Morrissey

Review of his gig in the Olympia, Dublin, 2 Dec. '99

It could be said that the boys from Sack, in support tonight, had a very easy job, playing a homecoming gig to a more than receptive audience. Rumour has it that their imminent tour of America with Morrissey is sans payment, and even if they can't quite shake the Irish band sound, they were a competent support act.

It's eight years since I first saw Morrissey live and still I was as anticipatory as the uninitiated in attendance. The crowd began to chant his name "Ole, Ole" style and it wasn't long before Mr. Moz made his entrance with "You're Gonna Need Someone On Your Side" to a rapturous audience gaining him a standing ovation after song one, before going into "Boy Racer".

Sporting the obligatory quiff, he seemed in good form, flirting and bantering with the crowd and throwing out tongue-in-cheek Dublinisms. He responded to the "Ole, Ole" chant with "Dolphin's Barn, Dolphin's Barn", referred to the crowd as "bowsies". Best of all donned the Ireland football team's away top for "Roy's Keen" (despite his past protestations that the song is not a tribute to the best midfielder in the Premiership.)

The set included a brilliant version of "November Spawned a Monster", even if it was without the extraordinary vocals of Mary Margaret O'Hara. Any Smiths songs were always going to be crowd-pleasers with "Is it Really So Strange?", and "Hairdresser on Fire" performed back-to-back. The highlights of the night were the wonderful "Now My Heart is Full" and one of my favourite Smiths' songs "Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me", the latter being the one and only encore despite the devoted crowd who could have listened to Mr. Morrissey all night.

Still cool after all these years...

Sinead Gleeson