Full disclosure right up front: granted with only a photo pass and not a review ticket, I saw Morrissey perform exactly three songs between 9:01 PM and 9:14 PM Saturday night at Austin Music Hall. And even though during that time I was worrying about photographing the show, the brief time still offered plenty of evidence of Morrissey’s excellent skills as a performer. The former Smiths frontman paced the stage restlessly, whipping the cord of the microphone, leaning and reaching out into the front row of fans, and gesticulating with dramatic flair. Morrissey possesses enormous intensity live, and his fans responded by singing along dutifully with every word. The posting of the setlist following the show, which featured notable Smiths songs such as “Asleep” and “Hand in Glove” as well as an outstanding selection of solo tunes new and old certainly made me regretful of missing the remainder of the show. Those who were lucky enough to be at the event experienced an outstanding performance from one of music’s most iconic figures.
See photos of the show below. All images © Bryan Parker & Pop Press International; all rights reserved. Click any image to open in slideshow viewer.
