Apollo Theatre, Manchester, UK
We Hate It When Our Friends Become SuccessfulThis was Morrissey's first solo concert in his hometown, and the last one for many years. The show was a great one, but it still didn't go down very well with the audience which, bar the first few rows, was not very lively. Morrissey actually commented about this concert being dull the following night in Glasgow. There was no change in the setlist except for the return of "Jack The Ripper".
You're The One For Me, Fatty
Suedehead
Alsatian Cousin
We'll Let You Know
Sister I'm A Poet
Girl Least Likely To
The Loop
Such A Little Thing Makes Such A Big Difference
I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday
Certain People I Know
Seasick, Yet Still Docked
He Knows I'd Love To See Him
November Spawned A Monster
Jack The Ripper
Glamorous Glue
/You're Gonna Need Someone On Your Side
/The National Front Disco
As Morrissey walked on stage he greeted the audience by asking "Are you (undecipherable?)? Are you sure?" He made the usual lyric changes in "Girl Least Likely To", as well as a less common one: "someone's got to say it she screams". The fans were teased with the opening notes to "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" at the beginning of "November Spawned A Monster". This was becoming a tradition on this leg of the Your Arsenal tour. Morrissey mumbled instead of saying "Los Angeles" in "Glamorous Glue".
When he returned to the stage for the encore Morrissey told the crowd "I must say I'm very confused... and I'm not even sure why I'm confused, but I suppose - ssshhh! - you knew that anyway... But err..." The reason for these words was most likely the audience's lukewarm reception. During standard set closer "The National Front Disco" Morrissey danced briefly with a fan who had made it on stage. He couldn't get very far into the song because too many fans were climbing up, so he decided to escape early. The song still ended in an extended chaotic jam of feedback as it always did when performed live. At one point Boz, who was in drag with a red wig (the same way he dressed for the recent Halloween concert) shouted angrily at a security man who was being violent.
"Ouija Board, Ouija Board" was heard soundchecked in full, but the song was never played on this tour.
There are two different audience recordings of the complete concert out there. The best one sounds good, but suffers from too much interaction from the bootlegger's neighbours. It is available from bootleg traders and circulated on the internet, sometimes under the title "Live In Manchester". Because of an error on the latter's back artwork, this is sometimes incorrectly listed under the date of 4 July 1992 or the title "Live In Belfort".
The other recording is slightly inferior because it is muffled. It is the least common of the two recordings.
Do you have information about this concert? Or do you own an uncirculated recording of it? If yes please contribute and get credited.