With a new album just days away, Morrissey performs his only UK show of the year and delivers a shockingly stylish performance. What has been maintained by The Smiths frontman for so many years, irrespective of whatever eeks out of the studio, is a quality vocal range. He demonstrates as much at The O2 Arena, a sold-out crowd offered up a selection of essential tracks, contemporary misfires, and a Roxy Music cover which features on the upcoming Make-Up is a Lie. Those new tracks, particularly Notre-Dame and Amazona, are dead weights for the set that Morrissey overcomes by pairing them with some of his very best solo material. Those hoping for a breath of fresh air from Morrissey’s upcoming studio album may be a tad alert to the singles so far, but The Monsters of Pig Alley does sound as though it’s oozing with possibility, on the stage, that is. Shift aside that chunk of contemporary material, though, and Morrissey paints a very different picture to what many may know and have internalised about the Suedehead songwriter.
A slight change-up to the setlist from Morrissey sees A Rush and a Push and the Land is Ours thrown into the setlist, a nice change from The Smiths’ Shoplifters of the World Unite. It’s a strong start to the show from Morrissey and his talented backing band. Incredible instrumental quality can be heard the whole way through, particularly for Amazona. Morrissey’s Roxy Music cover may be lacking in vocal innovation, but at least the instrumentals come to life in those pivotal moments where a slick riff or heavier bash of percussion will salvage the track. That comes to be for the new material, but it’s the likes of Suedehead and Now My Heart is Full that win out in the first half of the performance. What becomes clear is how Morrissey presents himself on stage, that not quite connected with the audience feeling but also aware and appreciative of their presence. His comments between songs are blessedly brief but also capture a relaxed stage presence.
From jokes about morphine to checking out a bottle handed to him by a fan, he has that openness to excitable front row attendees, which means there’s a relaxed feel to songs of self-loathing and political revolt. The latter, heard on the likes of Irish Blood, English Heart and World Peace is None of Your Business feel a tad ironic given the personal attitude Morrissey has shown in recent years, but on stage and removed from that spotlight, they sound sincere and are played up well. They’re exceptional songs to precede How Soon is Now?, a cover of The Smiths’ classic track, which is one of many moments where the quality of his voice can be heard. That ongoing consistency is hard to keep up with, and yet Morrissey, irrespective of the quality of material at hand, sounds fantastic. He fills up The O2 with relative ease, and that’s no small feat given
Valid it may be to bash the frequent cancellations and opinions held by Morrissey, but he puts on one hell of a show all the same. He likened the delayed release of Make-Up is a Lie to the “tenth month of pregnancy” and, though he sounds as though he’s bursting to perform those songs, allows a collection of his very best solo works to shine instead. It’s a credit to the decades of work he plugged away with after The Smiths; the likes of Jack the Ripper and Now My Heart is Full marking some nice touches to a setlist which feels crammed with hits and yet fleeting. One song into the next with a few pauses of genuine thanks from Morrissey. The feeling in the air is clear. Those thanks are sincere. The storm seems to have passed for the Sing Your Life songwriter, who, despite the lull in quality material as of late, has turned this fantastic performance at The O2 Arena into a bold statement. His quality vocals and those lucid meanings behind his best works are back and here to stay.
