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

Post your info and reviews related to this concert in the comments section below. Other links (photos, external reviews, etc.) related to this concert will also be compiled in this section as they are sent in.


Set List:

Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me / Everyday Is Like Sunday / Alma Matters / I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris / You Have Killed Me / Shoplifters Of The World Unite / You're The One For Me, Fatty / Speedway / Maladjusted / Still Ill / One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell / Ouija Board, Ouija Board / I Know It's Over / Let Me Kiss You / People Are The Same Everywhere / To Give (The Reason I Live) / Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want / I Will See You In Far Off Places / Meat Is Murder // How Soon Is Now?

set list provided by pubrockcoma



 
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Not going to let this fly under the radar. Please go on.

Maybe I am being too cryptic - Mr Q (or just Q ) is list man. The guy who seemed to think that he had the right to organise entry to the venue.
 
OK, regarding 'the list' - this is simply a list of people who are queuing up all day (and sometimes the previous night) and means we don't have to literally stand in a line for 15 hours. Yes - people are allowed to go away for short periods of time to use the toilet, get something to eat, put their bags into their hotels etc. If people start taking the piss and dissappearing for hours they will be crossed off the list and lose their place, as indeed happenned to a couple of people in Edinburgh. If you just turn up an hour before doors and see all these people arriving and forming up - yes, they have been there for the majority of the day. There is no special fan heirarchy - anyone who turns up early enough can go on the list, in the order they arrive.


We stayed in the same place outside the doors since about ten o'clock and witnessed older fans arriving and the list organiser going up and either putting them on the list or checking that their name was already on it, not once acknowledging us
The list usually closes after around 40 or so people. There are only so many people you can fit on the barrier, and it's hard to line up 40 people before doors, let along 400. By ten o clock the list would have been long closed - there were already around a dozen people queuing by 5am. If you are desperate for the barrier - get up earlier, it's as simple as that.

This 'list' b.s. is befuddling to me. Under what/whose authority does it operate, and more importantly WHY does anyone abide by what someone else is telling you to do?
The list is arranged by the fans for the fans, and has been in operation at every single gig since I've been going to shows in 2004. It is not 'official', but it usually operates with the blessing of the tour crew, who will often do their best to try and ensure that those who have been queuing all day get in first.
 
Fantastic gig at the beautiful Usher Hall. Highlights included Please Please Please, Speedway, Maladjusted and Still Ill (but please, no more Meat is Murder!) Loved Morrissey's little comments on Wilde, Shelley, Byron, Keats and Yeats and the inspired 'minority' comment.

Really feel that I need to vent about this ridiculous 'list' system though. My friend and I arrived from Newcastle at 7 o clock on the morning of the gig and as we could not drop our bags in at the hotel until 3, we could not wait at the venue until after 4. We did have a walk past Usher Hall at about 1 o clock though and there was only a tiny smattering of people outside (I even have a photo that I took at the venue which shows this). After we joined the queue at around 5, 2 and a half hours before the doors opened and standing in heavy rain, I was astounded when some self-important idiot in a 'We Hate Wills and Kate' top, parted the crowd and started majestically calling the names of his mates out from a scrappy piece of paper so that they could form an elite queue whilst the rest of us, lucky enough not to be part of this pretentious Morrissey clique, were shunted to one side.

It was obvious that most of these people knew each other and had not been 'waiting since 5 that morning'. They seem to suffer from a kind of superiority complex whereby they believe only they have the exclusive right to the front row at Morrissey gigs (and I wonder if it occurs to them how bored poor Moz must be looking down night after night and seeing a front row comprised of the same few faces) despite the fact that most people have travelled, paid a lot of money and are just as big fans as they are, if not more so.

There was no coherent reason given for the list. When questioned, 'We Hate Wills and Kate' came out with the hilarious "Morrissey has given us these wristbands". I didn't realise Morrissey now mans the box office at his gigs. Perhaps he'll be pulling the pints at his next one. Mystifying.

I can understand that it would be annoying if you had genuinely sat for a full day and then people pushed in infront of you, but this didn't seem to be the case at all. It seemed to have been abused by a bunch of cliquey, self important people and it would be nice if the rest of us were given the chance to be near enough to the front of the crowd to touch Morrissey's hand or have a go at the stage, instead of the same few people who can afford and have time to go to all of his gigs getting their mates to put their name down on a ridiculous 'list' in order for them to hog the front row.

Anyhow rant over. Morrissey seems to be on fine form at the moment and looks happy and relaxed. To the man from Inverness we spoke to outside, we had a great time thankyou. Will never tire of seeing Morrissey and can only hope there are many more gigs to come!
 
This 'list' b.s. is befuddling to me. Under what/whose authority does it operate, and more importantly WHY does anyone abide by what someone else is telling you to do?

In Edinburgh it was a guy who had a 'We Hate Will And Kate' tshirt on, who thinks he's in some kind of higher position than everyone else for the reason that he's jumped on stage twice with Morrissey (only to have Mozza's security, who he said "recognise him and the list", push him back into the crowd). He was giving out wrist bands to people and saying that you would be "rejected by Morrissey's security if you try to get in this way without being on the list" which, to me, sounded like the biggest amount of crap!
As for abiding by it, when I did try to "rebel" against the list system by joining in the queue where I should have been, there were some VERY angry fans telling me where to go, if you know what I mean. One woman even screamed, "Well f*ck you then!" at a security man for opening another door to let us apparent plebs in. We literally could not do anything about it at all! And as we were the younger ones in the queue, we didn't want to start a ruckus with older fans.
That was my attitude completely though "why should we be told where to go" etc, but in the situation it was very, very hard to act against it in any way.
 
This 'list' b.s. is befuddling to me. Under what/whose authority does it operate, and more importantly WHY does anyone abide by what someone else is telling you to do?

You know, it really doesn't matter because Moz's people will always let in the regulars, ie. people that follow most of the tour, before anyone else anyways. It's been that way for a long time.
 
What would Edinburgh be without the rain?

Who knows...but it wouldn't be Edinburgh.

What would we be without Morrissey?

Happy, well adjusted, successful...normal?

Maybe...but I'm glad I've got Morrissey even if I lack those other things.

The crowd at the Usher Hall is the usual unusual.

Balding, middle-aged men desperately tugging the last few stray strands of hair to attention in an effort to make something that vaguely resembles a quiff.

Young turks with skinny jeans, fat egos and good shoes.

Pretty girls, pretty boys.

At least one skinhead in beautiful shoes.

People old enough to know better.

People young enough to know no different.

As the imperfect list blares from the sound system the atmosphere in the hall transforms us from this rag-tag bunch of misfits into one perfectly formed mass...we're all here because of the tie that binds.

Morrissey hits the stage looking fighting fit and able...trim, muscular, perky.

"Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me" is, in any setting and at any time, one of the most beautiful songs in the popular music songbook. It's a bold move to open a concert with a song like this...it's haunting, affecting and full of yearning. Every line is bawled back at the master and when the roof nearly comes off the venue at it's close it all makes sense.

He then roars through "Everyday is Like Sunday" and "Alma Matters" with the band sounding tight and his voice getting stronger with every verse one can't help but feel that this could be a night to remember. Who else could take a single like "Alma" which barely made a dent in the charts and that features on an album that is, at best, patchy by his standards and make it sound like the only song you every wanted to hear?

When he hands the mic to the front row a Northern lass pleads with him; "Coom to Wigan Morrissey...please, coom to Wigan." Taking the mic back he barks "No" and then we are headlong into a clutch of four singles in a row; "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris", "You Have Killed Me", "Shoplifters of the World Tonight" and "You're the One for me Fatty". Before he introduces his band of "love hungry bachelors" we are given "Speedway" which is given a re-working but doesn't suffer as a result...if anything it sounds better than ever.

Casual observers and supporters of Morrissey would now be looking for "First of the Gang to Die", "This Charming Man" and "Irish Blood English Heart"...Morrissey isn't one for giving people what they want so instead we are given a blistering rendition of "Maladjusted" which is played with such aggression, such power and such ferocity that I am left reeling. Then it's the glory of "Still Ill", the demanding "One Day Goodbye Will be Farewell" and the hysterical but moving "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" before being emotionally assaulted by "I Know It's Over".

I'm not sure that before tonight any of those songs would feature in my personal "Best of..." collection but after hearing them tonight they won't ever be off of that collection.

At the end of "Let Me Kiss You" Morrissey strips to the waist...not an unusual sight at a Morrissey concert but one which, in recent years (if we are being honest) has resulted in a few downward glances as we have tried to avoid the fact that our personal saviour has fallen victim of middle-age spread. Not tonight. He looks fabulous. I'm saying no more for fear of plunging myself into some sort of homo-erotic coma.

"Todays lesson is that we are all, all of us, minorities..." is the introduction to the only unreleased song we hear tonight. "People are the Same Everywhere" sounds like it is cut from the same cloth as "All You Need is Me" or "Something is Squeezing my Skull". It's power-pop...rocky and raucous. I like it...so there.

The cover version of "To Give" by Frankie Valli is dedicated to Kevin Roberts a Morrissey fan given a mention by a friend in the front row. He passed away earlier this year, was a huge Morrissey fan and his friend wanted to have him remembered so when the mic came to him he told us all about him and Morrissey preceded the song with a simply "For Kevin". A beautiful moment and a none too subtle reminder of how important Morrissey is to so many of us.

"We all know that the British judiciary killed Oscar Wilde and that something similar happened to Shelley, Byron, Keats and Yeats by the establishment. The British establishment rewards mediocrity and the mediocre. It also hates people who are not mediocre so..."

"Please, please, please..." is so moving tonight that, genuinely, I am in tears by the time it ends. I'm confident I'm not the only one.

"I Will See You in Far Off Places" is thumping, loud, aggressive, blistering and rage filled. It's a glorious reminder of why Morrissey matters. Without a record deal, and stubbornly refusing to do the DIY thing, it is easy to see him as old news, yesterdays man. But when he can write songs like this, that have more to say about the world we live in than any public proclamation by the vile David Cameron ever could, it is clear to see why we need him now more than ever.

Most artists like to end on a high note...a romp through a few of the "oldies", the fans favourites...Morrissey chooses to end the set with "Meat is Murder" complete with a gruesome set of images that may well serve to convert yet another generation of fans to the vegetarian cause. It's powerful and political.

An encore of "How Soon is Now" seems like the only possible way a concert like this could have ended. A trip down memory lane, the greatest single his old band never released, a clarion call to the lonely...it's everything you need to know about Morrissey.

8 singles.

A cover version.

7 Smiths songs.

Album tracks from "Maladjusted", "Vauxhall and I", "Ringleader of the Tormentors", "The Queen is Dead", "The Smiths", "Meat is Murder" and "Strangeways Here We Come" (I'm sure I've missed or mistaken some of the songs...forgive me, it's late).

1 unreleased song.

People will complain no matter what Morrissey plays...there is always something you want, something you are tired of...but the truth is that 20 songs over 90 minutes with all sorts of treats packed in isn't really a set you can complain about.

The last night of the tour...questions over whether or not he will tour again, will he ever release another album, will we see his autobiography? For now though I'm glad I was there...I sang my heart out, I laughed, I cried and I felt part of something.

What more could you want?

Kudos comrade :thumb:

Apologies if I'm in error here, but I thought I recognised a certain strain of romantic nihilism in your jottings. You wouldn't have been, er, a certain Virgil Hilts (Captain) in a former life; would yer?

If not, ignore me, but remember this ~ a cracking review. You should write for 'The Scotsman' ~ are you a wee free farmer? They don't publish incomers.
 
You know, it really doesn't matter because Moz's people will always let in the regulars, ie. people that follow most of the tour, before anyone else anyways. It's been that way for a long time.

Then the list is a moot point, and I for one, certainly won't be taking directives from "Q" should his delusional ass show up at the fall tour.
 
OK, regarding 'the list' - this is simply a list of people who are queuing up all day (and sometimes the previous night) and means we don't have to literally stand in a line for 15 hours. Yes - people are allowed to go away for short periods of time to use the toilet, get something to eat, put their bags into their hotels etc. If people start taking the piss and dissappearing for hours they will be crossed off the list and lose their place, as indeed happenned to a couple of people in Edinburgh. If you just turn up an hour before doors and see all these people arriving and forming up - yes, they have been there for the majority of the day. There is no special fan heirarchy - anyone who turns up early enough can go on the list, in the order they arrive.
We stayed in the same place outside the doors since about ten o'clock and witnessed older fans arriving and the list organiser going up and either putting them on the list or checking that their name was already on it, not once acknowledging us
The list usually closes after around 40 or so people. There are only so many people you can fit on the barrier, and it's hard to line up 40 people before doors, let along 400. <b>By ten o clock the list would have been long closed - there were already around a dozen people queuing by 5am. If you are desperate for the barrier - get up earlier, it's as simple as that.</b>


The list is arranged by the fans for the fans, and has been in operation at every single gig since I've been going to shows in 2004. It is not 'official', but it usually operates with the blessing of the tour crew, who will often do their best to try and ensure that those who have been queuing all day get in first.

As I said previously, people were arriving AFTER us and being put on the list. It was clear the organiser knew them from previous gigs or whatever. We waited all day and there were very few people who did the same, maybe a maximum of fifteen /twenty people at any given time (up until about 4/5). The majority of the 'list' people went away and returned only occasionally.

You said it yourself, "if you are desperate for the barrier - get up early" and I agree, but there should be no list - you should keep your place in the queue until the doors are open. If you want to go at 5AM to be at the barrier then that is your choice, but you SHOULD NOT be allowed to determine who is at the front and who isn't. You go, queue up and get in. That's how it should work. The guy reading out the names for the queue was the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen at a gig. I am certainly sure now that if I was ever offered a place on the list I would decline it.

I also agree with the person above who mentioned that Morrissey must be tired of seeing the same faces at the front of every one of his gigs. How very depressing that must be!
 
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Afternoon All,
Having just returned home from the two gigs (and a glorious day spent walking in the Pentland Hills) I must admit that I feel thoroughly refreshed. Yes, Edinburgh was certainly a far better performance than Manchester, I believe this to be for several reasons; the size and style of venue, the set-list, the appreciation of the crowd, and the form shown by the man himself. True, Morrissey's voice was marvellous in Manchester, particularly for the first few songs, but in Edinburgh he was nothing short of majestic. I had been puzzled by the choice to revert back to Imperfect List as the intro music, some of my all-time favouirite recent Morrissey moments were provided by the Operation drums/ red flashing lights intro, but to walk on and perform There is a Light was sublime. The song order built the atmosphere nicely and the spoken comments were both witty ('No!' to Wigan) and well thought out (Wilde v mediocrity). The band, in my opinion, were quite tight. Gutavo was brilliant on keyboards, Soloman seemingly appeared fully recovered from his injury and, along with Eric the Drum, provided his usual drive, the oft-belittled Mr Tobias was on form (although I could have done without the intro to Maladjusted), and GT Boorer gets better looking every day. What a man/woman! The highlights of the gigs for me were Please, Please, Please in Manchester and I Know It's Over and How Soon is Now? in the Usher Hall. It has been a long time I have seen the great man perform consecutive gigs without hearing about Hector, but the 'silly boy' did not appear to be missed.
Lastly may I say a very sincere thank you to everyone who made the last few days so special; the staff at the Salford Lads Club for their time and commitment, the incredibly attractive sales-assistant in All Saints in Manchester who showed me great kindness, the fellow fans who travelled up on the midday flight from Luton, the blonde lady with the cheeky smile in Edinburgh (who spoke to me during the gig but unfortunately I could not hear!), the marvellous love and respect shown by the crowd, and lastly to the master himself. Thank you Morrissey.
Love, Peace, and Trumpton,
Boethius.
 
Just to chime in on the list business...

I've been attending Morrissey concerts for a few years and the first time I encountered it was 2009 in Glasgow. An American girl (I think) approached me and explained how as she and some others had been there for God knows how long, they'd made a list so that they could then go off (for food, toilet, whatever) without having to worry about their places in line. Seemed unnecessary but fair enough I suppose. She was quite friendly about it, and as I'd arrived fairly early myself she put my name down on it. No real drama.

Since then it looks to have become a bit of a bigger deal. The guy in charge in Edinburgh seemed a bit of a nutcase, and took it all quite seriously. I think if people arrived at ten or so in the morning they should have beeen told about it and added to the list. It's only fair. If it is causing trouble and people are abusing the idea behind it then it should be gotten rid of. Not really sure what can be done? It's not sanctioned by any means so as such there can't really be a decision made on whether or not its a good thing surely? No-one really wants to get in an argument/cause a scene outside a concert for going against it I suppose.

The important thing is that the gig was amazing and I'm sure those who wanted to be at/near the front got close enough. The attititudes of some self-appointed super-fans can be irritating but try not to let it affect your enjoyment of things.
 
Kudos comrade :thumb:

Apologies if I'm in error here, but I thought I recognised a certain strain of romantic nihilism in your jottings. You wouldn't have been, er, a certain Virgil Hilts (Captain) in a former life; would yer?

If not, ignore me, but remember this ~ a cracking review. You should write for 'The Scotsman' ~ are you a wee free farmer? They don't publish incomers.

No he was Sundown Playboy, Kimura and Kimura-San in previous lives
 
Kudos comrade :thumb:

Apologies if I'm in error here, but I thought I recognised a certain strain of romantic nihilism in your jottings. You wouldn't have been, er, a certain Virgil Hilts (Captain) in a former life; would yer?

If not, ignore me, but remember this ~ a cracking review. You should write for 'The Scotsman' ~ are you a wee free farmer? They don't publish incomers.

Ahoy.

I am the "author" of the review...I'm afraid I don't know what you're on about! That's meant to be read as if I were speaking in a jaunty tone of voice!

Sorry!
 
In Edinburgh it was a guy who had a 'We Hate Will And Kate' tshirt on, who thinks he's in some kind of higher position than everyone else for the reason that he's jumped on stage twice with Morrissey (only to have Mozza's security, who he said "recognise him and the list", push him back into the crowd). He was giving out wrist bands to people and saying that you would be "rejected by Morrissey's security if you try to get in this way without being on the list" which, to me, sounded like the biggest amount of crap!
As for abiding by it, when I did try to "rebel" against the list system by joining in the queue where I should have been, there were some VERY angry fans telling me where to go, if you know what I mean. One woman even screamed, "Well f*ck you then!" at a security man for opening another door to let us apparent plebs in. We literally could not do anything about it at all! And as we were the younger ones in the queue, we didn't want to start a ruckus with older fans.
That was my attitude completely though "why should we be told where to go" etc, but in the situation it was very, very hard to act against it in any way.



The 'list man' as you are calling him with the We Hate William and Kate tshirt on, which morrissy gave to him in manchester, got on stage both nights and was actually dragged onto the stage by Morrissey and his security and it is all on youtube. So get your facts right before posting mindless cobblers on here. toodleloo for now Thanks by number 17 on the list :D
 
My first Morrissey gig, he was immense and still has it. From the opener Last Night I Dreamt that Somebody Loved Me to the closing How Soon Is Now with loads of great tunes in between. A few surprise tracks. Biggest surprise was the tracks he left out, but with the depth of back catalogue he has the choices he made more than made up for it.
 
See if i had queued for twelve hours and some random guy told me to move due to some made up list.......jog on mate.
 
We stayed in the same place outside the doors since about ten o'clock and witnessed older fans arriving and the list organiser going up and either putting them on the list or checking that their name was already on it, not once acknowledging us
Is there any reason why you just sat there silently, instead of going up to whoever was organising the list, asking what was going on and getting your name on it? Speaking about it AT THE TIME might have helped sort out whatever your problem was, and got you in at the right place. Doing nothing at the time and bitching about it online later isn't going to help anybody. It sounds like someone just f***ed up, and amidst all the other fans milling about the place didn't realise that you hadn't added your names to the list. Try speaking to people at the concerts next time.
 
The 'list man' as you are calling him with the We Hate William and Kate tshirt on, which morrissy gave to him in manchester, got on stage both nights and was actually dragged onto the stage by Morrissey and his security and it is all on youtube. So get your facts right before posting mindless cobblers on here. toodleloo for now Thanks by number 17 on the list :D

^Absolute prime example of the type of people in 'the list' queue.
Morrissey must love him so much!
 

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