"Why does Morrissey love performing in small venues in provincial towns?" - The List magazine

The List magazine in Scotland has published an article discussing why Morrissey has chosen to play small, provincial venues on this tour.

Why does Morrissey love performing in small venues in provincial towns? - by Kirstyn Smith, The List

Why his 2011 UK tour of Hawick and Dunoon is in everyone’s best interests

A snapshot of any Morrissey gig at any given venue at any point in his career paints the same (vulgar?) picture. From the bequiffed to the balding, via gladioli and vegetarianism, a congregation of grasping hands reach and strain towards the stage where the Pope of Mope stands at his electronic pulpit offering up something unseen, be it confirmation or salvation - or simply a reason for his followers to keep the faith.
 
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simply

to get in shape for the big venues though [as I wrote again] hope it's not gonna be a long tour
and hope he's gonna record his hopefully next studio-album

or is the album roughly ready, just few weeks recording and change /add the last changes
on his songs

:confused:
 
Re: Article: "Why does Morrissey love performing in small venues in provincial towns?

"The audience doesn't realize this but, I, in effect, come to see them, and my temperament depends on how they react and even how they look. I sing directly at the audience, and I look right into the audience - few singers do, I've noticed. I am addressing them with each line, and they react - one way or another - as if we are in conversation. Often, because of the light, I can't see people - this is usually at festivals or outdoor amphitheaters and is nobody's fault, but I tend to lose the thread when I'm singing to blackness. Also, if the security at the front are too stroppy and too controlling my anger rises. The shape of the hall, and how the audience are positioned - whether free to move, or shackled to their seats, or being slapped back by security, are all elements that can make or break a night. I'm just there-somewhere-in the gaps."
tty q+a

since there are so remote places, he makes sure its more a place for the fans than for some random london celeb

so i would say he always prefer smaller venues to big halls. to be able to see and reach the audience.so its not just "to get in shape for the big venues"
 
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Re: Article: "Why does Morrissey love performing in small venues in provincial towns?

"The audience doesn't realize this but, I, in effect, come to see them, and my temperament depends on how they react and even how they look. I sing directly at the audience, and I look right into the audience - few singers do, I've noticed. I am addressing them with each line, and they react - one way or another - as if we are in conversation. Often, because of the light, I can't see people - this is usually at festivals or outdoor amphitheaters and is nobody's fault, but I tend to lose the thread when I'm singing to blackness. Also, if the security at the front are too stroppy and too controlling my anger rises. The shape of the hall, and how the audience are positioned - whether free to move, or shackled to their seats, or being slapped back by security, are all elements that can make or break a night. I'm just there-somewhere-in the gaps."
tty q+a

since there are so remote places, he makes sure its more a place for the fans than for some random london celeb

so i would say he always prefer smaller venues to big halls. to be able to see and reach the audience.so its not just "to get in shape for the big venues"

"Welcome to my livingroom", were the first words from Morrissey at the first of 10 Hollywood Palladium shows in 08...Morrissey loves the audiance, thanks us all and a most accomodating and polite entertainer...simply "Thank you"
 
Stroppy UNITE!!!! :o :p
 
I make a point of going to see him in smaller venues in out of the way towns. They feel so much more intimate than the shows in larger towns.
The 2007 Myrtle Beach show at the House of Blues was a perfect example...I drove from Pittsburgh and it was an absolutely brilliant show! Same with Akron, Oh in 2000 (on Valentine's Day).
I don't think I'll ever travel to a big city to see Moz again, there is something special about these adventures in small towns. :love:
 
At £39 a ticket he's hardly pandering towards hard hit northerners.
 
£39 is virtually free compared to most acts of Morrisseys standing. "hard up Northerners" is a particularly poor stereotype anyway, so I'm surprised I even bothered typing.
 
At £39 a ticket he's hardly pandering towards hard hit northerners.

£39 is virtually free compared to most acts of Morrisseys standing. "hard up Northerners" is a particularly poor stereotype anyway, so I'm surprised I even bothered typing.

eh most of the dates are in scotland - we are not northeners
 
Lazy assed puff piece.
"Pope of Mope", blah blah blah.

Maybe Mozza plays intimate shows when he can because stadiums are
wretched and impersonal for artist and audience alike.

I saw Devo last night in a pretty large room, with all of us crammed together like cattle awaiting the slaughter. From my vantage point at the very back of the room, they were pinpoints in my field of vision. 100 dollars for two tickets, flushed away. I much prefer shows of 1500 or less, where you can experience the music in a visceral, immediate sort of way.

Best Morrissey show I ever saw was a reschedule, where it was to be all ages, and ended up moved into a 21+ venue. They smashed hundreds and hundreds of minors into the balcony, and let about 350 of us grown-ups run the floor. The closest thing to a Morrissey house party I've ever experienced.
 
i have very fond memories of morrissey playing in my local area in motherwell town hall,
although it was more years ago than i care to remember it still means a lot to me that someone who has played such an important part in my life made the effort to come and see us,
 
Re: Article: "Why does Morrissey love performing in small venues in provincial towns?

eh most of the dates are in scotland - we are not northeners

There's only one more date in scotland than england, the person was not talking about everyone just all apparently hard hit northern people who want a ticket.
 
Because every other f***er does the sheds.

I quite like the fact that I have tickets for some place off the coast of Scotland (is it?) that this time two weeks ago I didn't know I'd be come June. How nice?

Stephen
 
Re: Article: "Why does Morrissey love performing in small venues in provincial towns?

Lazy assed puff piece.
"Pope of Mope", blah blah blah.

Maybe Mozza plays intimate shows when he can because stadiums are
wretched and impersonal for artist and audience alike.

I saw Devo last night in a pretty large room, with all of us crammed together like cattle awaiting the slaughter. From my vantage point at the very back of the room, they were pinpoints in my field of vision. 100 dollars for two tickets, flushed away. I much prefer shows of 1500 or less, where you can experience the music in a visceral, immediate sort of way.

Best Morrissey show I ever saw was a reschedule, where it was to be all ages, and ended up moved into a 21+ venue. They smashed hundreds and hundreds of minors into the balcony, and let about 350 of us grown-ups run the floor. The closest thing to a Morrissey house party I've ever experienced.

This was far from a puff piece. Yeah, maybe some well worn euphemisms were rolled out but they're well worn for a reason. But don't let me stop you, please enlighten us with more of your anecdotes which are more important.
 
Re: Article: "Why does Morrissey love performing in small venues in provincial towns?

Lazy assed puff piece.
"Pope of Mope", blah blah blah.

Maybe Mozza plays intimate shows when he can because stadiums are
wretched and impersonal for artist and audience alike.

I saw Devo last night in a pretty large room, with all of us crammed together like cattle awaiting the slaughter. From my vantage point at the very back of the room, they were pinpoints in my field of vision. 100 dollars for two tickets, flushed away. I much prefer shows of 1500 or less, where you can experience the music in a visceral, immediate sort of way.

Best Morrissey show I ever saw was a reschedule, where it was to be all ages, and ended up moved into a 21+ venue. They smashed hundreds and hundreds of minors into the balcony, and let about 350 of us grown-ups run the floor. The closest thing to a Morrissey house party I've ever experienced.

He will play FESTIVALS after this mini tour. How "small" do you think these are?

Besides Morrissey has some the saddest and poorest audience interactions I ever experienced. He mainly sings to the cameras and the handshake, well yes, the ego trippers, cool, we know them too well, don't we. Like the fat American said, a need to show off to be the BIGGEST (in size, haha) Morrissey fan. So add piss poor togetherness amongst front row audience ego trippers and the rest of the audience. At least he'll now only give his concerts for his gay masons and didn't advertise much to the general audience who'd only waste their money. So the honesty finally has to be applauded. "Minors"?
 
Re: Article: "Why does Morrissey love performing in small venues in provincial towns?

He will play FESTIVALS after this mini tour. How "small" do you think these are?

Besides Morrissey has some the saddest and poorest audience interactions I ever experienced. He mainly sings to the cameras and the handshake, well yes, the ego trippers, cool, we know them too well, don't we. Like the fat American said, a need to show off to be the BIGGEST (in size, haha) Morrissey fan. So add piss poor togetherness amongst front row audience ego trippers and the rest of the audience. At least he'll now only give his concerts for his gay masons and didn't advertise much to the general audience who'd only waste their money. So the honesty finally has to be applauded. "Minors"?

I totally agree. The last few times I've seen him live, he only seems to be interested in the same ego trippers in the front row every night. The same ego trippers who will gladly start a fight if you even dare try to get to "their" front row - in your home town. It's probably only a matter of time until he's playing invitation only gigs for his snivelling sycophants, and by then his "living room" probably will be big enough.

Come on Morrissey, there are more than the same 20 or so people how adore you.
 
I read this story with some amusement. The tour Morrissey is conducting in Scotland is by no means unique, as I happen to know from a friend who works for a major gigs booking agency. There is a set circuit of venues in Scotland, particularly the Highlands, including Dunoon, Hawick and Inverness, which has been established over the past couple of years and which Morrissey's agent has merely slotted him into. If you actually google some of the venues you will see that the likes of Dunoon and Hawick have already seen bands like Glasvegas play this year. So it is wrong to think Morrissey himself has stuck his pin at random in the map of Scotland or is personally making a grand statement about the Scottish provinces. This is a well-trodden path used by other artists, though it is obviously great news for us that Morrissey's manager has persuaded him to take this on.
 
Re: Article: "Why does Morrissey love performing in small venues in provincial towns?

There is a set circuit of venues in Scotland, particularly the Highlands, including Dunoon, Hawick and Inverness, which has been established over the past couple of years

As a local and seasoned gig-goer, I wasn't aware that there was such a regular "circuit". Morrissey's provincial gigs are very much the exception rather than the rule. Most bands do Glasgow (loads of gigs on any given week), maybe Edinburgh and occasionally Aberdeen/Dundee but there are slim pickings elsewhere. I'm aware of more prominence for Inverness gigs in recent times but beyond Moz, Glasvegas and maybe The Delgados there's hee-haw happening. Fife might as well be in Norway for all the support it gets from promoters. I have to travel to the west coast for most gigs because big gigs in Fife are few and far between here. Fair play to Morrissey for playing in Fife. (I did go to the Glasvegas gig in Dunfermline and I thought they were awful).
 

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