Heart of a Punk Soul of a Rasta

This is not a review of
Morrissey/Doll & the Kicks
23rd October 2009 The Symphony Hall
So what makes this girl adore Moz so? Because from the moment the front drop fell and the crowd rose and the skiffle sound "This Charming Man" rattled and reverberated around the wooden confines of the Symphony Hall, her attention was absolute. She remained stock still like a white rapt shadow throughout "Black Cloud"; she touchingly hugged herself through the chorus of "Throwing My Arms Around Paris", venerating the idol of Moz throughout "Still Ill" and "Nowhere Fast"; "Gang Lord", "Teenage Boy on the Estate" and "Because of My Poor Education" from the latest compendium "Swords". Worshiping his every move, gesture and utterance whilst the fleetingly wonderful "Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself?" and sprawlingly majestic "Life is a Pigsty" from "Ringleader" were played. Mouthing silently the words of "Cemetery Gates" and "I'm OK By Myself" If Morrissey could sense the intensity of feeling for him emanating purely from this single soul for only a second, surely it would be impossible for him to bear. "What is it with Morrissey?" What is his lure, what is his charm? What makes the faithful adore him so? Is it spiritual or humanist? Now as I smear my cracker with Primula Cheese and Prawns and write this I still haven't a clue. He pointedly portrays a personae bereft of empathy and yet the faithful seem to empathise totally with him. "What is it with Morrissey?" is he an enigma or a blank? "First of the Gang to Die" played out and Morrissey exited stage right as Boz Boorer and the band wound down from crescendo to muted feedback. And when the Hall was at last silent the slender beauty that had stood by my side vanished into the night.

And so onto Swindon, where Morrissey "Howard keeled over" during track one!
Were there any signs of what was to come in Brum? No! He rolled around on the floor during one track; I can't remember which one now. He was in much finer voice than at Manchester in May and seemed physically fitter too. He did quip before "The First of the Gang to Die" that this would the last track because "the morphine is wearing off". But hey this is Moz man of mystery it's the uncertainty of not knowing that gets them going.