The Grove, Anaheim, CA
First Of The Gang To DieThe second gig of 2004 went down well but it was not the highlight of the tour. The sound was very good and the band seemed slightly more at ease with the new material. Morrissey also seemed more comfortable than the night before and was slightly more talkative. The crowd was not the most enthusiastic, but it appears that the fans were paying attention to the new material instead of singing or dancing. Security was rather relaxed but no one made it on stage and there were very few attempts to do so, even after Morrissey teasingly tried to stir a little action (read further).
Hairdresser On Fire
How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel?
A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours
I Have Forgiven Jesus
Subway Train/Everyday Is Like Sunday
I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday
Such A Little Thing Makes Such A Big Difference
Little Man, What Now?
I'm Not Sorry
The Headmaster Ritual
The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores
All The Lazy Dykes
No One Can Hold A Candle To You
Jack The Ripper
I Like You
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
/Irish Blood, English Heart
As he often does on warm-up dates like this one, Morrissey significantly resequenced the setlist, and in the process replaced new song "America Is Not The World" by its album-mate "All The Lazy Dykes" and "Hand In Glove" by "Your Arsenal" track "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday". Each of the two dropped songs would rarely be played again on this tour, they would only return here and there when Morrissey wanted to add variety to the setlists because he was playing the same city on two consecutive dates. This was the live debut of "All The Lazy Dykes". It had been planned on the tour's first date the night before, but dropped from the set at the last minute. As for "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday" it had not been played since 1992, but would be a live staple on the first half of this tour.
Morrissey entered stage at the end of the "Imperfect List" walk-on music and welcomed the audience to the "...groovy Grove". He was wearing a red and black striped shirt, a red jacket and again had mistletoe or some other similar plant hanging from his crotch zipper. After set opener "First Of The Gang To Die" he thanked the audience and added "...and it's nice to be in your patch... hello friends..." After "Hairdresser On Fire" he tried to stir a little action and encourage attempts to get on stage by saying "Vegas was very historic because... not, not, not one stage invader... invaders..."
After "How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel?" Morrissey thanked the appreciative audience with "Thank you quarry... because of course you are the quarry..." Before launching into new song "I Have Forgiven Jesus" he announced "After a 42-year gap we finally have a new album (crowd cheers) and... I'm sure you'll download it eventually..." He introduced that song after its performance with: "That song was called 'I Have Forgiven Jesus' and... well that's it really..." After "Everyday Is Like Sunday" he proceeded with the introduction of the band. This had become tradition on the 2002 tour but it was Morrissey's first time doing it in 2004: "Could I please introduce you to the boys in the band? Over yonder is Boz... over yonder is Gary... over yonder is Deano... Alain!... and our newest friend, Mikey... and I'm the nasty one who sings, (roars) Yes!"
In the extremely well received "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday" Morrissey changed a line to "I know it's gonna happen someday to me." After the song he looked around for his favourite fan and asked "Julia?". When he found her to said hello. New song "I'm Not Sorry" was introduced with "This is another song from 'You Are The Quarry' and it's called... What? It's called 'I'm Not Sorry'." The Smiths classic "The Headmaster Ritual" was sarcastically introduced with "I saw ten zimmer frames parked outside the venue so at least ten people should remember this song..." As the musicians were taking too long to get ready Morrissey prompted them on with "Today... today..." After the song he jokingly announced "So those of you who went to Vegas will realise I've taken singing lessons since then... I'm no better of course but I've taken some lessons..."
The Raymonde cover "No One Can Hold A Candle To You" was jokingly introduced with "This song was recorded in the eighties by Culture Club - Raymonde!" Before going into "Jack The Ripper" Morrissey teased the audience by asking "So it's back to work tomorrow, is it? (crowd: yes!) Why? Did you say (?)..." Before going into main set closer "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" he asked if anyone had tickets for the upcoming shows at the Wiltern in Los Angeles: "Does anybody have tickets for the Wiltern? So you agree they were very expensive? What? What? Sorry?"
Even though "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" wasn't slotted as the encore like the night before, it still ended in the same way. At the end of his vocal part Morrissey walked off stage. He was successively followed by his musicians one by one. The guitarists went out first, then bassist Gary, then drummer Deano, leaving new guy Mike to play the song's violin melody by himself. At the end of the newly-appointed encore "Irish Blood, English Heart" Morrissey removed his shirt and threw it into the crowd to be fought over and ripped to pieces.
A fair audience recording of the complete set is circulated on bootlegs and in digital format on the internet, sometimes under the title "An Emotional Whirl". The only annoyance with it is the occasional buzzing sound that creeps through now and then. A second audience recording is also traded amongst collectors on the internet, but this one sounds very muffled and distorted and lacks the first five songs so it will only appeal to completists.
A video recording of the concert is also out there (recorder: Slickmode) but this is not being shared at this point in time.
Do you have information about this concert? Or do you own an uncirculated recording of it? If yes please contribute and get credited.