Last night I indulged my wife and took her to see some music. I was a bit peaved that tickets at the Fillmore could possibly cost $65 and that she spent another $35 on a tee shirt, but as I stood there, not quite sober, I couldn’t help but flash back to an earlier time. So much earlier in fact that as I ran the numbers it occurred to me that the last time that I had seen this guy was 23 years ago at the Agora Theater somewhere in Cleveland. Ohio. 23 years, ughhh. Back then I remember the singer being much younger, more brooding and affected, but in 1986 his songs were as familiar as anything, except perhaps the English Beat, given their aggressive overplay throughout the dorm rooms of my small private boarding school in Northeast Ohio. I also remember being absolutely bleary-eyed on Goebel or some premium 24 pack weekender, but can’t remember who else I was with. I still have the tattered stub for the show that I keep with all the other remnants of my musical past.
In any event if any of you do get the chance to see the slightly less fit and graying, still youthful 48 year old who at one point removed his sweaty black button down and launched in into the crowd, you should. His voice is still warm and distinctive and to hear him bust out a more psychedelic version of “How Soon Is Now” or “The Boy With the Thorn in His Side” or “Everyday is Like Sunday” is a real treat. This was not a Smiths reunion tour, Morrissey was backed by a cadre of young, buff dudes wearing tight back t-shirts and matching yellow slacks, but the man is still a myth, and one probably more capable as a live performer and more intested in entertaining than he was back in the day. Oh well, it was nice to step back in 80’s again, you all should too, if not to just shock yourself back into your youth for a few hours. I’m sure he’ll be playing in a town near you very soon.
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