Washington, DC - The Anthem (Oct. 18, 2023) post-show

Post your info and reviews related to this concert in the comments section below. Other links (photos, external reviews, etc.) related to this concert will also be compiled in this section as they are sent in.

Setlist:

We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful / Our Frank / Suedehead / Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before / Alma Matters / Half A Person / I Wish You Lonely / Let Me Kiss You / How Soon Is Now? / Girlfriend In A Coma / Darling, I Hug A Pillow / The Loop / Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way? / Sure Enough, The Telephone Rings / Irish Blood, English Heart / Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want / Everyday Is Like Sunday / Jack The Ripper // Speedway

Setlist courtesy of "Right in the Head".

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• Photo: ddrobjr / Instagram. Link posted by Famous when dead.
  
  

 

[DrStatham]

I was there. My god such a weird show (or not??).

There's a few things I found interesting. Mind you this was my first Morrissey show so I'm not actually sure what's considered normal.

There were a few really interesting picks for the setlist. It had, "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful", "The Loop", "Jack The Ripper", "Speedway" and a country cover; I'm not sure which though. Also, "How Soon Is Now" was not played at the beginning, but rather the 3rd or 4th song. He was also about 45 mins late (The show was supposed to start at 8:00).

Some people I met there said he's pretty much always this late for his shows. He got on stage but after a while he became visibly annoyed at something and walked over to the guy operating the fog machines. He whispered something to him and they nodded at each other. The show went on and things became pretty odd. He made sure to point out how big the gap was between the audience and the stage. Someone tried to run on stage (which I know is common at his shows) but weirdly enough he seemed pretty pissed off about it. Another one jumped the security gate and when security walked off he went "Oh c'mon" and walked away.

The later in the show it was the more pissed he seemed to be. He was on the other side of the stage from where i was and he started yelling, "no! no! no!" and asked for security while pointing at someone, He left the stage with the band after like 5 songs and came back a few minutes later in a suit. A song into the encore he began yelling at someone on the other side of where I was and saying "leave!" over and over until security got someone, then abruptly stormed off stage.

Very odd experience but I'm glad I got to witness something like this in person lol. I know he's known for this stuff but this show just seemed like there was tension between him and the anthem or the security guards.

I don't think he likes a big gap between himself and the crowd. In Liverpool earlier this year there was a similar gap and he seemed a bit moody on the first night - but then on the second night he said that he'd got them to move the stage closer to the crowd and he seemed in a much better mood.

 

[DrStatham]

I hate to dwell on this in an unrelated thread, but do I take it from my scroll through this thread that M didn't mention the Capitol thing?

 

[Johnnie Ray]

True, that tour was labeled the GH-tour but wasn’t really setlist-wise with lots of album tracks and b-sides thrown in the mix in typical Moz-style, like Ganglord, The Loop, Disappointed etc

True dat and the songs you mentioned are all great.

 

[Mozzer1980]

FULL GIG THE ANTHEM 18 10 2023

 

[bored]

I was there. My god such a weird show (or not??).

There's a few things I found interesting. Mind you this was my first Morrissey show so I'm not actually sure what's considered normal.

There were a few really interesting picks for the setlist. It had, "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful", "The Loop", "Jack The Ripper", "Speedway" and a country cover; I'm not sure which though. Also, "How Soon Is Now" was not played at the beginning, but rather the 3rd or 4th song. He was also about 45 mins late (The show was supposed to start at 8:00).

Some people I met there said he's pretty much always this late for his shows. He got on stage but after a while he became visibly annoyed at something and walked over to the guy operating the fog machines. He whispered something to him and they nodded at each other. The show went on and things became pretty odd. He made sure to point out how big the gap was between the audience and the stage. Someone tried to run on stage (which I know is common at his shows) but weirdly enough he seemed pretty pissed off about it. Another one jumped the security gate and when security walked off he went "Oh c'mon" and walked away.

The later in the show it was the more pissed he seemed to be. He was on the other side of the stage from where i was and he started yelling, "no! no! no!" and asked for security while pointing at someone, He left the stage with the band after like 5 songs and came back a few minutes later in a suit. A song into the encore he began yelling at someone on the other side of where I was and saying "leave!" over and over until security got someone, then abruptly stormed off stage.

Very odd experience but I'm glad I got to witness something like this in person lol. I know he's known for this stuff but this show just seemed like there was tension between him and the anthem or the security guards.

Glad you got to see a really good show.

Your observations are spot on and all of that is pretty normal for a Morrissey concert.

He actually went on early. The video montage usually starts at 8:30 and the band takes the stage at 9. They were ahead of schedule last night.

 

[theprivilegeismine]

I don't think he likes a big gap between himself and the crowd. In Liverpool earlier this year there was a similar gap and he seemed a bit moody on the first night - but then on the second night he said that he'd got them to move the stage closer to the crowd and he seemed in a much better mood.

They cannot move the stage closer to the crowd. There is an orchestra pit between front row and stage. He said they moved everything on the stage further forward. The gap was still ridiculously huge on the second night from the front row, though.

 

[Johnny Thunders]

Something so weird at the end. Moz saying "Get Out! Get Out!" to someone in the very front and then abruptly leaving. I felt like there was one more song in him. What happened?

Was it security (who he told earlier to stop pacing in front of the stage) or a fan?

 

[Johnnie Ray]

Yes that tied in with the GH-album release.

But the setlist was hardly a true GH-setlist like other artists do. If Morrissey doesn’t like to play a hit song he won’t. He won’t be dictated what to play.

I take a little bit of umbrage with that attitude. My opinion; if you don't want to play the 'hits' I don't think you should charge 'hits set' money for your shows. It is the artist's obligation to play the majority of songs that people want to hear, it's called being a pro. Can you imagine if The Stones refused to play their big hits but continued to charge their regular prices? I am pretty sure Mick Jagger never wants to sing Satisfaction ever again but it's his job. It's okay to play some deep cuts but you have to give the people what they want.

 

[DrStatham]

They cannot move the stage closer to the crowd. There is an orchestra pit between front row and stage. He said they moved everything on the stage further forward. The gap was still ridiculously huge on the second night from the front row, though.

Maybe it's just cos I was in a different position on the second night, but it seemed as if the people massing in front of the seats were able to get closer somehow. Or at any rate that more people were massing there.

 

[bored]

Maybe it's just cos I was in a different position on the second night, but it seemed as if the people massing in front of the seats were able to get closer somehow. Or at any rate that more people were massing there.

It wasn't too tight. The aging crowd doesn't fight for position like we used to. I've been at shows where the crowd push was something that took a lot of energy to endure. I was probably about 15 rows of people back and many were walking through us with ease.

 

[Famous when dead]

Great shot.

 

[William Fisher]

There are lots of complaints on Morrissey Solo about the set lists.

I assume that Morrissey’s position is he sings the songs that he wants to sing.

I imagine he feels that the moment he sings songs solely because the audience demands them he ceases to be an artist and becomes merely a performer.

That may be frustrating if it means he doesn’t sing the songs you want to hear.

But that’s Morrissey and always has been.

If you don’t like him, don’t look at him.

 

[Geoffrey Ingram]

You’re welcome! I’m not quick enough to type them all in, though. I’m making an audio recording, so I can go back and fill in the gaps.

Were you at the gig or someone there was holding the phone up for you to hear?

 

[Thewlis]

I take a little bit of umbrage with that attitude. My opinion; if you don't want to play the 'hits' I don't think you should charge 'hits set' money for your shows. It is the artist's obligation to play the majority of songs that people want to hear, it's called being a pro. Can you imagine if The Stones refused to play their big hits but continued to charge their regular prices? I am pretty sure Mick Jagger never wants to sing Satisfaction ever again but it's his job. It's okay to play some deep cuts but you have to give the people what they want.

I agree and I can’t think of any other artist who is so reluctant to play a hits set. But he always has been and always will be.

Maybe not very ‘professional’, but then Morrissey has never seen it as a profession or a career I think.

 

[theprivilegeismine]

Maybe it's just cos I was in a different position on the second night, but it seemed as if the people massing in front of the seats were able to get closer somehow. Or at any rate that more people were massing there.

The front row seats are so close to the railing over which the orchestra pit lies that noone except the front row and the second row (the woman from the row behind jumped right behind me) could fit in between the front row seats and the railing. That's why I bought them. I knew noone would be in front of me.

The people who usually run from further back and steal the barrier from people who aren't aware they need to be doing the same had to stand in the aisles at either side which caused some friction with security. There was no barrier just a below waist height gold railing in front of the front seats hence the stampede into the pit made by many at the end.

I remember him saying he asked them to move the band members and the equipment further forward, but the stage wasn't any closer even though I wish it had been. It still felt like a gulf between the stage and front.

I hope you had just as great a time as I did! I don't like cities, but after spending 3 days in Liverpool it has become my favourite city in the UK. If he plays there again, I would go, for sure. Just mentioning as I see you're from that area.

 

[Les Tameside]

There are lots of complaints on Morrissey Solo about the set lists.

I assume that Morrissey’s position is he sings the songs that he wants to sing.

I imagine he feels that the moment he sings songs solely because the audience demands them he ceases to be an artist and becomes merely a performer.

That may be frustrating if it means he doesn’t sing the songs you want to hear.

But that’s Morrissey and always has been.

If you don’t like him, don’t look at him.

I think that’s accepted. Nevertheless, he only has a career on the live circuit currently, and people don’t want to see that going onto life support.

Nobody seriously expects Morrissey to give a toss—in fact most probably expect him to double his resolve to keep this set list.

But remember this: he has identified ‘cancel culture’ as negatively affecting him, which ultimately supposes he’d be rather happy to see more—not less—people looking in his direction.

So it would seem understandable and perhaps expected for frustrated fans to highlight that it’s all actually within his power, to reverse the slide.

 

[Dread]

Did anyone see what flag was held up that Morrissey complimented? "That's a very nice flag... but it's been censored."

 

[Mozzer1980]

@xrushtodangerx

 

[William Fisher]

I think that’s accepted. Nevertheless, he only has a career on the live circuit currently, and people don’t want to see that going onto life support.

Nobody seriously expects Morrissey to give a toss—in fact most probably expect him to double his resolve to keep this set list.

But remember this: he has identified ‘cancel culture’ as negatively affecting him, which ultimately supposes he’d be rather happy to see more—not less—people looking in his direction.

So it would seem understandable and perhaps expected for frustrated fans to highlight that it’s all actually within his power, to reverse the slide.

Yes, it’s a pity that he’s so stubborn and contrary, often to his own disadvantage. I believe he described it himself as “unlimited self sabotage”.

But I’ve given up hoping for anything else.

 

[bored]

I hate to dwell on this in an unrelated thread, but do I take it from my scroll through this thread that M didn't mention the Capitol thing?

He didn't say a word about it.