Alright that show was pretty darn fun. Granted I wasn’t having as much fun as the half-dozen weirdoes dressed up as Smiths-era Moz, or the 40-something Moms who came dressed like they were in high school again (in a word, shameful), or tattooed waifish boys who knew every lyric to every song and left their completely uninterested girlfriends bewildered as to why their men would gesture for Morrissey to throw his sweat soaked shirt towards them (not making that one up, we were standing right next to those guys and they weren’t the only ones. Contrary to what my taunting, tough-guy friends might think, Morrissey seems to have an incredible amount of straight male fans standing in the audience screaming their hearts out to every lyric– old songs and new songs with significant others that just don’t understand his appeal. Feel free to draw your own conclusions, but some of these dudes seemed like they might have been geeky loner kids that grew up, got over it, maybe even got married, but still had a strong connection to the music and the musician that got them through he toughest times of their life. I feel the same way about a lot of bands. I fucking love that about music). I even saw a few Mexican Moz fans (and Kim noticed that at least one of the well-known local Filipino indie bands was there. I wasn’t having the kind of fun all of these people were having, I wasn’t having nearly as much fun as Kim, either (she was as happy as I have ever seen her), but I was having a blast.
A new internet acquaintance of mine has posted some great photos of the show on her site, as well as videos of two of the Smiths’ songs he performed. I feel like an outsider to this whole Morrissey phenomenon because I really never cared much for him until about a year ago, but if you compare the performance he gave a few nights ago with the many performances on youtube of his time with the Smiths, he’s not even the same person and I don’t think that’s necessarily bad. Unlike the majority of performers of his generation, Morrissey has aged well. He’s aware that he isn’t quite as pretty as he used to be and uses his age as an excuse to recreate himself. The odd, effete, Oscar Wilde reading, pansy-twirler has evolved into something very different, more confident, and arguably a better performer than his days with the Smiths. I love the Smiths’ music, but you have to let go of what you did 20 some years ago. If people came into my work dressed as me as I was 10 - 20 years ago, I’d find it unsettling… for him it’s commonplace. Nevertheless I am glad that he has found a compromise in holding to his personal integrity and seeing fit to perform more of The Smiths’ music. As Kim said after the show, “they obviously needed him more than he needed them.”
I chuckled to myself while watching because I was genuinely impressed with the performance. I couldn’t help it remember the image of Moz that turned me completely off to him and his music when I was a slightly homophobic 16-year-old metalhead: the video forNovember Spawned a Monster. (Ironically, I wrote a research essay about animal rights the year after and it grossed me out so much I quit eating meat for awhile.. Morrissey and I had more in common than I thought). That video could be an entire blog entry unto itself. I have learned to tolerate the video and have grown to enjoy the song, but even now I can’t figure out what dry humping a rock with a band-aid on your nipple and rubbing chocolate on your lips has to do with a disfigured, disabled woman who dreams of self-reliance. Maybe that was the point. It has to be, it doesn’t make any sense any other way.
Anyway, if you haven’t already, go to myaimistrue.com and check out the photos. Watch the video for “Please Please Please Let Me [Have] What I Want.” He changed the lyrics from get to have, I guess after 20+ years he’s realized have was more proper.
I had the time of my life…and I owe it all to you! hahahaha
To be totally serious, that was a dream come true for me. I’ve been waiting almost 20 years to see him, and for a time I thought it would never happen. He had gone for a spell without touring and without a new album. I thought that I’d have to rely on DVD footage to see him perform. When he finally started making new albums, he avoided the south east like the plague. I then thought I’d have to fly somewhere to go see him…which I would have gladly done. I know it seems like a silly “dream” to have, but it was more than amazing seeing him perform live…and having you there made it even better. Thanks for buying me the ticket!