Hamburg (Germany), CCH1
This Charming ManThis show will be remembered for an incident in which a Morrissey joke was lost in translation, and a fan's reaction was also lost on Morrissey, prompting the singer to expel someone from the venue (read further). It had all started rather well. According to differing reports, Morrissey was either in fine form or looked like he was on auto-pilot and struggling with his health. One way or another, he was not very talkative. The crowd was rather reserved, which may have had a negative effect on his mood and enthusiasm. The seated nature of the venue may not have helped the atmosphere either. No changes were made to the setlist.
Black Cloud
When Last I Spoke To Carol
Is It Really So Strange?
Ganglord
I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris
Ask
Irish Blood, English Heart
One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell
Death At One's Elbow
Because Of My Poor Education
Cemetry Gates
The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores
Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself?
Teenage Dad On His Estate
How Soon Is Now?
The Loop
Don't Make Fun Of Daddy's Voice
I'm OK By Myself
/Something Is Squeezing My Skull
When Morrissey came on stage, everyone left their seats and ran to the front. Morrissey greeted the crowd in German: "Guten Abend Hamburg" (Good evening Hamburg). After "Black Cloud" he asked something that sounded like: "Have you ever been this close... to court?" After "Ganglord" he said "Now, whatever happens, I will not refer to you as 'hamburgers' and I would like to make a motion to change the law to 'hamburgists' or something else, but not 'hamburgers' (crowd cheers)... I mean, would you like me to say, 'thank you Hot Dogs?' (crowd laughs) Same thing!" Then over the opening notes of "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris", he added "I'll try! Is it enjoyable? How do you know?"
Following this, Morrissey sang the whole of "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris". When it ended, he had a very serious look on his face. He said "So, somebody shouted and told me to go fuck myself. Who said that? Who said it? (fan comes forward) Why did you say it? (fan: you made a joke about us) Did I? (points towards the exit) Why don't you just go? Max, turn the lights on! Max, turn the lights on. I think you should just go. Go, my boy, walk, walk, walk. Go, we don't need you, we don't need you. In fact you can leave, and you can fuck yourself! (fan: 'but I love you!') Go love me outside, go, go!" At this point Morrissey retreated from the front and a very angry Boz came forward and berated the heckler. The guitarist actually had to be held back. Then, while he waited for the troublemaker to be escorted out, Morrissey went to the other end of the stage and shook some fan's hand. He was obviously on edge, so he quickly told the eager fan "That's my arm, that's my arm, I need it, thank you..."
From then on, the show went on quite well, but the crowd grew colder and Morrissey didn't say much. He told a longtime follower that he looked better now, "without the fur on your face", and asked a person standing nearby if she agreed, which she did. Then nearer the end he mentioned seeing a poster outside with him on one side and Cliff Richard on the other. This prompted him to remark "he is 72 and I look older than him..." When he returned for the encore, although the setlist was all planned, he still asked the audience if anyone had any requests: "Is there anything you'd like? Should we leave? (hands microphone to fan who requests 'Shame Is The Name') Nobody likes that... (German fan, struggingly: 'Something Is Squeezing My Skull') What? (fan repeats) Oh, we don't mind this..." Morrissey then successively handed the microphone to a few more fans who each shouted something, until someone asked for "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" and Morrissey shouted "NO!", then did "Something Is Squeezing My Skull".
There are no significant audio or video recordings of the show in circulation at this point in time.
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