Do you remember your first time?

[Tbevie]

I’m sure like me you all still have fond and vivid memories of when you saw Morrissey live for the first time.

Was it everything you thought it would be? Was it better or was it a bit of a let down? When was it? Where was the venue?

Revel all… (If you want to that is)

[Birkenhead]

13 July 1991
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Interesting Drug
The Last Of The Famous International Playboys
Piccadilly Palare
Trash
Sing Your Life
King Leer
Asian Rut
Mute Witness
Everyday Is Like Sunday
November Spawned A Monster
Will Never Marry
There's A Place In Hell For Me And My Friends
That's Entertainment
Our Frank
Suedehead
Angel, Angel, Down We Go Together
/Yes I Am Blind
/Alsatian Cousin
//Disappointed

The first North American leg of the Kill Uncle tour ended on a great note. The 20000 tickets for this show had sold out in a morning and the sale of merchandise established a new record for the Madison Square Garden. The previous record had been held by U2 since 1987. Morrissey and his bandmates were all in excellent mood. The fans were very energetic and many of them tried to jump over the security-filled gap between the pit and the stage to make it to their idol. Approximately ten to fifteen were successful, a fair amount considering this was a venue where that kind of thing never happened.
"Alsatian Cousin" finally saw its live debut. The song had been rehearsed for some time at soundchecks earlier on the tour so fans following Morrissey were expecting it to appear in the setlist at some point. Like other new live additions on this leg of the tour, it was slotted in the encore.

After "Trash" Morrissey started "That song is called 'Trash' and..." but never finished what he had to say. During "Mute Witness" the man did two shoulder stands, legs in the air, arms supporting his backside which was turned towards the audience. After "November Spawned A Monster" he said to his 20000 fans "This is very cosy ... I take that back... Aargh!" During the usual frantic drum and guitar frenzy at the end of "That's Entertainment" Boz fell over Gary and got his guitar entangled between his legs. At the end of the song he smashed it with a look of satisfaction on his face.

In "Our Frank", Morrissey changed a line to "the world may be ending, but look I'm practically human". After "Angel, Angel, Down We Go Together" which ended the main set, Morrissey threw the shirt he had been wearing into the audience and left stage, followed by Th'Lads. He did the same again after the first encore, "Yes I Am Blind". The new live addition "Alsatian Cousin" was played next. The band then left stage again, but they returned for a surprise second encore in which they did the usual set closer "Disappointed". The song was introduced it with the line "This is the last song that we will ever sing" and in it Morrissey sang "Your friends and your foes they'd rather die than have to sleep with you".

Many celebrities were seen in the audience, such as Michael Stipe (there was a rumour he would join Morrissey on stage), Lloyd Cole, Matt Dillon, and members of Tears For Fears, B-52s, Ocean Blue and Squeeze.

THE BEST AND MY FIRST CONCERT EVER I WAS ONLY 15 YEARS OLD AND REMEMBER LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY.

[robertzombie]

My first (and only so far) Morrissey concert was last year at Wembley Arena. It is THE BEST gig I'v ever been to and was even better than I imagined it to be. Morrissey and the band were on top form and nothing can beat it! (apart from seeing him again).

8th December 2006
Wembley Arena, London, UK
***
01. Panic
02. First Of The Gang To Die
03. The Youngest Was The Most Loved
04. You Have Killed Me
05. Disappointed
06. Ganglord
07. I'll Never Be Anybody's Hero Now
08. William, It Was Really Nothing
09. Irish Blood, English Heart
10. I Will See You In Far-Off Places
11. Girlfriend In A Coma
12. Everyday Is Like Sunday
13. In The Future When All's Well
14. I've Changed My Plea To Guilty
15. Let Me Kiss You
16. The National Front Disco
17. Dear God, Please Help Me
18. How Soon Is Now?
19. I Just Want To See The Boy Happy
20. Life Is A Pigsty
21. Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want
22. Don't Make Fun Of Daddy's Voice

[mozmal]

Like yesterday. It was March 15th, 1984 at the University of Hull on The Smiths first UK tour. It was brilliant. This was just as the band were about to break really big, at the time the first 3 singles had been released and the first album had been a big success. The original gig had been cancelled due to Morrissey having laryngitis, which I was really glad about as I was on the dole at the time and couldn't afford a ticket. The band were just brilliant, they simply soared that night. The highlight for me was This Night Has Opened My Eyes, which was the first Smiths song that I really loved. Well, as they say, the rest is history. I think this first gig has always been my favourite one, nothing since has quite matched it. Good bootlegs are available for this gig, too. Cheers

[nocturn0wl]

It was last November, the 21st, 2006 at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. I traveled all the way from Baltimore, MD just to see him. It was the day before my birthday. I'll never forget it. I was in such awe that I was actually looking at him and hearing him live. I took lots of pictures, but unfortunately, almost all of them came out blurry and grainy looking. He did my two favorite songs from the Ringleader album: "Dear God, Please Help Me" (which I didn't think I'd ever get to hear live) and "Life Is a Pigsty." Both were amazing. He ended with "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want." I was on the verge of tears most of the time. It's an experience I'll never forget. I can't wait to see him again this July!

[nugz]

My first time hasn't happened yet!! I'm a Moz Concert virgin. however, I will definitely be getting my cherry popped on June 29th, and i'm pretty sure its going to be the most awesome frickin night of my life. I better buy some matching lace underwearz just for the special occasion

[Cassius]

My first time hasn't happened yet!! I'm a Moz Concert virgin. however, I will definitely be getting my cherry popped on June 29th, and i'm pretty sure its going to be the most awesome frickin night of my life. I better buy some matching lace underwearz just for the special occasion

My thoughts exactly!

My first concert will be on May 28th. I hope you have as much fun at yours as I plan on having at mine.

[cossy]

My first show was Mozs first proper solo gig in National stadium in my home town of Dublin. It was a quite remarkable night ...flowers littered the stage so much so that Moz fell and slipped many times. I will never forget the atmosphere as the lights went down.....totally dark and suddenly on the stage a massive quiff had arrived like a messiah. People were going mental to get on stage a la Hulmerist and Dallas. It was quite an occasion nearly 16 years ago. The band were fairly awful to be fair.(it was their first gig to e fair)...as anyone who has heard the bootleg will testify.even Mozs voice wasnt a patch on where it is now. Great Memories!!!!!

I have been blessed to see him on every solo tour since sometimes more than once Quarry 4 times and Ringleaders 5 times. Every gig is special in its own way so i dont particularly have a favourite

cossy

[Cassius]

Yay. Now I'm all excited.

[Not Right in the Head]

Rather horrible, really. It was the dreaded Chicago Riviera show on 09/27/1997.

But that experience is sure to be more than balanced out by the Vienna and Bawlmer shows this July, if not the Philly, MSG, & Norfolk ones, too

27 September 1997
Riviera Theater, Chicago, IL

The Boy Racer
Alma Matters
Dagenham Dave
Speedway
Billy Budd
Reader Meet Author
Sunny
Satan Rejected My Soul (incomplete)
Maladjusted
Now My Heart Is Full

The second Chicago show on the Maladjusted tour went down even worse than the first one. Morrissey was still ill and this time it really showed. He hadn't even shown up earlier for soundcheck. He came on saying something like "Chicago, a wonderful town... sometimes". At one point later in the concert he crossed himself, joined his hands and touched his throat as if praying for his voice. He asked his audience "I'm still sputtering, can you tell?" and after he started having trouble with his voice during "Dagenham Dave", said "Thank you for being so patient".

"Nobody Loves Us" was on the setlist right before "Billy Budd", but Morrissey decided at the last second to skip it. Then "Roy's Keen" was also dropped and the band went straight into "Satan Rejected My Soul" which was the next planned song (under the title "Satan Loves Us"). Morrissey missed a verse after the first chorus and after trying in vain to catch up, finally decided to stop the song altogether. "Ambitious Outsiders" was supposed to be next but it was also skipped. In "Maladjusted" which came next Morrissey changed a line to "still I maintain there's something wrong with me" and "well I was English, what could I know?".

Morrissey then sat down on the edge of the stage before "Now My Heart Is Full" and looked rather weary. He seemed to give all he had to finish the song which would end up being the last of the concert. After its performance Morrissey just decided to end it there, he left the stage, followed by his musicians. "Paint A Vulgar Picture" wasn't on the set list. "Shoplifters Of The World Unite" was planned as the encore, but it obviously wasn't performed. So in total, four songs were skipped.

The crowd was rather rowdy before these event, there was a good deal of pushing and many fans made it on stage. But afterwards, it was worse. Many disappointed fans booed, were rude and insulted Morrissey, seemingly not aware despite the signs that Morrissey was too ill to continue.

[the more you explore me!]

wembley 1991.....girls were crying

[hatfull]

Yes, it was wonderful. I was surprised at how friendly other fans were, we had a little party going on in our section! I was also surprised at how violent Morrissey fans could be!(this from someone who spent many years at metal gigs)the first and only time I was in a 'Moz pit'

[Chartres]

It Should have been at Hultsfred 2004 but as it were I just saw it from "distance" so it barely counts. Then the first time was 1st April 2006 at the Scandinavium, in my dear hometown.

Shakespeare's Sister
First Of The Gang To Die
Hairdresser On Fire
How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel?
I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday
Irish Blood, English Heart
All The Lazy Dykes
Such A Little Thing Makes Such A Big Difference
I'm Not Sorry
The World Is Full of Crashing Bores
Subway Train/Everyday Is Like Sunday
Let Me Kiss You
No One Can Hold A Candle To You
I Have Forgiven Jesus
Don't Make Fun Of Daddy's Voice
Rubber Ring
/There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

[HIM]

12/02/1986: queen's university of belfast (whitla hall). i lost a shoe. i was 14-and-a-half. it was good.

[Bluebirds]

wembley 1991.....girls were crying

I was meant to go to that but my mum wouldn't let me stay in London on my own at 16. (Theres a song in there somewhere )
I got kicked out of home when I was 17

So my first was this one:

On my own. At 16. I missed the last train back and had to get a taxi to Stroud to stay with someone I knew. Which was 12 quid. A lot of money for a wee lad! The taxi driver subjected me to the PM Dawn LP and I had to go to three cashpoints till I could pay him (Stroud was hardly awash with them!)
This was before the days of mobile phones too si it was a reverse the charges call... Mind you I usually end up watching Moz at my own even now though I usually go with my mate. We get separated. In the crowd.

Anyway heres the bumpf from Passions:

7 October 1991
Leisure Centre, Gloucester

Interesting Drug
Mute Witness
Sister, I'm A Poet
Our Frank
Alsatian Cousin
Piccadilly Palare
King Leer
Angel, Angel, Down We Go Together
November Spawned A Monster
Driving Your Girlfriend Home
My Love Life
Everyday Is Like Sunday
The Loop
Suedehead
That's Entertainment
Disappointed
/The Last Of The Famous International Playboys
/Asian Rut
Despite poor sound and a questionnable choice of venue, this gig turned out better than the previous one. For the second night in a row, the setlist was shortened by one song. This time, "Sing Your Life" was the one dropped. The setlist was also significantly scrambled.
There was a false start in "Our Frank" after which Morrissey suddenly left the stage to have a piece of gum removed from his hair, much to Boz's and Alain's surprise. Then Morrissey asked "Do you mind if we start all over again?" followed by something undecipherable and the band launched into the song again. This time it was played in full and after that Morrissey replied to hecklers in the audience with his own questions: "What was wrong exactly? What happened? Who?"

After "That's Entertainment" and its frantic fast-paced live-only outro, the band started to play the T-Rex cover "Cosmic Dancer". Morrissey sang the first line "I was dancing when I was shit!" then the band abruptly switched to "Disappointed", as was custom on this leg of the Kill Uncle tour.


I was very DISAPPOINTED too at missing my train and the fact he didn't do I've Changed My Plea To Guilty. Still it was marvellous to see my new idol in the flesh. I don't really rememebr Moz. Boz was the distraction and Gary with the double bass.

[dagenham don]

Although I have been a fan since my teenage years in the early nineties, my first time didn't come until February 16, 2000 in Hamilton, Ontario. It was great to finally get to see him. He put on a great show. My experience was somewhat hindered because I was with someone who was not a Morrissey fan. This person was highly critical and I found myself trying to defend Morrissey throughout the night. I have since seen him in Harlem and in Philadelphia on the Quarry tour. I had a much better time at these shows thanks to being in much better company. I can't wait to see him in Cleveland next month.

The setlist for the Hamilton show was:

1. A Swallow On My Neck
2. I Am Hated For Loving
3. Ouija Board, Ouija Board
4. Billy Budd
5. November Spawned A Monster
6. Half A Person
7. Hairdresser On Fire
8. Boxers
9. Now My Heart Is Full
10. Meat Is Murder
11. The Teachers Are Afraid Of The Pupils
12. Is It Really So Strange?
13. I Can Have Both
14. Alma Matters
15. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me

Encore:
16. Shoplifters Of The World Unite

It was a fantastic setlist!

[Oh my god, it's Robby!]

I’m sure like me you all still have fond and vivid memories of when you saw Morrissey live for the first time.

Was it everything you thought it would be? Was it better or was it a bit of a let down? When was it? Where was the venue?

Revel all… (If you want to that is)

91
it was pauley @ UCLA
and there was a riot
and i avoided getting arrested
which was good because i was AWOL from the army @ the time
but the 2nd show a few days later was gr8


ps: didnt we already have this thread?
kewpie would know...

[Musley]

Manchester Move 2004. I went on my own. Waited 7 hours, saw some other bands, New York Dolls and Ordinary Biys, then the man I had idolised for 20 years came on. I wanted to cry. Stupid I know, but that's how I felt. It was great. He sang There Is A Light and it's the only time I've heard it live. I went six times last year and he never sang it. It is the perfect encore. Also I remember when he sang Everyday Is Like Sunday, the crowd sang along every word and you can here it on the DVD. Got lost in Mancher driving home and went round and round in circles. Had to go to work the next day, but I'd do it all again tomorrow.

[nugz]

Manchester Move 2004. I went on my own. Waited 7 hours, saw some other bands, New York Dolls and Ordinary Biys, then the man I had idolised for 20 years came on. I wanted to cry. Stupid I know, but that's how I felt. It was great. He sang There Is A Light and it's the only time I've heard it live. I went six times last year and he never sang it. It is the perfect encore. Also I remember when he sang Everyday Is Like Sunday, the crowd sang along every word and you can here it on the DVD. Got lost in Mancher driving home and went round and round in circles. Had to go to work the next day, but I'd do it all again tomorrow.

not stupid at all! i know im gonna cry when i see him for the first time. i hope he plays there is a light. i know i'll enjoy the show(s) either way, but my one only REAL request is that he play there is a light. it's my favorite song of all time, and if i heard it live, i could finally die with a smile on my face...

i know in 2004 he closed every show with it. but i was a broke college kid back then and couldnt go

edit: oh i just noticed you said it was 2004 when you saw him, ha sorry i was being redundant

[Grim O'Grady]

this was mine, bumph also nicked from the pash site.

26 July 1991
King George's Hall, Blackburn

Interesting Drug
Mute Witness
The Last Of The Famous International Playboys
Alsatian Cousin
Sing Your Life
King Leer
November Spawned A Monster
Yes I Am Blind
Everyday Is Like Sunday
Piccadilly Palare
Asian Rut
The Loop
Pregnant For The Last Time
Our Frank
Suedehead
Angel, Angel, Down We Go Together
That's Entertainment
/I've Changed My Plea To Guilty
//Disappointed
Linder was seen at this concert taking photos for her upcoming "Morrissey Shot" book.
"November Spawned A Monster" and "Yes I Am Blind" were sung in the dark as the venue was having lighting problems. Morrissey commented "the venue's falling around us so bear with us".

"I've Changed My Plea To Guilty" returned to the setlist for the first time on this leg. It replaced "There's A Place In Hell For Me And My Friends".

Tickets were 10£.


I was on the guest list so I didn't have a ticket, if anyone out there as a ticket for this gig they could copy & post up here or to me, I'd be very grateful.

love

Grim
P.s. I've still got the flyer from the gig (see below)