If, over 20 years ago - as a teenager you'd have told me that - on my 35th birthday I'd finally be seeing the object of a teenage music obsession then I'd have scoffed, partly at the delay in getting round to it - as I probably spent 3 years of my life listening constantly to The smiths, and avidly reading anything I could get my hands on about them, and partly that - at such an elderly state - I'd still be out there gigging!
I suspect a bunch of people at the Leeds gig were feeling the same.
For me - the evening was only spoilt by 2 minor details, firstly I was told no photo pass as they were rarer than hens teeth - so didnt bring my camera (who wants a bouncer taking it off you!?) -only to be presented with a photo pass in my name on the door - dammit!
Secondly - just before the gig my wife (who came along to see Morrissey for the same reasons as myself - longterm fandon) chose this moment to reveal that on of her friends from our sons nursery had just told her of how - as a student in London in the eighties - she worked in Tescos - and regularly served Moz and Marr with a large variety of meat related products - including pate do fois gras - what!!! Meat is Murder but Pate - well it's alright really? She did say what a nice chap he was and how he always had a laugh with them - I seem to remember hearing of them getting caught with meat pies in a chip shop somewhere - but where the hell was pategate!?
Never mind the paparazzi scoping out Pete and Kate for evidence of drugs, I suggest the decamp to Rome and stake out any renowned veal outlets and catch him in the act (MsDonalds woudl be so outre!) Anyway - enough tabloidism - onto the meat of the issue - the gig.
The crowd is clearly a long term buch of devotees - chanting builds up and the intro of "You'll never walk alone" is greeted like the second coming. Moz bounces on to the strains of "The First of The Gang to Die" - the sound is fantastic (we're behind the mixing desk), he give a little burst of "the Leeds side streets that you slip down..." a few low bows and the crowd go mad.
"Still Ill" follows - wow - fantastic, still wish I'd seen The Smiths do it but never mind. "You have Killed Me" follows - one of the standouts on the new album. "I know you like statistics" Morissey tells us "Ringleader of The Tormentors is number 1 in Malta" If there was justice is shoud be here for weeks.
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I admit to having given up on him in the 90s, my instant day of release purchasing of his singles petering out around "November Spawned A Monster" and not really picking up again for years. His recent renaissance has inspired me to re-evaluate previous stuff, which actually sounds better for a few years gap - maybe it was the racist thing that put me off - that seems so far behind him now - hopefully to remain so.
"The Youngest Was The Most Loved" follows, again an excellent new track, and he breaks off to tell us "far more important than that, please sign my petition to get the Dingles out of Emmerdale" You don't get that from living in LA - must get as far as Rome though.
"I Will See You In Far Off Places" follows - the fantastic album opener - and ending with a huge symbol crash. "To Me You Are A Work Of Art" is followed by "Girlfriend In A Coma" - what strange taste you have - he taunts.
"Look everyone - Alan Bennett ... made you look!" is one of the oddest between song bits of banter I've heard. "At Last I Am Born" follows, born along by a double headed guitar - strangely rockist imagery but it works. A change of shiret rings in ""I just want to see the boy happy."
"Trouble Loves Me" leads to "On The Streets I Ran" and a cover of Magazine's "Song From Under The Floorboards"and then the finale "How Soon Is Now" - odd to hear it outside of my teenage bedrom or a student disco - but fantastic nonetheless - the guitar of Johnny Marr emulated perfectly - still one of the all time great records.
An encore of " Irish Blood..." is introduced with "You're a fat old wrestlers idea of a perfect audience" - well - Morrissey and the band- of which he is "just a cog" are our idea of a perfect night out.
Shame it took me 20 years to see it. Enjoy the pate.
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