Photos and Review by Max Stewart
Morrissey is one of the most unabashed, original artists out there. He has no qualms with being his true self. That ethos led to his band The Smiths paving the way for the Britpop scene and countless indie rock bands in the decades to come. He has continued to pursue unique artistic endeavors in his solo career that have consistently yielded ample strong material.
When he rolled into Atlanta at the iconic Fox Theatre, fans across multi-generations were ripe with anticipation, which was evident in the merch line that seemed to be over 100 people long for a few hours. It is always endearing to see a musician who has inspired father and/or mothers to bring kids, with a musical catalog that touches Gen X to Gen Z.
Morrissey was in great spirits after taking the stage following a 30-minute video of music and clips that seemingly have inspired him, and he immediately gave a nod to Ray Charles’ “Georgia on My Mind” as he grabbed the mic: “Geeooorgiaa….” Opening with “We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful” and “Suedehead”, most fans stood for the entirety of the show in the ornate theatre and were waiting on his every word. As is typical for his live shows, he jived across the stage to adoring fans hoping to get a hi-five or close-up glimpse (only a few tried to get on stage to give him a hug and were immediately escorted off). He was most certainly committed to an entertaining evening of music for the packed theatre, and the audience could not have been more grateful. His banter was jovial between songs as well, and he commented on the history of the Fox and how he sat on the same toilet backstage as Louis Armstrong: “It was the best 2.5 hours of my life.”
The Smiths songs performed were a welcomed mix of the band’s inspiring but short tenure that included “Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before”, “Girlfriend in a Coma”, “Half a Person”, “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” and the brooding and ethereal, “How Soon is Now?” While in the South, why not throw in a country song? In classic Morrissey fashion and sticking to what he wants to do, he nailed a cover of Waylon Jennings’ “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way” as a photo of Jennings was displayed in the background.
His signature crooning voice was in top form throughout the set which was well-balanced with solo material and Smiths songs. He mentioned that the last time he played the Fox was 31 years ago with Depeche Mode, and given the magnetism of the performance we can only hope he stops back by a little sooner next time.
