It felt like I was walking into a school dance on Friday past when I arrived at the venue for the Omagh date on Morrissey's Tour of Refusal. Basketball nets at both sides of the hall and a stage that looked slightly out of place in such a building.
We had arrived fairly early so the decision was made that we'd make our way to the bar. Great idea, if there had been one. Instead, we were greeted with a swimming pool that was still in use and a table serving crisps, chocolate and soft drinks.
Things got worse when the support band took to the make-shift stage. Doll and the Kicks, I read somewhere, are a mix up of Blondie and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. To me, the lead singer looked and behaved more like the lead singer of the Ting Tings on speed. It seemed to me that Doll and the Kicks seemed like two different bands. Guitar player and singer were in one band and the rhythm section were in the other. The latter being a much better, more solid and knowing group. The divide was obvious visually and sonically. Perfect support act for when there is a bar open.
However, it wasn't long before Moz took to the stage. It also was very easy to get up close to the man himself. Starting off with 'This Charming Man' I was greeted with the final musical negative of the evening. The melody of the opening song was nothing like the genius that Johnny Marr had laid down on record. Morrissey's current line up were bashing it out at a quality worse than any local pub band. In saying this, Morrissey seemed on top form and his vocal ability hasn't left him after all these years.
The band had redeemed themselves by the time 'How Soon Is Now?' came along. Quickly followed by 'How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel?' 'Irish Blood, English Heart', 'Girlfriend In A Coma', it became apparent that we were all in for a treat. You suddenly forgot you were in a leisure centre as the place began to heat up and Morrissey had the whole audience captivated. Morrissey was quick to remind us of the unusual setting for this gig - 'I believe there is no alcohol in the house.. I will be back tomorrow for a game of five-a-side with my shin pads on.'
You couldn't care less that the scent of beer that usually hangs around a music venue was replaced by the smell of chlorine by the time Morrissey had got to 'Some Girls Are Bigger than Others' and the new single 'Something Is Squeezing My Skull' before which he said 'if you have been in any record stores lately you won't have noticed we have a new single.' A swipe at HMV stores who allegedly wouldn't stock the single.
Finishing up with 'Ask', 'I'm Ok By Myself' and an encore of 'First of the Gang To Die' Morrissey proved he is still an extremely relevant performer who hasn't run out of steam. The next day I walked into HMV to discover 'Something Is Squeezing My Skull' in stock. Maybe it was something he said...
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