Heart of a Punk Soul of a Rasta

Morrissey & the Arthounds
/All the Young
Victoria Hall, Hanley
5th July 2011

In these unenlightened times when communal singing has largely been excreted into the dustbin of history, when the football supporter would much rather shove a tiger prawn bap into his fat gob than spit lyrical abuse at the opposition; when jubelatums are only bashed out in church by a congregation of one; and when Karaoke machines lie silent beneath dust sheets and a fine sticky coating of snakebite inside a boarded up pub. In these dark times almost totally bereft of the chance of a sing-a-long with your fellow disaffected, disenfranchised, mentally displaced comrades, we must all cling affectionately and whole heartedly to Stephen Patrick Morrissey, like a poor soul clinging to a life raft in a force 10 gale off Rockall.

With all the force and precision of a Germanic invasion the Morrissey's home videos ended at 9.00pm dead, the front drop projection screen fell to the stage and after a hail of drum fire by way of "The Operation" as an intro (why this couldn't have been played LIVE escapes me, it was played LIVE in '95 surely Matt Walker could have given it a go) Morrissey & the ARTHOUNDS entered stage left. 3 seconds of fumbling by Boz followed before Morrissey led the assembled choir in a devotional rendering of "I Want the One I Can't Have". "You're the One for Me, Fatty", "Ouija Board, Ouija", Board", "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris", "One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell" with Solomon Walker doing his best to be JJ Burnel again. "You Have Killed Me", "Irish Blood, English Heart", "Everyday Is Like Sunday", "Alma Matters", "I Know It's Over", "Speedway", "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out", "Action is my Middle Name". "People are the same Everywhere" someone next to me tried to punch someone next to them around this time, and missed, the irony was killing.

There was a brief respite from the oral communion prior to "Meat is Murder" as Morrissey gave a brief and rambling lecture that featured the names "Kate & Williams" several times and "foie gras" and "shit bags" just once. The Arthounds then launched into the track backed by audio visual accompaniment - It was the most brutal moment of the evening, timpani's were flailed and thrashed, the great tormentor gong was battered - arc lights blinded. The point was bludgeoned home with all the subtlety of an Oliver Stone film - job done. "First of the Gang to Die" to close "Panic" as an encore, 10.15pm house lights up.

Morrissey seems to have shaken himself free of the sickness that has plagued his live performances for the last few years. He seemed stronger than ever, in voice and in body; on this tour where he had nothing NEW to sell. It could have been viewed as a greatest hits tour - but in truth it was as it has always been with Morrissey, a two way recital - long may it last!