Favourite tour?

Gaetano

Half A Person
From every tour by The Smiths or Moz as a solo artist, which has been your favourite based on his overall performance style, average setlist, backdrop images, etc.?
 
Oye Esteban tour. No contract. Nothing to flog. No problem getting tickets. Good venues. Great gigs.

UK leg, for me. I’d seem him many times before , solo and in The Smiths.

I also enjoyed the Maladjusted tour too.

Both marked the end those gigs before the new crowd arrived. And when I say new crowd, I’ve nothing against younger fans. I’m talking about a small group who think that they ARE the fan base. We all know who they are.
 
I absolutely loved the Liverpool Empire 1991 gig (kill uncle tour) then his 50th Birthday one at Manchester Apollo (was that a tour not sure?) and also Halifax Victoria Theatre (Ringleader) sorry I can’t pick just one, all great for different reasons!

Liverpool was my first Moz gig, his birthday gig was extra special, and Halifax was quite an intimate venue. Sadly I was too young to see The Smiths.
 
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I have fond memories of the Ringleader tours back in 2006.

Varied setlists, varied venues and still a very positive feeling after the dark Maladjusted/unattached years. A very solid support act as well.
 
MIM tour.
Wolverhampton '88.
¡Oye Esteban! tour.
Special mention for atmosphere:
Both RAH gigs 2002.
Regards,
FWD.
 
Has to be Kill Uncle tour National Boxing Arena Dublin .... athmosphere before the gig both in queue and venue electric, great support _the Would Bes. Maybe not the best musicianship from the new band at the time but the hysteria for Moz throughout the whole gig , the the energy of the band , size of venue and complete chaos on the night contributed to a memory that will stay with me forever.....such a different audience now unfortunately....a great gig in the 3 Arena last week but no real connection from the crowd in the way it was then.....maybe just me but whilst I still think he puts on an amazing show....the impact the The Smiths/Moz made on to us as a minority of young adults looking for something different that we could connect with seems to be lost to a more casual "dont dare bump into me - and dont even think about moshing!!" crowd which ironically whilst selling a lot of tickets isnt the "gang" Morriissey originally started writing songs for.
 
1991, 1992, 1997, 1999/2000, 2004, 2007, 2011.

The best? I’ll go with 2007 because of the varied song selection and multiple opportunities to see him that year in the US. I think I got in 10+ that year.

1991 and 1992 were unique for obvious reasons - most of those songs don’t get played anymore and the overall atmosphere was intense.

1997 was a very different Morrissey, but totally amazing. All 55 minutes of the shows.

I feel as though every tour from 2012-Present has a hint of sameness to it. I’ve seen plenty of shows since that time (some great, some Morrissey-by-numbers) but, if asked, I would say 2012/2013 was about where the luster of the whole Morrissey concert experience started to dull a bit.

Interestingly, crowd size around this time seemed to increase.

Favorite show of all time? Two stand out: Hammerstein Ballroom NYC Oct 2007, the Sunday show where “Interesting Drug” was played, and Dunoon, Scotland 2011.
 
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Nothing beats Moz live in Solna in December 1997. So much snow it was tricky to get there in a loaned Volvo with only summer tyres on. Then he played with my Man United scarf onstage during Roy's Keen and many wore a shirt of their favourite english club as well.
I know two lads who were there who also went to the Battersea power station gig days after when he changed the lyrics for "Now my heart is full" to "every Stretford Ender poet" instead of Stressford to pay homage to the hardcore Man United fans who used to stand in the Stretford End during games.
I was front row and held the scarf aloft as he entered and he bowed for it towards me and a swedish journo mentioned that and the scarf playing in his review for a very big newspaper here.
That is a memory from one gig at that tour and having been to a few others as well two nights in a row in Karlstad in 2006 wasn't bad at all and was recorded and aired on radio here.
I am also pleased I went to 4-5 nights at Wembley Arena in the fall of 1995 when a certain Bowie bullied him off the tour when Moz was supporting him. What made him better in the past was that he was alone against everyone whereas now he feels very much part of the establishment and his music has lost everything that made him stand out.
People prefer technically better singing and music but I prefer an artist with a soul who sings every word cause he lived it or saw it through someone else. I live off the past not through it and it is great energy to draw from sometimes.
 
Nothing beats Moz live in Solna in December 1997. So much snow it was tricky to get there in a loaned Volvo with only summer tyres on. Then he played with my Man United scarf onstage during Roy's Keen and many wore a shirt of their favourite english club as well.
I know two lads who were there who also went to the Battersea power station gig days after when he changed the lyrics for "Now my heart is full" to "every Stretford Ender poet" instead of Stressford to pay homage to the hardcore Man United fans who used to stand in the Stretford End during games.
I was front row and held the scarf aloft as he entered and he bowed for it towards me and a swedish journo mentioned that and the scarf playing in his review for a very big newspaper here.
That is a memory from one gig at that tour and having been to a few others as well two nights in a row in Karlstad in 2006 wasn't bad at all and was recorded and aired on radio here.
I am also pleased I went to 4-5 nights at Wembley Arena in the fall of 1995 when a certain Bowie bullied him off the tour when Moz was supporting him. What made him better in the past was that he was alone against everyone whereas now he feels very much part of the establishment and his music has lost everything that made him stand out.
People prefer technically better singing and music but I prefer an artist with a soul who sings every word cause he lived it or saw it through someone else. I live off the past not through it and it is great energy to draw from sometimes.

Really not sure about that.
 
I'm just happy anytime Morrissey is standing in front of me singing, but my favourite shows would have to be Charlotte, NC in 1992 and Myrtle Beach, SC in July 2007. Both very magical shows...
 
I have been a fan a long time, but didn’t see him until 2004. Of the subsequent tours, for me, I enjoyed the 2006/2007 ROTT tour most of all; his health was generally good and things were mostly drama-free. Great setlists too. I also enjoyed 2011/2012, especially his b-day show in San Diego. Terrible venue and sound but Moz was so cute and I’ll never forget hearing him sing a few lines of It’s My Party to open the night.
 
Really not sure about that.
I see how many are desperate to keep his act going and they are mostly made up of newcomers and those hellbent on making it look like he is better now and means even more than in the past. I talk about the whole picture and then it's not even a contest between then and now.
It ends up being this endless debate between his old fans and his new fans. Why some are now hating him is because they spent centuries believing the man was a socialist like themselves when in truth he never ever was in any way, shape or form.
If he ever became a political party it would probably have the rainbow flag as a symbol cause politically no one has any idea where he stands except that it cannot be included in the political options we have now and have had for ages.
He's politically more daring now but his expression as an artist is that of a blank canvas these days. He's as loyal as any working girl out there.
 
Since the OP asked about tours rather than specific shows, Oye Esteban is easily his best as far as song choice goes. I think for energy, sheer madness and peak Moz-mania (particularly in America) you can’t go past the ‘91 Kill Uncle and ‘92 Your Arsenal tours.

Sadly never saw the Smiffs live and while the crowds for TQID tours look pretty wild for me it is the Meat Is Murder shows that look the best. That was easily the most ‘muscular’ Smiths album, kinda like Your Arsenal in that regard which I think lent itself to a great concert experience. The band who had been pretty much nonstop touring for 3 years sound beyond tight. What I’d give to get a copy of that complete Barrowlands show. I’ve got VHS of both the Spanish shows from around that time and they are easily my favourite live footage of the band. I love, love, love watching those 2 concerts. Peak Smiffs!!!!!
 
Since the OP asked about tours rather than specific shows, Oye Esteban is easily his best as far as song choice goes. I think for energy, sheer madness and peak Moz-mania (particularly in America) you can’t go past the ‘91 Kill Uncle and ‘92 Your Arsenal tours.

Sadly never saw the Smiffs live and while the crowds for TQID tours look pretty wild for me it is the Meat Is Murder shows that look the best. That was easily the most ‘muscular’ Smiths album, kinda like Your Arsenal in that regard which I think lent itself to a great concert experience. The band who had been pretty much nonstop touring for 3 years sound beyond tight. What I’d give to get a copy of that complete Barrowlands show. I’ve got VHS of both the Spanish shows from around that time and they are easily my favourite live footage of the band. I love, love, love watching those 2 concerts. Peak Smiffs!!!!!
We never stick to the topic on here as you might have noticed. This might be about the tour but I am definitely the biggest bore as Moz repeated my name live when asking the crowd to name some.
 
Ask the famous Tour Girls!

A tour in general is hard to comment on but a few gigs on a tour makes more sense.
 
Since the OP asked about tours rather than specific shows, Oye Esteban is easily his best as far as song choice goes. I think for energy, sheer madness and peak Moz-mania (particularly in America) you can’t go past the ‘91 Kill Uncle and ‘92 Your Arsenal tours.

Sadly never saw the Smiffs live and while the crowds for TQID tours look pretty wild for me it is the Meat Is Murder shows that look the best. That was easily the most ‘muscular’ Smiths album, kinda like Your Arsenal in that regard which I think lent itself to a great concert experience. The band who had been pretty much nonstop touring for 3 years sound beyond tight. What I’d give to get a copy of that complete Barrowlands show. I’ve got VHS of both the Spanish shows from around that time and they are easily my favourite live footage of the band. I love, love, love watching those 2 concerts. Peak Smiffs!!!!!
Do you mean the full 25th September 1985 Barrowlands gig (as opposed to the bits of radio broadcast)?
If so, I will drop the full gig in the bootleg section.
Regards,
FWD.
 
I see how many are desperate to keep his act going and they are mostly made up of newcomers and those hellbent on making it look like he is better now and means even more than in the past. I talk about the whole picture and then it's not even a contest between then and now.
It ends up being this endless debate between his old fans and his new fans. Why some are now hating him is because they spent centuries believing the man was a socialist like themselves when in truth he never ever was in any way, shape or form.
If he ever became a political party it would probably have the rainbow flag as a symbol cause politically no one has any idea where he stands except that it cannot be included in the political options we have now and have had for ages.
He's politically more daring now but his expression as an artist is that of a blank canvas these days. He's as loyal as any working girl out there.

You said that he is now, "part of the establishment" though. I really don't think that's the right phrasing. I agree that he was never really affiliated to any political cause (even Red Wedge and he was on that tour).

And let's not forget that when he did the Maladjusted tour his career was really sinking into the depths. I can only speak for the UK, but I can say for certain that he was considered to be utterly irrelevant at that time. That album and its predecessor nearly killed his career stone dead and it was little wonder that it took him 7 years to release another album.

You may think that he means nothing now, but he meant nothing then and he was only 38 years old. His career certainly isn't in perfect shape, but he is doing better than anyone could have imagined 20 years ago.
 
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