Morrissey Newcastle 2004 & 2006, & Sunderland 2008
Although I saw The Smiths a few times in concert, I’ve only started going to see Morrissey solo since 2004, when he released the excellent “You Are the Quarry”, which is generally recognised as a return to form, and was his best selling solo album. Laura also started to take an interest in Morrissey and his music at that time. So we planned to go at see him at Newcastle City Hall on 7th September 2004. On the night Laura wasn’t too well, so David came along to the concert. This was my first time seeing Morrissey since I last saw The Smiths in the mid 80s, and to be honest I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The show was excellent, with Morrissey in a good mood, and the capacity crowd giving him a great reception. He played a selection of solo and Smiths songs, including several from “You Are the Quarry”. “First of the Gang to Die” is a favourite of mine. 
David, Laura and I then saw him again at Newcastle Arena on 4th December 2006. Morrissey and his band played well that night, but the cavernous Arena was far from full, and the atmosphere and sound quality were, as a result, not on par with the City Hall gig. We then saw him at a packed Sunderland Empire on 1st February 2008. We had seats in the upper circle and although we were looking directly down on the stage (almost on the top of Morrissey’s head !) we really enjoyed the concert. Since then Laura and I have seen him at his 50th birthday show at Manchester Apollo (which was simply amazing and one of the best gigs I have ever been to :)), at Middlesbrough Town Hall, at Manchester Arena and Glastonbury. I blogged about those gigs at the time, and will write about The Smiths when I (finally) reach the letter “S”. I’ve bought his autobiography for Laura for Christmas, and must get another copy so I can read it myself. 
Setlist Newcastle City Hall 2004: How Soon Is Now?; First Of The Gang To Die; Don’t Make Fun Of Daddy’s Voice; Shakespeare’s Sister; November Spawned A Monster; Munich Air Disaster 1958; Let Me Kiss You; Subway Train; Everyday Is Like Sunday; I Like You; Now My Heart Is Full; You Know I Couldn’t Last; How Can Anyone Possibly Know How I Feel?; Rubber Ring; I Have Forgiven Jesus; I Know It’s Gonna Happen Someday; Irish Blood, English Heart. Encore: There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.
Setlist Newcastle Arena 2006: Panic; First Of The Gang To Die; The Youngest Was The Most Loved; You Have Killed Me; Disappointed; Ganglord; William, It Was Really Nothing; Everyday Is Like Sunday; Dear God, Please Help Me; Let Me Kiss You; I’ve Changed My Plea To Guilty; In The Future When All’s Well; I Will See You In Far-off Places; Girlfriend In A Coma; Irish Blood, English Heart; Life Is A Pigsty; How Soon Is Now?; I Just Want To See The Boy Happy; The National Front Disco. Encore: Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want.
Setlist Sunderland Empire 2008: Stop me if you think you’ve heard this one before; First of the gang to die; I just want to see the boy happy; Thats how people grow up; Mama lay softly on the riverbed; Death of a disco dancer; Sister I’m a poet; All you need is me; I’m throwing my arms around Paris; The Loop; The world is full of Crashing Bores; How Soon is now?; Life is a Pigsty; Why don’t you find out for yourself?; Stretch out and wait; Tomorrow; Something is squeezing my skull; Irish Blood, English heart; Please, please, please let me get what I want. Encore: Last of the famous international playboys.
16 Dec
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