Former Smiths frontman Morrissey just announced a spring/summer tour and the string of dates will include a stop at Artpark in Lewiston on Monday, June 16th. If you follow him at all, you know he is notorious for canceling shows due to various ailments, moods, and such, so lets hope this date stays intact. No further on-sale date and price info is currently known, so keep an eye out.
I've had a difficult time trying to do a proper Morrissey review. The man always delivers, always sets the audience on fire, and always play's tracks that so lovingly and affectionately pull at my heart strings. I knew I was going to have a great time and I did. So I guess the thing here is to be objective and tell you what actually happened Friday night.
We arrived to a packed audience somewhere around 7pm. Struggling to find a good place to stand, we finally planted ourselves firmly against the bar and used a proper "lean" technique to gain as much visibility as possible.
First up was Kristeen Young, a vibrant musician who I think we'll be hearing more about in the near future. I continue to describe her sound as operatic, dissonant pop music, as that's really the only descriptor I can think of that captures what she does. Unfortunately, it is still weak. Simply put, she is an artist, and an original one at that. Her live performance was compelling for a number of reasons. She played a completely solo set, devoid of the trappings of band mates which in most cases would be a detriment. In her case, it worked in spades. She was the focus and her primal energy seemed to surge throughout the building. Judging by the crowd reaction, I'd say the reviews were mixed, but aren't they always when your faced with something bold and new?
Morrissey. There is nothing elaborate about his stage show. However, his mere presence is enough to captivate audiences for hours. Is it the rush of the sweeping chorus in "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris?" Perhaps the chainsaw gutting through the bridge in "Speedway" (a song I did not expect to be played and which I was overjoyed to hear)? The fascination with his ultra-pro-animals view (During "Meat is Murder" graphic films depicted the slaughtering of animals)? It's all of those things and more. I think Morrissey has become more than his music, his image, and even his own icon. He exists in a world where he is THE sole artist. The person you're not afraid to stand behind or even worship. He is the man. Plus I will dare anyone to argue that "Everyday is like Sunday" is NOT one of the greatest pop songs ever written.
Of course he encored with "How Soon is Now". It was the Smiths biggest song (and I still say one of their best despite what you B-siders think). There's a million more things I could say about a Morrissey show but I won't. It's one of those things you just have to experience. All in all a splendid night.
(Photo credit goes to allyouneedismorrissey.com. My stupid camera died)
Morrissey needs no introduction. He is a cult icon in our little musical world; a poet, artist and visionary wrapped all in one. He is indie's darling, a spit on mainstream's collective shoe, and arguably the greatest pop artist to ever live.
I guess that is an introduction.
It's no surprise that Morrissey's show tonight at Rapids Theatre sold out almost immediately. He'll sell out whatever venue is put in front of him. Many will go solely on the basis of hearing one or two Smiths songs, others will celebrate his whole body of work, while other's will go just to catch a glimpse of the man...and possibly touch him, as crazy Morrissey fans are wont to do.
Opening the show is one of the more intriguing artists to come out recently. Kristeen Young's sound is hard to describe. Influenced by electronic soundscapes, pop music, and soaring-Bjork influenced melodic lines (operatic at times), Kristeen is an original, and in this day and age that counts for something.
Hopefully you got your tickets already. If not, you missed the boat. Sucks to be you.
Like many people, I initially joined Twitter to hear the ramblings of various celebrities. Following musicians, in particular, can be all sorts of fun. Sometimes, their Twitter personas match up perfectly to their music (like Alison Sudol from A Fine Frenzy, who often Tweets about her love of nature and books), while others can reveal a whole new side of someone's personality (like Neko Case, who is a lot funnier that I might have guessed). Unfortunately, there's a lot of hilarious songwriters and musicians who have yet to join the revolution. Hopefully this list will prod them into signing up.
Paul Westerberg
The former Replacements frontman just seems like he'd be delightfully snarky in sarcastic. back in 2004, he did a session for AOL in which he was asked he preferred Goodfellas or Raging Bull, and promptly replied "both pieces of crap." Surely, his snarky take on people like Honey Boo Boo and Snooki would be worth hearing.
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Robert Pollard
Pollard has always been one of the funniest people in rock, with his drunken comments on stage frequently being one of the most entertaining parts of his concerts. Eventually he realized this, he releasing a "standup" album called Relaxation Of The Asshole. While it didn't quite reach the level of Carlin and Pryor, it was certainly...interesting. Getting 140 characters of drunken ramblings from pollard would certainly be worthwhile.
Neil Peart
To this day, the only person to use the word "unobtrusive" in a song (that I know of, anyway), Neil would be an amazing tweeter for the epic libertarian diatribes he would go on. There's no way he wouldn't end up using Twit Longer half the time, because his insane genius simply cannot be contained in 140 characters. Maybe he could finally tell us what "By-tor And The Snow Dog" is about.
Morrissey
Like I have to explain this one.
Lauryn Hill
If she's not going to go into the studio anytime soon, I'd at least like to see something from one of the great tortured geniuses of the 90s. Surely she's have something interesting to say about the presidential election, or maybe about reality TV. She could pretty much talk about anything and be up to a million followers in about a day. The public is just so starved for anything of interest from her.
Bob Dylan’s new album Tempest comes out Tuesday, and while I haven’t had a chance to hear it yet, the early buzz has certainly been positive. Rolling Stone gave it five stars, and the consensus seems to be that Dylan has came out with yet another late period gem. Of course, Dylan’s continued excellence isn’t much of s surprise at this point, but it is pretty astonishing when you consider that he’s 71 years old, and a full 50 years removed from his self-titled debut. Dylan’s ability to remain relevant at this age is pretty amazing. He’s music’s quintessential Cool Old Dude.
It’s hard to say exactly when the Cool Old Dude phenomenon began, but my best guess would be right around 1994, when Johnny Cash released the first American Recordings album. It was a brash, bold reminder that his music still mattered. The image that came along with it, of a 61-year-old Cash flashing the middle finger amplified the statement considerably. Cash continued putting out strong albums until his death in 2003, and remains a posthumous Cool Old Dude to this day.
While Dylan and Cash might be the most obvious examples of this concept, they certainly aren’t alone. Bruce Springsteen’s late-period work has been incredibly strong, and often times, even on-par with 70s and 80s heyday. His most recent album Wrecking Ball is one of the best albums of 2012, and his epic live shows tell us that he hasn’t lost any of his trademark energy. Paul Simon also keeps putting out gems, as does Neil Young, and somehow, despite being 78, Leonard Cohen churned out yet another brilliant record this year with Old Ideas.
But as amazing as all these juggernauts are, none of them can last forever, and that begs the question: who will the torch be passed to? Which musicians currently in their 40s and 50s have the best chance of stretching their careers well into old-age? Let’s take a look at some middle-aged rockers who will likely be among the next generation of Cool Old Dudes.
Eddie Vedder: If last year’s Ukulele Songs, and 2007’s Into The Wild soundtrack have told us anything, it’s that Eddie is feeling mellow these. Sure, he can’t still belt out “Even Flow” with the same fire that he did, but his recent recordings have been a lot more relaxed, and it suits him well. He’s always been a laid-back surfer dude, in spite of Pearl Jam’s heaviness, and write introspective acoustic tunes might be has true calling. Vedder is a big Tom Petty fan, and I think his career will take the same shape that Petty’s did after the release of Wildflowers, where the songs aren’t quite as loud, but many of them are more rewarding.
Morrissey: He’s already 53, and does anyone doubt that he’ll have interesting things to say when he’s 80s. Morrissey is one of those guys who will never change. I highly that there will ever be a time when he isn’t causing a stir with his politics, and releasing songs with hilariously cranky titles including recent favorite: “It’s Not Your Birthday Anymore.” Moz will never settle down, and he’ll never stop being interesting. Also, he’s going to be immaculately dressed the entire time, too.
Jack White: As this year’s excellent Blunderbuss has told us, White has placed the White Stripes firmly in his rearview mirror, and there’s no telling where he could go next. The fact he’s still in two other bands means that his next endeavor could pretty much go anywhere. As for longevity, let’s consider two things: in almost 15 years in the business, Jack White has yet to put out a single weak record. And getting old shouldn’t be an issue since his gritty blend of blues and punk is timeless. By the time he’s reaches 60, we’ll likely be talking about astonishing discography of 50 or 60 albums, made with 20 or 30 bands. There’s no telling where he’ll go in the future.
Michael Stipe: When R.E.M. broke up last year, Stipe told Rolling Stone he had no plans to do a solo album. I really hope reconsiders, or at the very least, gives us some sort of side project. Stipe is a great songwriter, with one of the most beautiful voices in rock, and I’d be stunned if he didn’t have anything left to say. He claimed that he didn’t want to make a solo album that would be “watered-down R.E.M.,” but that certainly wouldn’t have to be the case. Many of his longtime fans would enjoy a mellow, introspective album from Stipe, like the records made by one of his biggest heroes, Leonard Cohen. Hopefully, he’ll reconsider the thought of a solo album, and grace us with a post R.E.M. masterpiece. Dave Grohl: The Foo Fighters are the most well-oiled machine rock, and they show no sign of letting up. Dave is already in his 40s, but he has the same knack for writing catchy, headbang-worthy tunes with big, anthemic choruses. I can’t any reason why he won’t still be doing that 20 years from now. However, if Grohl ever gets tired of rocking out, he just as easily thrive by going the mellow route. Some of the Foos’ most rewarding tunes are gentle ballads like “Miracle,” and “Walking After You.” Either way, I’d be shocked if he doesn’t remain relevant well into his 60s.
Ad-Rock/Mike D.: Let’s all agree that without MCA, the Beastie Boys can no longer exist. That doesn’t mean the two surviving members can’t still make great music though. Throughout the Beasties run, they were an unstoppable creative force, and I’d hate to say Ad-Rock and Mike D. never make another album. Whether they continue to work together – under a different name, of course – or experiment with so discs, these are two of the most talented people in music, and if they stick around, whatever they do will probably be excellent.
Morrissey will be performing at theRapids Theatre in Niagara Falls on October 19. Having recently announced that he will most likely retire in two years, now might be one of your last chances to see him in concert.
No information on purchasing tickets is currently available.
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