“Now this is the point,” punned Stephen Patrick Morrissey before the unmistakable intro to ‘How Soon Is Now’ reverberated around the walls of the crowded venue. Donning full vicar’s garb and sporting his trademark quiff, the aging king of brooding introspection performed two hours of aural Moz/Smiths bliss, before an adoring audience that displayed the reverence and awe of a congregation in a place of worship.
On a night where material culled from the platinum-selling You Are The Quarry was as warmly received as solo classics and gems from the Morrissey/Marr treasure trove, the enduring success of the Mancunian was all too clear.
The night was peppered with un-Moz like moments of gregarious crowd interaction. In contrast to previous performances, he was particularly gracious and open in his warmth for his surroundings. Quips such as “Thank you Glasnevin” and “I’m under no delusions, I know that next year we’ll be back at Whelan’s” served as a reminder of his affection for the city, and an indication of which part of ‘Irish Blood, English Heart’ rings through – or should that be true? – for this adopted son.
Die–hard Smiths fans were placated with renditions of ‘Bigmouth Strikes Again’, ‘Shoplifters Of The World Unite’, ‘Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me’, which spawned a singalong, and a double-whammy of ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.’
A flawless performance on the part of the man himself was complimented by a note-perfect set from his long-term backing band, with an honourable mention due to relative newcomer, guitarist Jesse Tobias.
There is an unmistakable and ever-present bond amongst the crowd at any Morrissey gig; perhaps it’s the nature of his writing and the understanding it demands on the part of the listener. The atmosphere on this occasion seemed particularly warm…even if he did remind us during a moment of banter that “I’m not programmed for affection.”
Maybe not, but we love him all the same.