I went to Pasadena and it was the time of my life so far as I can remember. I did not take a camera to the show, thinking I wouldn't get it inside, but then saw people taking video with their phones, and still waiting for more of that to appear. I have found pictures online and from links at solo.
The show? I haven't really written that much about it yet because there is so much to write.
After Kristeen Young finished there was a very funny collection of videos that seemed to be from 60's and 70's Italian television mostly, with singers on old style variety shows. We also saw the New York Dolls in their prime appear on Italian tv. The video wrapped up with David Johansen smoking "turkish tobacco" and giving a short interview. The stage lighting began to come up and the place went crazy!
oh, I went Friday, the second of the three days. I wound up staying and if I had known I was going to enjoy Pasadena so much I would definitely have bought tickets for at lest one more show.
Back to the show... first, I should say that I did not attempt to write down the songlist or remember the exact order. In fact I knew I was just going to experience it and not try to report on it, so I might get some things a little bit wrong here...
I'm pretty sure he opened with Panic, and it was very nice to hear that. It was a great relief when he came on because the sound was perfect and Kristeen's sound had been both too loud, and a little shrill. Do you want to hear about Kristeen? No? I'll just sya that I tried to like her but when she started criticizing the audience repeatedly I decided I really didn't need to sit there nad have my hearing destroyed by her sub-B-52's "new wave" hiccuping, yipping vocals. When she started singing "more keyboard in the monitors" I felt free to walk back outside and look around. I saw about 4 or 5 of her songs but don't ask me to tell you the difference between them, except one sounded like piano, whereas most of them had her keyboard sounding like a heavy metal guitar. Amazingly she did two songs where she walked away from the keyboard to sing, but the music continued. I don't know if it was taped or pre-programmed. It doesn't matter. Even if she was the best singer/songwriter/keyboardist in the world her sound was very poorly done, so she might have been better given a better soundman. I tried to listen to some of her music online and it wasn't bad, but going by this show, I don't really care for her.
Okay...
The venue, the Pasadena Civic Auditorium is a great building, the best place I've ever seen any show. Morrissey came on, like I said, and the sound was not as loud and was much warmer. t was perfect really.
Sometime in there he played Ganglord, but I think there was something else in between. Anyway, Ganglord was one I liked when I heard it, but thought it was sort of average. Live, though it was very, very good, and he sang it so well and with total conviction. I hadn't heard it since it first appeared so it was almost like a new song to me. "The clock on the wall/ It makes a joke of us all" and "The police say to protect and to serve/ what they really mean to say is get back to the ghetto" sections were very very goos, and I believe he repeated the part about the police a few more times than I've heard on the other versions I've heard.
Boz chcnged guitars at least every song and on Pigsty I believe he changed guitars three times. There was the acoustic, then one I don't remember, and then at the end a white doubleneck for the crashing and banging "hendrix" section. Boz really was a star. The only longtime member at the show, and when Morrissey announced the band he started with Boz, and then after the applause died a little he repeated "and Mr Boz Boorer"..."and Mr Boz Boorer" 4 or 5 times. The rest, including Jesse got just one mention.
Before he played Pigsty he said "this one is called Get Off The Stage!" and the guy next to me, a long-time fan said "Wow!" but then they played Pigsty... ;D Morrissey's little joke on us.
He did "First of the Gang" which I had started to take for granted some time ago, but my mistake, because it was a great performance, and those words really came across. Pasadena is not Los Angeles, but many people probably came to the show from Los Angeles, and the opening lines got a huge response. you know the words so I won't write them out, but the lines about the stars in the reservoirs made a new kind of sense somehow. I really think it qualifies as one of the best things he's ever done.
I've written about the show on solo already
forums.morrissey-solo.com/showthread.php?t=68180 and posted these scans
forums.morrissey-solo.com/showthread.php?t=68246He played several ROTT songs, and all exceeded the songs on the record. For Far Away Places, he sang "If George Bush doesn't bomb you" rather than "the USA", maybe as a concession to the US fans? I mean, I haven't bombed anyone and I don't know what I can do to stop the Iraq thing since I don't believe they even count our votes, and they definitely have more guns than I do. People are waking up though, I feel. Anyway, that sound went over great, as did the singles from ROTT.
When he started into "The Youngest Was The Most Loved" I found myself shouting "YES!" as it's been a headphone favorite the past couple of weeks. He sang "and, thank God, he turned into a killer" leading me again to think that the song is about someone specific, but I don't know who.
I did shout quite a bit and the entire audience was singing along with much of the show. When he announced "This is an early one" I think we were all expecting Smiths, and the place went crazy again. He continued that it was from when "before some of you were born... and I was only this high myself" *hand at about hip level "It's from when KROQ used to actually play my music" The place erupted!! and he went into Everyday Is Like Sunday and it was great. I didn't think I wanted to hear that one, just because it's played every show I think, but it was great and everyone sang along.
Before I knew what was happening he was singing "David, the winds blow..." and wow! I could not believe I was going to hear that song. It sounded so good, too. At the end Boz did some guitar heroics, but it did not get the extended treatment it used to. Boz was determined though, and he took as much time as he could doing another "jimmy page/hendrix" outro, but everyone else was wrapping it up.
That was the only song they played form that period, I'm pretty sure. The interesting thing is that, that is my favorite period, but it didn't matter. Everything was great.
At nearly the end of the concert, a young man jumped onstage. It wasn't one of those moments where they walk past morrissey and hug him. this guy was running at him in an attempt to get to him before security grabbed him. Two security guys grabbed him though, and then somehow he got away and jumped off the stage into the crowd. Morrissey had sort of disappeared in the meantime, but he was lying on the stage! I don't know if he was trying to protect himself or what. Anyway, he got up, they stopped playing, and they left the stage! As they walked off, Boz was giving the crowd the "naughty, naughty" sign, wagging his finger at us and shaking his head, but with a big grin. When he got to where he was almost offstage he did an exaggerated "clapping" of his hands, and I took it to mean that if we applauded they would return, and we did, and they did.
I don't remember what was playing when the guy jumped up there, and I don't remember what the last song was, but I could probably think if it in time... Anyway, they did come right back and they played another song and then they left. Morrissey told us "Ciao!" but then Boz applauded us again. I thought they might come back, but the lights came up. It was about 11:00 when they left the stage and I think they came on around 9:00. I know that sounds too long though, they might have come on later.
While I would have loved to have them play another 2 or 3 hours, it was still a full show, and I left satisfied. Not "disappointed", another song they did. Morrissey accepted a letter from a fan and put it in his pocket. He shook hands, touched hands with quite a few people in the front, and the entire band seemed happy and glad to be there.
I may have more to say later, but that's it for right now. Hope you enjoyed it.
