Having never seen Morrissey live and being all too aware of the notorious reputation his adulating fans have, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect last night. Out of the dozen or so people I talked to while waiting on line for nearly four hours, I was the only one who had never seen Moz in all his glory. A total virgin to the Morrissey concert-going experience, I received warnings from men with pompadours about how my unprotected, flip-flopped feet might get crushed in the crowd and was cautioned to stay clear of the shirt-throwing area of the floor. Heeding their advice, I ventured into the Hammerstein Ballroom and prepared to see the man who's probably saved more people than Jesus. The pilgrimage was definitely worth it. 
The vast setlist spanned his lovely career. Smiths' classics such as "The Boy with a Thorn in His Side" and "Death of a Disco Dancer" sounded great, as did the yet to be released "That's How People Grow Up". But the absolute highlight had to be the stage divers themselves -who actually restrained themselves until the encore number, the rousing "Last of the Gang to Die". And that's when all hell broke loose. For those unfamiliar with the venue, there is about a distance of about two feet between the audience and the stage, with a big metal barrier secured in place to maintain that distance. Well needless to say nothing can hold Morrissey fans back. More than a couple people hoisted themselves up and lunged, literally flinging their bodies towards the stage -and more than a few actually succeeded, much to the chagrin of multiple security guards.
Oh and that was before the the shirt came off. Once the sweaty rag of fabric flew, it landed meer inches away from me. I actually touched it. Let me reiterate that -I actually touched the shirt of a man who verbalized my (and several generation's) inadequacies better than any songwriter of the last twenty year!- and then I got stuck in an eight person game of tug-o-war over said shirt. Ultimately we let the dude who rightfully caught it, keep it. Needless to say, it was an exhilarating moment.
And now one of my favorite cover songs:
Moon River - Morrissey
2 comments:
Very well stated and a Morrissey concert is quite an experience. During "Dear God, Please Help me" I got very emotional, and I think the man himself shed a tear as well. I attended 3 of the 5 shows and never once was I disappointed, only amazed with each new show!
love morrissey!
http://rockinsatiable.blogspot.com/
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