Live: Morrissey

Brixton Academy, London

FOR a man who's spent nearly 30 years being portrayed as a right misery, former Smiths legend Morrissey usually makes sure his concerts are cheery.

He certainly believes in giving fans what they want, starting the show with his old band's classic hit This Charming Man.

Most of Moz's backing band have played with him for longer than The Smiths were together, and they do a fine job of replicating the strangeness that made them one of the most influential bands of all time.

Four more Smiths songs are dotted around the show, all played equally well bar a wretched Girlfriend In A Coma, where axe man Jesse Tobias batters the beauty out of the song until it's more like Guitarist In A Car Crash.

Morrissey had to cancel his tour two months ago with a chest infection. He shows no signs of ill health as he waltzes about the stage, though he has to replace his pale blue shirt after an hour as it becomes see-through with sweat.

Spoiled

He's also still great at offering pithy soundbites between songs, mithering that the Royal Family costs taxpayers money "whether you want them or not. . . I believe that's called Communism."

Well, what else is to be expected from a man most famous for an album called The Queen Is Dead?

Everything is set for Morrissey to be at his best, then. However, he falls down by neglecting his old solo hits. His recent album Years Of Refusal is as romantic and dramatic as his best work.

It's spoiled by force-feeding it to the crowd, who slowly become disgruntled that its weaker songs are played instead of the bedsit brilliance of, say, Every Day Is Like Sunday. There's nothing from the first decade of his solo work at all.

He redeems himself with a mighty version of First Of The Gang To Die in the encore, throwing his replacement shirt into the crowd to reveal a torso only slightly bulkier than his heyday.

In matching white shirts and bow ties, Morrissey's backing band are dressed like waiters.

But his choice of songs should be sent back to the chef for another attempt.

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