'oh yeah that's what I meant to do' ... the exact thought as I made my
way down into the (basically) huge (HUGE!) auditorium of seats that
is Radio city music hall and stopped at my row. in that precise second
I remembered that I wasn't 18 rows from the stage ... I was actually
double that as the seats went rows AA-ZZ and then A-Z. I was row m.
when I booked the ticket in June I knew this and was going to try and
get a seat closer. but then as the months went by I forgot all about the
seating and by August was picturing 18 rows in front of me and thinking
'not to bad ... no need to be geting another ticket' - oblivious to what I
had thought back in June.
so I'm at radio city music hall. gotta admit I ran the last block. just wanted
to get there. to be there inside, know it was taking place. I only stopped to
get a compliment about my 'Kill Uncle t shirt off some woman on the way
to the gig with her family, saying she had that t shirt in the car and nearly
wore it. I told her about the great new songs 'art hounds/the kids a looker
and to listen out for them!
then I was there, saw the below ... bustling people everywhere ... and was
happy.
radio city music hall in lights. morrissey sold out. yellow cabs. am I dreaming?
no dude. you really are in new york to see morrissey.
I was soon inside, marvelling at the layout and design of the foyer (wow)
surrounded by Morrissey fans. I was amongst New York Morrissey fans.
the one thing I had always wanted to see. just to see american fans of this
very british singer ... to see his gigs from a different viewpoint. and after
wishing for it for so long. I was there.
was that really Jonathan, the lead singer of THE DRUMS who has just
passed me by??!! - (yes it was, I have since seen a picture of him at
the gig) ... I was pretty sure it was him (I knew he liked Morrissey)
I was more concerned with the fact that in that split second I could
not remember his name at all ... my mind just went completely blank.
hence why I didn't say anything. 'hey lead singer of the Drums' is not
really the thing to say. damn ... what a time to forget someone's name.
I really like them. I love 'I felt stupid.
rows and rows of seats in front of me. hmm.
plus side. how grand does it all look.
I was so relieved when Morrissey and the band walked out onstage.
he was there, I was there, everything was okay! - haha worry much?!
tell me this start *didn't* floor you?? - GO ON TELL ME IT DIDN'T.
the start. I was utterly shocked LAST NIGHT started the gig. I love this
video I found on youtube as it reminds me of the moment when in that
huge cavenous dark room, the opening bars of LAST NIGHT came out
of nowhere (and in the midst of that music) and just got you right there
completely off-guard. surreal and just just perfect. I loved getting this
hit of emotion as a gig opener when normally it is something upbeat
... and in these surroundings it was just so damn perfect.
so I'm on the seat next to the aisle. during the first few songs I'm straining
my neck trying to see what is happening down the front. are they letting
people go down to the front? are people hopping over the first 3 rows to
stand at the front like we did at The Palladium (from what I can see this
is definitely not happening) I decide to go and see if you can go down to
the front. you can't, there's a girl guarding the rope like her life depends
on it.
but as I arrive there I see that there is a seat at the very end of the aisle
on the left with no-one sitting in it. I mean what would you do?! so I did!
I went and stood in it! - it is a good position because I am just a few rows
away from the girl who is militantly guarding the roped off front section.
you are not getting past there without a ticket for that section. there is
going to be no storming the front of the stage. there was 1 chance for me
to get into that section, when she showed someone to their row. perfect
chance for me to sneak by and take up a seat on the aisle that was empty
and then just saunter on down to the front. exept she never had to show
anyone else to their seat so I never got another chance ... and then some
poodle haired guy came back (yeah whose seat I was in) said something
sarcastic like 'didn't want to pay for a ticket? ... I wanted to say stuff like
I'd come from the uk and just was there cause no-one else was and just
wanted to get a better view. but no words came out and I just couldn't be
bothered explaining myself and just went back (pretty embarassingly)
to my seat. well I'd had a better view for a few songs. got some photos.
and realised that it didn't really matter. people wern't really going crazy
in the front rows - so a seat's a seat regardless where it was. and anyway
by then I didn't mind. I just resided myself to enjoying it where I was.
the set list is pretty much the same as the manchester gig (but in a
different order) with a few exceptions (how soon is now is out ... oh
how I'd loved it to have stayed - and so is Please please - but look at
the new additions) 'Spring-Heeled Jim!! - never expected to hear that
one. even better was 'Shoplifters of the world unite!!! ... the moment
when that started up!!! ... have to check my gig history but pretty
sure I've not heard it before.
the mozzy one.
yes, but I'm still asking WHO IS MORRISSEYSWORLD????
funny thing when EVERYDAY IS LIKE SUNDAY started and I was like
'now you start affecting me!!!' - when I'm trapped in a seat all those rows
away. but in a way I think that worked to it's advantage. normally I'm
tightly packed in the crowd and my main concern is 'it's a bit too slow.
but now unable to react and jostle however I liked, I was left with just
being in this vast room and with this song playing out ... the elegiac feel
of this song reaching over all those rows and finding you ... affecting you.
and in these surroundings it seemed even more sadder, forelorn (and
grander) than ever.
my favourite song (like Manchester) was LET ME KISS YOU ... (oh
to have been as close as the person who filmed the below) but don't be
worrying 'bout me. I was perfectly happy where I was. entranced and
intertwined with this song. yes even doing some little hand movements
(in a 'kept under control/british reserve kind of way though!!)
STILL ILL gets the best reception of the gig - it is like the whole place
just woke up. I see people getting onto the stage (one of whom is lil moz
fan Kyle!!)
overall feeling about the gig. prestigious venue. but the crowd wern't
that wild. a combination of people venturing out to see 'ex Smiths man
Morrissey (like the woman next to me who sat back down for quite a
few songs) and people, like the cool fans I took pictures of (who would
have livened the place up no end if there had been a standing area)
scattered in seats all over the venue.
overheard on the way out: someone saying they'd hoped for more than
four 'Smiths song and someone else saying how short the gig was. well
'Smiths songs normally average 4-6 and the gig didn't strike me as being
particularly short.
for me I really liked that it wasn't about how close you were to the stage.
what the night showed me was it was just about the music reaching you.
... by the end of the gig I didn't even care that was I was all those rows
back. I will never worry now if it's a seated gig and I can't get a seat near
the front!
I left the gig very happy. I'd seen my first Morrissey gig in New York.
but now I was impatient for the terminal 5 gig ... I couldn't wait for
friday to see it all again, but to be a part of it and not stuck in a seat.
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
You Have Killed Me
The Youngest Was The Most Loved
You're The One For Me, Fatty
I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris
Shoplifters Of The World Unite
Everyday Is Like Sunday
Ouija Board, Ouija Board
Black Cloud
Spring-Heeled Jim
People Are The Same Everywhere
Meat Is Murder
To Give (The Reason I Live)
Let Me Kiss You
Speedway
I Know It's Over
One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell
I'm OK By Myself
----
Still Ill
end notes.
again I ask where is ART HOUNDS???? (+ the kids' a looker??)
not even 'Scandinavia was played (which I like but nothing like
the above 2) after not hearing these 2 in manchester I was sure
they'd be back in the set list. I am getting a bit worried ... these
amazing new songs should be in the set list every night ... but I
guess I would have hated hearing them and been stuck in a seat.
they'll be perfect at terminal 5.
thank you to all the american fans who spoke to me and were so
friendly. you made an english fan very happy.
cool new york morrissey fans
