mud was really annoying me and watched it on TV. The crowd looked lacklustre but I nearly cried at Every Day Is Like Sunday- it looked perfect.

I am seeing him at Reading in August so we will see if he ups his game then.

Y'know some people thought that 2001 was the worst year in Morrissey history, with no new output and a few horrible stop gap Smiths and solo compilations trying to fill the void.
But to be honest 2004 is quickly becoming a disaster, o.k some of the new stuff is passable and I don't expect him to overload his live sets with Smiths tunes but not even the die hards want to hear America, Daddy's Voice and all that other 04 filler that he has shit out his arse.
Suedehead,The More You Ignore Me,Nobody Loves Us,Tommorrow,Playboys etc etc etc would have sounded great at Glasto and would have pricked up the ears of even a brain dead Iron Maiden fan and if he wanted to add the odd swooning tear jerker then Jack The Ripper,Yes,I Am Blind,Trouble Loves Me, Seaside Yet Still Docked would have fitted in just nice.
The boring press interviews, the pompus and dour TV interviews, the lackluster live sets and an album that in 5 years will be seen as a career low. To think Steven you were once really something.

Tony Handcock

Can't believe the negative comments about Morrissey's performance. Don't look at the crowd, listen to the music! Morrisey's vocals were fantastic -the band sounded great.
      Did anyone spot the nod in the direction of Johnny Marr? In the recent Q Special Johnny mentioned that he'd suggested a change to the lyrics of "The Headmaster Ritual" - amazingly Morrisey sang "bruises AS BIG AS dinner plates" at Glastonbury in response to Johnny's comments.
I thought it was a lovely gesture.
David Shaw.

Back in the late Summer of 1984 Morrissey was being interviewed on Radio 1 by Andy Peebles, and he was asked about playing festivals. Morrissey replied(paraphrasing slightly) "We've just played Glastonbury, and it wasn't very nice. It's difficult to play to an audience that isn't specifically there to see you. You're playing to other people's audiences, and it's an utterly hollow experience. (sigh) We shant play festivals again".

The Smiths never played Glastonbury again, even though MIchael Eavis still claims their performance to be one of his all-time favourites.

What is interesting though is that they didn't exactly play a mixed-audience-friendly set that day either.
They kicked off with 'Nowhere Fast' which wouldn't be released for another 8 months, and the second to last song was 'Barbarism...' which again wouldn't be officially released for another 8 months. The (fairly short) set also included 'Jeane', 'Girl Afraid' and 'Handsome Devil' which were all b-sides from recently deleted 7" singles(this was still 4 months before the release of 'Hatful Of Hollow'), and only two songs, 'Still Ill' and 'Hand In Glove', were played from the, then current, debut album.
So it appears that Morrissey has never really cared for playing his songs to anything other than a fiercely partisan audience.

Why should he care what Muse or Orbital's audience think of him?

As for the footage shown on the BBC, I thought the band played well, and the sound was an excellent mix. Morrissey himself was in exceptional voice.
Scottish presenter Dougie Anderson thought the performance was phenomenal, and couldn't understand why some of the crowd were saying it was crap.
Well, at least Dougie and Mark Radcliffe have some taste.

I've got to be honest here and say I now fear for his appearance at Reading/Leeds festivals more than ever. The Glasto crowd SHOULD have been the more sympathetic of the crowds - Leeds/Reading is the heavier scene, musically. Offspring, 50 Cent are going - their audiences probably won't take well to Moz. He is on before the White Stripes, and maybe won't even have the support of The Libertines going on first. If you look at the line-up for Leeds/Reading it is more emo/punk orientated overall. A mate of mine who is into that scene is going - he isn't a huge Moz fan but he knows of him and respects him, but he says he thinks (having been three consecutive years) that less people will be aware of who Moz is at Leeds/Reading than at Glastonbury. For kids there to see the White Stripes, 50 Cent et al he is going to need to work incredibly hard to win them over. I have this awful feeling that he's going to go down like a lead balloon. I love the man, but I really fear it will be so, particularly if the performance of Glastonbury is simply repeated. Of course, 50 Cent's fans probably couldn't be won over, but going on before the White Stripes I fear will be a repetition of going on before Muse where the crowd is just waiting for that band to go on. Then figure in the fact that overall Moz makes the kind of music that isn't going to appeal to as many in the crowd - I mean, last year Metallica were there, Deftones, you get the picture of the kind of bands that dominate! I half hope he pulls the plug on this festival appearance as it may not do him any real good.

I saw Many of the same people going to five shows at the wiltern and they didnt bitch about the setlist just as long as they were there they were happy.

'Back on the Pyramid Stage, Morrissey is preceded by a recording of someone listing all the things they hate. If it was Morrissey's own shit list, we could be here 'til Wednesday. Musically Morrissey is in his best form for years, but as his stomach-clenching Jonathan Ross appearance demonstrated, he'll never be a man of the people. He's certainly not one to do a McCartney and perform 75% Smiths material, and his patter verges on antagonistic. "Thank you everybody, or thank you some of you. Thank you most of you." This leaves each spectator to wonder if they personally have some how offended him.

None the less he's quite the showman. with a band dressed as 1950s Soho gangsters and his name up in huge Vegas-style lights: red, to match his shirt. After a slow start which speaks only to the hardcore fan rather than the floating voter, he crashes into the anthems: Every day is like Sunday, and a glorious There is a Light that Never Goes out. He eggs it flamboyantly to the strains of My Way. Regrets.? He's had a few, but then again, too few to mention.'

See it wan't all that bad!
John.

Did I spot a subtle 'doff of the cap to Johnny Marr? The slight change to the lyrics of The Headmaster Ritual? Those who have read the Q / MOJO special edition will have read Johnny's interview (page 27) where he recalls challenging Morrisseys "Bigger than dinner plates" lyric stating it should have been "Big as dinner plates." Was it just me or DID Morrissey amend the lyric? In short great visuals, strong voice, good sound, dire corporate middle class festival.

what about this setlist (for Festivals)

Teachers/I have forgiven Jesus/How can anybody/The world is full/Daddy/shakespear's sister/I am not sorry/I like you/rubber ring/Everyday is like sunday/suedehead/let me kiss you/such a little thing/Glamorous glue/there is a light/I know it's gonna happen/first of the gang/IBEH/

Go to www.lokitorrent.com

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It's a bitorrent site so you might need to donwload a small programme to make the download work but it only takes a few minutes to do.

I was right at the front for Moz's set on Sunday, and I thought it was quite amazing, albeit in an understated way.

The sheer physical presence of the man should not be underestimated. He prowled, he watched, he had us all on tenterhooks with his between song declarations.

He also sounded amazing - this was the best singing I have ever heard Morrissey perform. There is a real professionalism to him at the moment. Nuanced, controlled but passionate. He has never sounded this good before.

The set was too obscure. I felt the crowd wanted to get into it more but he wouldn't throw them a bone.

Let me Kiss You was absolutely incredible. I Know It's Gonna Happen.. and How Could Anybody Possibly.. close joint second. I think the new album is really suitable for live performance - very anthemic.

The set was far too short. Everybody wanted more. I think the set was a missed opportunity in some ways - but a truly formidable demonstration of his talent and power. As it was, people were entertained but left a little hungry. How it should be, maybe?

One thing is certain. If Moz ever does put together a "greatest hits" set on this kind of form, it will be the single greatest pop music performance of all time. Seriously! At Glasto, I got the sense his band simply hadn't rehearsed enough songs to put this "greatest hits" set together. But in the event, it just gave the impression of an incredible performer holding back a bit.