Factory International: "A night with The Johnny Marr Orchestra" (on December 7-8, 2023)

A NIGHT WITH THE JOHNNY MARR ORCHESTRA

Get ready for a night of classics and fan favourites brought to life with a new, expanded sound as Johnny Marr takes to the stage with a full orchestra.

Known for crafting a generation-defining guitar sound with The Smiths,
Marr has carved out an equally impressive solo career, bringing his masterful playing to a new generation of indie rock fans.

In 2022, Marr released his fourth solo album Fever Dreams Pts. 1–4 to widespread critical acclaim, before touring with the likes of Blondie and The Killers. Now, he brings his live show back to where it all began – right here in Manchester.

For this special performance at Aviva Studios, Marr is joined on stage by some of the best classical musicians from across Manchester. Together, they’ll reinterpret Marr’s mightily impressive catalogue in A Night with the Johnny Marr Orchestra.

A Night with the Johnny Marr Orchestra

The Manchester icon is joined by a bespoke orchestra for a career-spanning show

factoryinternational.org

This looks rather interesting.

 

[Surface]

Just got back from tonights gig, it was brilliant on every level!

 

[Surface]

Couple of pics from last night. What a fabulous venue, definitely one that Morrissey should play in the future as the acoustics are superb. Highlights for me were Somewhere, Getting Away with it, HSIN but the biggest surprise was Panic as I've never a big fan of the song but with an orchestra, it was fantastic.

 

[Sleazy Money]

Have to agree it was top banana! Johnny’s solo career has really grown on me from those early solo performances with questionable vocals (of smiths covers), I think he’s really found his footing now and can make smiths songs his own. As he said last night, 10 years of this current band. I saw “the messenger” tour which I enjoyed, but I feel he’s come a long way and has crafted his own repertoire.

 

[Anonymous]

Couple of pics from last night. What a fabulous venue, definitely one that Morrissey should play in the future as the acoustics are superb. Highlights for me were Somewhere, Getting Away with it, HSIN but the biggest surprise was Panic as I've never a big fan of the song but with an orchestra, it was fantastic.
View attachment 98612

View attachment 98613

Do you think this will be released as a live record or video?

 

[Surface]

Been reflecting on this today, it was one of best gigs I've ever been to for a long time for all sorts of reasons..The music element itself was really well put together and there was clearly a lot of work put into what they created but it was the all round experience that set it apart. The venue is really great, I got a text message from them at 4pm with stage times and telling me that they were open from 6pm and that drinks were £4 a pint. The place is enormous and the acoustics are fab, you could get a drink easy enough at the bar or the machines that were in the hall itself. It also stays open after the bands have played which is nice as you can chat with people about what you have just seen.

It's a venue that's well worth a visit.

 

[Surface]

Do you think this will be released as a live record or video?

Not sure, it would be great if it was.

 

[Surface]

Here's the Chanel montage together with the fashion show in Manchester. Cilla Black on one of the tracks. That has to hurt, poor Johnny!

Why would it hurt Johnny, at the same time as this was taking place in the Northern Quarter, Johnny was playing to 5000 people at the Aviva Studios a twenty minute walk away.

Telegraph review -

Johnny Marr: never mind Chanel – this was the place to be in Manchester​

the night that Chanel took over Manchester’s Northern Quarter for the Métiers d’Art fashion show, the city’s favourite guitarist came home to christen Factory International’s new £242 million Aviva Studios with its inaugural gig...

 

[Surface]

I thought the new song 'Somewhere' sounded great with the orchestra. Fingers crossed someone records 'Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want', as that was a highlight with just Johnny on guitar and the orchestra behind him.

 

[Surface]

I was a bit pissed but I think Getting Away With It got one of the best reactions on the night.

 

[Walter Mark]

That’s really beautiful and kind of brave. Although I could do without people bellowing along and the talking. The orchestration is top notch.

 

[Surface]

That’s really beautiful and kind of brave. Although I could do without people bellowing along and the talking. The orchestration is top notch.

The whole event was fabulous, one of the best gigs I've ever attended, I had no idea what to expect but he clearly chose songs he could enhance with an orchestra, the majority of the songs were his solo stuff and they worked really well, particularly Somewhere which was completely re jigged

 

[Steamhammer Sam]

Nice venue and the audience seemed to have enjoyed it.

 

[j*e*t]

Why would it hurt Johnny, at the same time as this was taking place in the Northern Quarter, Johnny was playing to 5000 people at the Aviva Studios a twenty minute walk away.

Telegraph review -

Johnny Marr: never mind Chanel – this was the place to be in Manchester​

the night that Chanel took over Manchester’s Northern Quarter for the Métiers d’Art fashion show, the city’s favourite guitarist came home to christen Factory International’s new £242 million Aviva Studios with its inaugural gig...

You don't think he ever kicked himself for dissing our Cilla? A few sixties cover hits could have tided The Smiths over and they could now be bigger than U2 or Depeche Mode, instead of which the band busted up leaving half of it skint and desperate.

 

[Anderson Gingembre]

You don't think he ever kicked himself for dissing our Cilla? A few sixties cover hits could have tided The Smiths over and they could now be bigger than U2 or Depeche Mode, instead of which the band busted up leaving half of it skint and desperate.

No, because Cilla is horrible. Johnny's done pretty spectacularly, I'm sure he has no regrets.

 

[j*e*t]

No, because Cilla is horrible. Johnny's done pretty spectacularly, I'm sure he has no regrets.

Chanel doesn't think Cilla's music is horrible, and neither does Morrissey (this is a Morrissey fan site, you know, but sadly Marr's cheerleaders have nowhere else to go). Marr has always had a bob on himself, but after forty years in the business it doesn't seem all that spectacular to me that he can fill a warehouse-style venue in his home city by selling cheap tickets to an expensively-produced show.

 

[Fill Foden]

Chanel doesn't think Cilla's music is horrible, and neither does Morrissey (this is a Morrissey fan site, you know, but sadly Marr's cheerleaders have nowhere else to go). Marr has always had a bob on himself, but after forty years in the business it doesn't seem all that spectacular to me that he can fill a warehouse-style venue in his home city by selling cheap tickets to an expensively-produced show.

You sound green with envy, dear!

 

[j*e*t]

You sound green with envy, dear!

Not at all, bubba. I just dislike Marr's solo music, Smiths covers and appearance, so I find it tiresome when one or two people flood this site with news of him.

 

[Surface]

Chanel doesn't think Cilla's music is horrible, and neither does Morrissey (this is a Morrissey fan site, you know, but sadly Marr's cheerleaders have nowhere else to go). Marr has always had a bob on himself, but after forty years in the business it doesn't seem all that spectacular to me that he can fill a warehouse-style venue in his home city by selling cheap tickets to an expensively-produced show.

Morrissey-solo is an open forum for fans of Morrissey and The Smiths to share and discuss related information

 

[j*e*t]

Morrissey-solo is an open forum for fans of Morrissey and The Smiths to share and discuss related information

There's a way to do that, though, without coming across as a paid member of someone's PR team, as for example, to get back to my original post about there being a fashion show featuring Cilla, maybe not defensively jumping on a comment that sees the irony in that at the expense of Marr's ego and then ignoring a reply you didn't like.

 

[Fill Foden]

There's a way to do that, though, without coming across as a paid member of someone's PR team, as for example, to get back to my original post about there being a fashion show featuring Cilla, maybe not defensively jumping on a comment that sees the irony in that at the expense of Marr's ego and then ignoring a reply you didn't like.

That’s hilarious because you’re the one who brought up Johnny in the first place!