An eclectic collection of film clips greeted the Sydney crowd as they entered the Opera House’s Concert Hall. It was a bizarre prelude to Vivid’s first announced headliner and seemed ill-fitting as an enormous wrinkled drop sheet had poor quality images projected on it. The accompanying sounds were too loud and shrill through the PA and left the audience unsure as to the multimedia’s relevance.
Was it part of the show? Or had Morrissey had an attack of the Morrisseys back stage and was refusing to play? Either way, it was hardly ‘Vivid worthy’ and was a confusing period for 45 minutes between the time doors were opened and the band commenced.
The projections ceased much to the crowd’s delight as Morrissey and his band strode comfortably to the spotlight. Opening with his first single after the demise of The Smiths, Morrisey immediately captured his fans’ attention. They rose in unison to 1988’s ‘Suedehead’ and most would remain upstanding for the remainder of the 90 minute set.
Dressed in a white shirt with silver collar and the baggiest jeans seen this side of 2004 (you know the type, like boot-cut…but all the way up) Morrissey fronted a band clad in white shirts and suspenders with bandages over the bridge of their noses, as if all recovering from a nasal fracture. One wonders if any crowd member paid attention to the appearance of those on stage. Most were busy singing and dancing to their favourites like ‘Kiss Me A Lot’ and ‘The World is Full of Crashing Bores’.
[include_post id=”411787″] ‘Ganglord’ presented itself as an unlikely favourite and turning point in the show. Things got dark as the jangly boyishness was replaced with heavy drumming and distorted guitars. A morbid mood was aided by the use of video behind the band which was real surveillance footage of shocking police brutality.
It was confronting and there was a sense of relief when the follow-up ‘Istanbul’ used visuals that could have been taken directly from Windows Media Player or stolen from a high school battle of the bands competition.
Use of visuals was taken to memorable yet expected levels during Smiths song, ‘Meat is Murder’. Morrissey sang, mostly with his back to the audience, directing their eyes to the screen which was playing images of various slaughterhouses across the world. It was less of a rendition of the watershed track and more of a lecture in animal cruelty.
Forever the dramatist, Morrissey lay on the floor as the band played a heavy outro as, “What’s Your Excuse Now?” was written on the screen. Did he get his point across? Yes. Was it a popular move? It’s hard to say, but the song’s completion was met with applause, albeit a little stupefied. The graphic images were gruesome and a reminder of how vehement Morrissey is in his recriminations toward carnivores. Let’s not forget his requests to have all meat products removed from the Sydney Opera House for the duration of his Vivid tenancy.
One encore was enough to keep the crowd happy. ‘Everyday Feels Like Sunday’ from the Viva Hate (1988) record drew the most elation from the audience, nudging out The Smiths’ ‘Stop Me if You Think You’ve Heard this One Before’. Several stage invaders were quickly apprehended despite apparent encouragement from Morrissey himself – security must have been on high alert since the Royal Headache debacle at the beginning of Vivid.
Morrissey’s strengths are his ability to twist poignant lyrics and phrasing into melodies where few could fit them (how many songwriters can effortlessly include words like ‘grotesquely’ into a ballad) and his distinct falsetto.
His lyricism never changes but they was he conveys it certainly has. The effort is now put into forcefully delivering his words rather than elasticising them. Including some high notes in ‘Now My Heart is Full’ was the briefest moment of brilliance but at age 56, it is understandable that he may need to temper himself a little.
Morrissey will be remembered as one of the greats. His music will always be divisive but his enduring talent can not be questioned. His zealous fans are rewarded with this live show and it is worthy of its top-tiered position in the 2015 Vivid line-up.
Setlist
Suedehead
Staircase at the University
Kiss Me a Lot
World Peace Is None of Your Business
Ganglord
Istanbul
I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris
Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before
(The Smiths song)
Speedway
Scandinavia
Will Never Marry
The Bullfighter Dies
The World Is Full of Crashing Bores
I’m Not a Man
Mama Lay Softly on the Riverbed
My Dearest Love
(Live Debut)
What She Said
(The Smiths song)
Now My Heart Is Full
Meat Is Murder
(The Smiths song)
Smiler with Knife
Encore:
Everyday Is Like Sunday
