476, if you include tonight's gig (is it over yet).
I was surprised you put my favourite up, Brixton Academy 1995. Pure magic. Never seen an audience go so wild too.
Le Zenith, 1992, is a close second.
And both were on the list, chapeau!
How did you choose these ones?
From virtual experience, I must say I really would love to have been to the Phoenix show, August 9, 2002, when Morrissey returned after what seemed an eternity and played new songs (spectacular ones too) for the first time.
Hello Johan. It's nice to talk to you finally. As you know very well polls allow for 15 choices. With regard to this poll I combined both my personal experiences and my virtual experiences. There is some logic, some method, to every poll I create but I never reveal it. Because you asked:
Wolverhampton = A classic gig (bye bye Smiths, hello Solo) captured on film and released for public sale.
Pacific Amphitheater = As close to my hometown in Orange County, California as Moz could be, this was his second ever solo show in America and the entire thing was filmed by Tim Broad, however, only 3 songs ever surfaced on TV + the sound-check. This was an amazing show!
Starplex, Dallas = Filmed and released for public sale as “Live in Dallas.” A good virtual experience for me...however the Pacific Amphitheater show would have made for an excellent - dare I say better - release.
Madison Square Garden = I was very tempted to put the Los Angeles Forum up here where he duet-ed with Bowie and sold the place out in just over 10 minutes but I went with MSG…something for the New Yorkers / East Coast-ers…and because Moz has mentioned this gig in interviews many times. By all accounts an excellent show.
Santa Monica Civic = I wanted to respond to Worm’s comment above. This wasn’t just a non-seated concert. This was nothing less than Beatlemania or seeing a young Elvis I imagine. It was absolute pandemonium. There were, if memory serves me well, 20+ minor injuries and it made the TV and printed news. I touched Morrissey’s hand…it wouldn’t be the last time…but it was the first.
Madstock, Finsbury Park = For the media uproar it generated. Is it NME or enemy?
Hollywood Bowl = Moz sold this beautiful and acoustically perfect venue out faster than the Beatles…breaking their long-held record. It seats over 18,000 and he played it 2 nights!! And remember this was in the days before E-commerce so we all stood in line, camped out, or phoned in for tickets. Many celebrities were in the audience. The performances were excellent, the band tighter and more cohesive. These shows are emblazoned on my mind as quintessential “Your Arsenal” - shiny shirts and all.
Le Zenith = Much of this made it to “Beethoven Was Deaf” – another good virtual experience and far better than “Live At Earls Court.”
Brixton Academy = The Smiths played their last gig here and although Moz had returned once before as a Solo artist by all accounts this gig was even better than his first re-visit since the breakup of The Smiths.
El Auditorio Nacional = It meant a great deal to the fans in Mexico and Moz speaks of it fondly even nowadays…reminding us that he played to a sold out (or near sold out) crowd when Oasis apparently played this same venue to a half-empty audience.
Royal Albert Hall = A triumphant return as shown in the documentary “The Importance of Being Morrissey.”
M.E.N. Arena = No words are required. Manchester is Mecca for Moz fans.
Move Festival = “Who Put The M in Manchester?” makes this gig look even better than M.E.N.A. The crowd singing along to “Everyday is Like Sunday” – I just can’t explain so I won’t even try to.
The Point = Probably the best of those X-Mas Quarry Arena dates with rumors swirling that this might be the last concert ever. We found out later that Moz said (regarding his goodbye hints) “It’s always good to leave a paper trail…”
The day he played my hometown / other. = This would get the most votes as is expected. Of course, a person can vote for more than one choice in this poll…but oh well.
I wish I could have had space for:
Summer Sonic Festival, Chiba, Japan - 18 August 2002 = Part of the gig was shown on TV in Japan and I have a bootleg DVD of it. It’s a very good concert…showing a very humble Morrissey…a man without a record deal. His rendition of “Meat is Murder” at this concert was particularly excellent.
-Ghoul-