What do you mean you’re going to
the concert by yourself? I thought Chris
was going? Mike? Frank?
Dave? Shar? Eric? No, they all couldn’t make it and it
was very short notice. The day of the
concert I asked if they’d like to go.
The night before Amanda gave me the look when I mentioned we were going
to the concert. What? You don’t want to
go? Not really, it’s one of those things
you get excited about when you first hear of it and then…not really. I understood.
There is something about getting back into the routine of life, it’s
still early in the year and I’ve been back to work for a little over a
week. Amanda is on her college
break. When I saw Morrissey was playing
on CW Post, I felt it was a good opportunity to see a local show and an artist
I have never seen before. The Smiths
were one of my favorite bands and I
still listen to them from time to time.
See radioHead’s cover of The Smiths on YouTube… going back to my ancient
days - I remember Marjorie Eisenberg bringing home their first record and
playing on the player in their living room, the wooden floors, the sparse
furniture, boxes of matzos in the closet.
The album was on Rough Trade Records, the label was silver and the cover
was maroon. It was sparse as well, but
the music captivated me. We sat in the
room and listened to the whole thing after school. It’s one album and a memory which I will
cherish. I tried to speak to Marjorie
yesterday, these days she owns Permanent Records in Brooklyn and I wanted to
tell her I was seeing Morrissey. She
wasn’t at work, but the clerk asked if he could help me. No, I’m a high school friend and I wanted to
say hi. She’ll be back tomorrow. So I left work later than usual and picked up
a vegetarian burrito on account Morrissey is a vegan and a downright activist
for the animal rights movement. I read
reviews of other shows. I should be
prepared for a violent anti-meat film which plays on the screen behind the
band, while they perform Meat in Murder…Meet your Meat. What was one of the first comments a member of the audience made after the film? "So does this mean you don't eat eggs?" Are you serious? Morrissey shook his head and must have assumed we were all ignorant. "Why do you care?" He asked her and took the mic back before she could offend him any more. The scenes in the film were gruesome, but he has me
contemplating my next decision for lunch.
I went to the show by myself,
parked in the parking lot outside the Tilles Center at CW Post and walked in
and down the stairs. I was surprised by
the ancient ages of the audience. I fall with full force into this
category. From speaking to Mike Fallon
when the suggestion to scalp, “You’d see some despondent fifteen year-old
in the parking lot who’s holding up a sign, no one in the world understands me
except Morrissey…give him the extra ticket. “
I didn’t see the lad. There is
one song I wanted to hear, Shoplifters of the World…and this was the opening
song. My only weakness is a desperate
crime; my only weakness is well…never mind…never mind. I love that line. You listen to it and analyze what desperate
crimes did he commit? Shoplifting? Maybe the song inspired, Wynona Ryder? Morrissey’s voice was weak at times and in
perfect pitch as the set and show progressed.
In fact for most of the set he was on.
He made a comment regarding the break from his last tour, which he
called off and now was back. For the
haggard Smith’s fan, there was an eclectic mix of songs. For the Morrissey worshippers, I confess I did
not know each song the band performed, there was the Ouija board song and many
others, but I am not an adoring fan, but I can see how one can fall for this
performer who adores his fans. He easily
walked from side to side, shaking hands, wiping his sweaty palm on his pants
after slipping his hand into a sweaty palm, and taking flowers, receiving hugs
and yes, giving hugs from both men and women.
Oh, Mother…I can feel the soil falling gently over my head…his whipped
his microphone cord like a whip many times, appearing like a stoic Spanish bull
fighter…how often does the performer ask the audience if they have any
comments? He handed the Mic down, and
the first comment, can we hear your best New York accent? He took the mic back and said, Next and
handed the Mic to someone else after asking the fan, “Do you know the name of
the drummer? Previously, he introduced the band…”No,” was the answer. At this time there were calls from the
audience, I love you Morrissey…” The typical adoration for the demigod on the
pulpit. I was warned to be prepared for
a quasi religious experience. And it
happened. They broke after the set and
came back on and Morriseey mentioned not having a tooth brush and sharing it
and then the religious episode…the opening of How Soon in Now…and I related to
the song so well in my old age. I am the
son and the heir….more fans rushed the stage, a corpulent man who wore bright underwear was hauled off the stage, a boy of 14 with a smile on his face as he
ran to the man and handed him a note and a hug…after all of these years I felt
strangely the same in the darkness as the lights poured out into the
crowd. So close to the emotions of
isolation, the same way when I was younger.
I walked into the Tilles Center
on my own and left on my own and went home…but this time I didn’t cry. I curled up next to my wife who was snoring. I wanted to tell her everything about the
show…
The show was 90 minutes…
Opening act was Kristeen who
thanked the twenty of us for being raised properly since we clapped for
her. Her music reminded me of the bands
I glazed over, Missing Persons and such.
But she is a solo artist, no need for a band for her. Kind of makes the argument stand that all
those synth bands were not musicians, they were artist who stood on stage and
looked pretty under the lights. Kristeen
had an impeccable voice that radiated the room like an opera star. I hope she plays with a band the next time
she swings through and has a dress she doesn’t need to adjust ever second….
There is a set-list on the web
for the show:
Shoplifters
Irish Blood
Alma Matters
Still Ill
You’re the one for me fatty
You have Killed me
I’m throwing my arms around Paris
Speedway
Action is my Middle Name
I know it’s over
Ouija Board
Maladjusted
One day Goodbye
The Youngest was the most loved
Meat is Murder
To Give
November spawned a Monster
Sweet Tender Hooligans
Let me Kiss you
How Soon is Now
No comments:
Post a Comment