Article: Edinburgh, Scotland - Usher Hall (July 30, 2012) post-show

[Anonymous]

This whole list bollocks is exactly that. Bollocks.
I was sharing an apartment with a load of fans (about 12 / 14 of us crashed on the floor) in New York in 2007 (5 nights in the Hammerstein Ballroom).
There were groups of three, working in shifts. The first 3 were outside as soon as the gig finished until around 2am when the second 3 replaced them. Around 5 or 6am the next 3 got up and replaced the second 3. And so on.
Me? I crashed for the whole night and in the morning explored New York!
But these 9 fans all thought that they all had the right to be at the front because they had all queued up. at some point, with a 6 hour absence!
Yes, by all means, go for a piss and something to eat... but a 6 hour sleep is taking the piss....
Should I ever be near the front (extremely unlikely when there is a bar near by!) I'd simply refuse to give any ''List Organizer' my name and tell them they can stick the list up their backside!

[Anonymous]

The list is actually the best thing I have ever experienced at a concert. It allows us to go away for one or two hours, to get something to eat or to check in our hotels without losing our space in the queue. At my very first gig last year, I came to the venue and was just hanging around, when someone approached me and asked me if I would like to put my name on the list. I think the thing in Edinburgh was that people were queueing ridiculously early, so at 10 a.m. there were already 40 people on the list, which is why they closed it then, because there's no point in making a longer list. You can't queue up 100 people in front of the venue, and the barrier allows approximately 40 people at max anyway. I have been to a couple of Moz gigs and I have always been treated very nicely and politely by regulars. They normally come to you and introduce you to the system, as they did with me. Of course it is handled with great sincerity, because it sucks if you have queued for 15 hours and then someone who came 1 hour before doors open just jumps in and takes your spot. The list is the fairest system I have ever seen, and - by the way - the guy who organised the list in Edinburgh (normally the one who is first at the venue and opens the list) is a top bloke, seriously.

[Anonymous]

Going up to your fellow fans and asking what's happenning with the list and the queuing situation really isn't causing a scene. Again - it doesn't matter how old you are, or how many gigs you've been to, the list is supposed to be in order of arrival for those who are queuing - nothing more complicated or cliquey than that. If it's your first ever Morrissey gig and you are ten years old you'll get on the list and go in in that order, provided you turn up early enough in the morning.

Yes - those who are running the list do their best to spot newcomers hanging around the venue and ask them if they are queuing - but obviously mistakes can and do happen, so its in your best interest to talk to the other people outside the venue and find out what's happenning, not just sit there quietly fuming. Of course, some people have never queued at a Morrissey gig before, so why should they know about this list in the first place. However, to my knowledge it has been in place at every single gig since 2004, so it's a bit odd that people suddenly get upset about it now. There are some total chancers around as well, unfortunately, who do turn up two hours before doors and try and push their way to the front, and then if you've been queuing all day you will be appreciateive of the list. My favourite was a group of chancers from Manchester, who protested that such a list would never be tolerated in manchester, despite the fact that exactly the same situation had occured two days previously.

No - it's not perfect. Mistakes happen. Sometimes people abusive it and need to get kicked off. But if you have a problem speak up about it at the time. Get involved. Because if you are turning up for any of the US dates I can promise you that those who are queing will be using a list to keep track of what order people arrived in.

[Anonymous]

The list is actually the best thing I have ever experienced at a concert. It allows us to go away for one or two hours, to get something to eat or to check in our hotels without losing our space in the queue. At my very first gig last year, I came to the venue and was just hanging around, when someone approached me and asked me if I would like to put my name on the list. I think the thing in Edinburgh was that people were queueing ridiculously early, so at 10 a.m. there were already 40 people on the list, which is why they closed it then, because there's no point in making a longer list. You can't queue up 100 people in front of the venue, and the barrier allows approximately 40 people at max anyway. I have been to a couple of Moz gigs and I have always been treated very nicely and politely by regulars. They normally come to you and introduce you to the system, as they did with me. Of course it is handled with great sincerity, because it sucks if you have queued for 15 hours and then someone who came 1 hour before doors open just jumps in and takes your spot. The list is the fairest system I have ever seen, and - by the way - the guy who organised the list in Edinburgh (normally the one who is first at the venue and opens the list) is a top bloke, seriously.

I'd like to add that the list is definitely supported by Morrissey's security, they normally instruct the venue's security how it works and how the fans organise themselves. To quote some guy of Moz security when talking to the venue security: "You have to respect the list. If you don't respect the list, you're in trouble". Morrissey obviously LIKES to see the same loyal faces at every gig, and if you witness the love waving between Morrissey and his regulars, you will understand.

Again - it is not a cliquey elite group. If you're at the venue early enough, just ask around who has the list, put your name on it and make sure to stay around for most of the day. If you need to go away for some time because you have stuff to do, then tell somebody and it's fine. Simple as that.

[Anonymous]

I think all these list people need to grow up and get a reality check. Usher hall didnt recognise your list. It is a system which has been proved by the experiences of people on here to be flawed at the least. It is divisive and caused an unnecessary bad atmosphere. It has not been organised by anyone official, certainly not 'by morrissey' or whatever bullshit this list bloke may have said, so i see no reason whatsoever why anyone should take any notice of it. When this becomes standard procedure at all gigs of all artists and is not ran by the morrissey mafia then people may accept it. I wonder how people manage to queue to see other bands? People are annoyed about it this time because of the bad attitude and blatant clique favouritism that was going on.

[Anonymous]

the list is fine if run properly. However for that to be the case then whoever is running the list should ensure that people who arrive in the queue are added.

People arriving in the queue should also realise that the list has to stop after a certain number of people, and if they arrive after a certain number of people then they aren't being snubbed because they aren't part of a clique.

However any abuse of the list system (people disappearing for half the day after putting their name down, people having their name down just because they are regulars) simply discredits a good system.

I understand Bruce Springsteen fans have a similar system, that is recognised and enforced by his security. When he gets fed up with seeing the same faces then a lottery is used, with the first x number of people put into a hat and they enter in the order in which they are drawn.

I'm no longer a tour follower but there is no question that Morrissey loves seeing the same faces night after night.

[Anonymous]

Yes, by all means, go for a piss and something to eat... but a 6 hour sleep is taking the piss....

Yes - the New York Hammerstein shows in 2007 were infamously fucked over by a certain group of Americans 'queuing for their mates' and holding spots for people who spent all day in their hotel rooms sleeping. Such acts of mean-spirited twattery do sometimes occur, but I can't say I saw any of this kind of goings on in Edinburgh.

[Anonymous]

This whole list bollocks is exactly that. Bollocks.
I was sharing an apartment with a load of fans (about 12 / 14 of us crashed on the floor) in New York in 2007 (5 nights in the Hammerstein Ballroom).
There were groups of three, working in shifts. The first 3 were outside as soon as the gig finished until around 2am when the second 3 replaced them. Around 5 or 6am the next 3 got up and replaced the second 3. And so on.
Me? I crashed for the whole night and in the morning explored New York!
But these 9 fans all thought that they all had the right to be at the front because they had all queued up. at some point, with a 6 hour absence!
Yes, by all means, go for a piss and something to eat... but a 6 hour sleep is taking the piss....
Should I ever be near the front (extremely unlikely when there is a bar near by!) I'd simply refuse to give any ''List Organizer' my name and tell them they can stick the list up their backside!

So you didn't queue, you don't queue but you feel you know enough to rant on about it?

The fact that you are willing to share a floor with 12-14 others means you are possibly insane anyway. You might put up with it when your're in your teens but i suspect you are much much older than that

[Anonymous]

I would rather there was no list and that if someone were to try to queue jump me I tell them where to go rather than waiting there all day only to essentially be queue jumped by 40 people who hadn't been present for the majority of the time I had waited. As it was my first Morrissey gig I had absolutely no idea about the list and as I said before, people who had clearly just arrived after us were being put on it. It was very, very clear we were there to see Moz (we were bedecked in Morrissey /Smiths merch) and as I said before 'We Hate Will And Kate' walked past us countless times, we were sitting five feet away from him! All in all it doesn't matter now as Morrissey's performance made up for it. It was just a real eyeopener for me to see some of the more self-important people that go to Mozza's gigs.

[Anonymous]

Get involved. Because if you are turning up for any of the US dates I can promise you that those who are queing will be using a list to keep track of what order people arrived in.

We are getting involved. We're not going to adhere to an unauthorized list.

[Anonymous]

I think all these list people need to grow up and get a reality check. Usher hall didnt recognise your list.

It always depends on the venue security, some accept it and others don't, or they simply don't care, despite Morrissey's security telling them how it is handled. However, the list people got wristbands before everyone else, and in Manchester they were even walked in before doors opened. The list system is clearly supported by Moz and his security, like it or not, because it IS a great way to ensure that people enter the venue in the order they arrived. What's so hard to understand about that? The alternative would be to literally stand in line for 15 hours for Christs sake.

And to the one complaining that they didn't get on the list although they had been at the venue - why the hell didn't you just approach somebody and asked???

[Anonymous]

when a statement is released on true to you that "the list" is authorized by morrissey, and a paid employee is in charge of organizing it, then we'll adhere. as for now, there is no way "Q" is telling us what to do. i smell a revolt.

[Anonymous]

I would rather never come into contact with the 'list' types. How very 'anal'.

Another good reason to stay in the pub until the very last moment and sort squeeze towards the stage.

[Anonymous]

So you didn't queue, you don't queue but you feel you know enough to rant on about it?

The fact that you are willing to share a floor with 12-14 others means you are possibly insane anyway. You might put up with it when your're in your teens but i suspect you are much much older than that

he or she witnessed it, so yes, they are entitled to comment.

[Anonymous]

Well I think it sincerely is a shame then for those of us who have not the money to spend on countless gigs, who save up and travel to go and see Morrissey, look forward to it and are not part of the usual crowd so are not aware of the list and then cannot get anywhere near the front. But Morrissey would obviously rather it was just the exact same people on the front row night after night. No one is saying he doesn't want people to follow him round, it just would be nice if you have had the privilege of being on the front row/getting on stage/shaking his hand night after night that you let other people have a chance too. It was clearly abused at Edinburgh anyhow as I was around the venue earlier on too and did not see any of those who got in first waiting there.

Anyway I'm bored by this now, obviously it's not going to achieve anything. Irritating to say the least, but you're obviously all convinced that your list is best and to hell with the other thousands of people who attend his gigs. Well done Usher Hall staff who let the others in first though, hilarious watching those who had been so rude on the list getting all riled up and showing their true colours by being abusive to the staff. Morrissey would have been so proud.

[Anonymous]

I don't know how you can say it's not cliquey???Outside the venue at around 6 there were big groups of fans, all typically bequiffed, who were obviously mates from all of the gigs that they attend. We arrived and none of these people spoke to us, in fact one physically banged into me and then walked off without even saying sorry. When someone questioned the authority of the list they all ganged up on him and were unpleasant. I did observe a woman shouting 'f**k you then!' at someone. Yes, it was an eyeopener. Didn't ruin the gig but it will certainly be something that i will remember. Created a bad atmosphere and seemed a bit unneccesary.

Gig itself fantastic though.

[Anonymous]

he or she witnessed it, so yes, they are entitled to comment.

no they didn't, he was exploring New York

[Tbevie]

Does anyone know what the Siouxsie and the banshees song was during the intermission music.

[Anonymous]

[QUOTE=Anonymous;1986729701]What's so hard to understand about that? QUOTE]

What's so hard to understand about it is that it's not well enough known that the list exists, therefore a lot of people do not arrive at the venue until after the list is already full, despite being in Edinburgh or wherever for a full day.

If information on this list is put on True to You, stated on the venue website etc then people will know about it and it will not appear to be just jumped up fans ordering others about.

Additionally, people who arrived after the person who was there from ten were put onto the list, so it is hardly fair. Not everyone feels comfortable approaching what appears to be a big group of friends and as the person has stated, they were not aware of the list themselves so were probably confused as to what was happening. If it is being ran properly then the person organising the list should have approached those waiting and explained.

Anyway, I think it is now becoming a matter of principle that we would not want to appear so anal and pedantic as to be on this list anyhow! What's wrong with old fashioned queueing?! If Bruce Springsteen fans do a similar thing then that is all you need to know! Ridiculous!

Sorry, I think we're just going to have to disagree on this one.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know what the Siouxsie and the banshees song was during the intermission music.

Can't you see we're talking about the List? Very important stuff.