25Live (DVD)

Morrissey

Eagle Rock, 2013

http://www.morrissey-solo.com

REVIEW BY: Vish Iyer

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 12/23/2013

Morrissey’s music means nothing if it isn’t nostalgic.His lyrical poetry and vulnerability meant a lot to a certain generation of people in the ‘80s during their periods of disenchantment and helplessness. Some almost 30 years later, this populace is all grown up and is in a totally different stage in their life. Morrissey, too, is a fifty-something middle-ager, whose words and music of youth and disillusionment are less potent now than when they were originally sung when he was actually young and disillusioned. And as he tours at this stage, way past the prime of his career, his performances are primarily a trip down memory lane for him and his audience alike.my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

But ask any Moz-head what makes them come back again and again to the concerts of this aging performer, and the answer is always “Morrissey” and their love for his personality. Unlike a lot of aging musicians dragging their dying or already dead cadaverous careers out, Morrissey has accepted age and has almost reinvented himself as the “new Morrissey” from the time of his You Are The Quarry comeback. This is the fashionable Morrissey, the one that looks sexy with grey hair and dresses like a diva; the “American” Morrissey who wants to embrace his “Los Angeles” identity as much as he does his Britishness; the Spanish speaking Morrissey!

This is an artist that is very much alive and is still full of spirit. And there is no other way of experiencing this new Morrissey in his new skin than to see him live in the flesh. The music, too, sounds new and fresh, as Morrissey plays with a new band. There is no substitute for The Smiths. But Morrissey’s band doesn’t pretend to be The Smiths.This lineup, oozing with youthful exuberance, belts out the tunes like a raucous rock band. The cool part is that the band’s jagged reinterpretations of gentle Smiths/early Morrissey classics sound great and completely fresh.

Morissey’s shows are way more than just musical performances. They are never the same from one to the other. It is not just the dramatic setlist change from concert to concert, but also the experience of getting to see this lovable and loathsome legend and his unpredictable kooky behavior on stage. The performance on 25 Live is just one show. But this beautifully shot concert captures perfectly all the drama and theatrics of a typical Morrissey concert. This is a perfect DVD to remember, revisit, and reexperience Morrissey live after he stops doing shows. Knowing Moz’s fickle temperament, this DVD might be a good investment.

Rating: A

User Rating: Not Yet Rated


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