Morrissey at the O2 Arena

When The Smiths arrived in the 80s, everything about them screamed different. From their intricate musicality to frontman Morrissey’s poetic and self-aware lyrics, the band offered a helping hand to those who craved quiet realism in a time of clashing colours and noise. Morrissey has been controversial since day one, yet he’s increasingly drawn ire for various comments he’s made, seemingly presenting a whole other person than the one he was way back when. However, some fans find themselves unable to let go of that aforementioned helping hand…

For this 11-date European tour, tonight’s at the O2 is Morrissey’s sole UK performance with no indication of another coming up (for now). Fans have travelled hundreds of miles for the pilgrimage to London, and anticipation reaches fever-pitch levels as they await the man’s arrival.

Arrive he does, and the night begins with Morrissey shaking some maracas for Billy Budd, which the crowd approves of as the opening number. He tosses them backwards with a flourish at the song’s end and declares, “Thank you! I grow older, but I will never die!” as his band launches into I Just Want to See the Boy Happy.

The phrase “separate the art from the artist” appears to be, for many of his fans, the justification for detaching Morrissey’s polarising views from the music that shaped their formative years. Take the new track Notre-Dame – thrillingly atmospheric in the music, yet the lyrics are chilling for the wrong reasons: “We know who tried to kill you… We will not be silent,” he sings, despite no evidence found that the 2018 fire was deliberate. Then he introduces Irish Blood, English Heart by saying, “I’m very concerned with all communities… but the one that’s at risk now is my own community.” Considering Morrissey has lived in America for many years, and he’s previously expressed opinions on racism, the song rings somewhat hollow.

Unsurprisingly, the older tracks get the best reactions; from solo favourites like Suedehead and Everyday Is Like Sunday to the Smiths numbers, which include A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours, I Know It’s Over and How Soon Is Now?, the entire arena erupts for these as they race back to simpler times. Additionally, Morrissey’s current band are excellent, equally taking on the classics and newer tracks with ease, especially guitarist Carmen Vandenberg and Camila Grey on keys.

Morrissey truly is an enigma; when he sings, “It’s so easy to laugh, it’s so easy to hate, it takes guts to be gentle and kind,” does he still believe that when he’s making inflammatory statements? Yes, his showmanship is still solid, as he addresses several fans down the front and tosses his t-shirt for them to fight over after There Is a Light That Never Goes Out, and his lyricism in old favourites remains timeless. But clinging to a past version of someone, especially in this case, can be challenging.

As Morrissey himself says at one point: “You really are too kind. However, I don’t mind.”