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Derry, Ireland (Nov. 24, 1999)

Derry - At Long Last

Posted By: Simon Ward <[email protected]>
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 30 1999, at 11:01 a.m.

We saw him at the Forum on 14th and it was a superb moshpit. I remembered Derry from the late 70s and expected something something similar. We had the three seats on the left hand side of the aisle - I'm sure we were the first people to buy tickets.

He came on and said 'Welcome to our own private party' which was brilliant because I for one was scared that he was going to be put off by the low turnout (which we heard about just before the show). I spent 4 hours in the back of a beaten-up transit van with a pissed-up stoned driver to get to see the Smiths in Belfast in 1982 - it was unbelievable that there weren't a thousand people in Derry who wanted to see Morrissey when he was on their doorstep. But never mind, because this was the best concert I have ever been to - so intimate, so sexy, so powerful.

Moz was clearly frustrated that the barrier gates were too far away from the stage to allow any contact - our outstretched hands couldn't touch his hand, but he encouraged people to climb over until the nutcase went too far in his pursuit of the Canning Town Sauna Club T-shirt. After that, people just shook his hand and one guy kissed his ring, which he laughed at.

He said 'Is there anyone here from Letterkenny?'. A couple of people cheered and Morrissey seemed to say 'Oh no...' because the Smiths played there years ago. Later he said 'I've been to Letterkenny, I have, you know'.

'It's lovely to be here at last. You may be wondering why we haven't got here sooner - it's because I'm not very popular....It's true.'

'We hope to God you know some of these songs, and if you do, sing along as loud as you can.'

I didn't get a setlist or any of the tee-shirts, but from memory the songs were:

Operation Drums
You're Gonna Need
Boy Racer
Billy Budd
Hairdresser on Fire
Reader Meet Author
Sunny
November Spawned A Monster
Lost
Is It Really So Strange?
Now My Heart Is Full
Speedway
Alma Matters
Meat Is Murder
Break Up The Family

Encore: Last Night I Dreamt

Teachers was on the set list (which I got a look at) but it wasn't played. I think he did play Lost.

I saw the Smiths play Meat Is Murder and this was very similar, and I thought a powerful rendition.

I'll never forget Mozzer kneeling down a couple of feet away from me and giving one of his legendary smouldering looks. Was it my imagination or did he sing 'I really do love you' in Break Up The Family? The feeling is mutual, Moz.

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