26 September 1997
Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, IL

Maladjusted
Billy Budd
The Boy Racer
Speedway
The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get
Alma Matters
Roy's Keen
Reader Meet Author
Ambitious Outsiders
Now My Heart Is Full
Paint A Vulgar Picture
The Teachers Are Afraid Of The Pupils
/Shoplifters Of The World Unite
This was the first of two ill-fated Chicago shows. Morrissey had the "Chicago flu" and though he said he was a "big boy" (read further), the set was trimmed down to 13 songs by the deletion of "Satan Rejected My Soul". The man was therefore less talkative, but still relatively playful with his audience and even showed his shins at some point during the concert. The venue had a 8-foot high stage that made it almost impossible for fans to climb up and hug their idol or even have their hand shaken by him. There was a good deal of pushing and shoving in the crowd, and more than a few fans must have gone home with bruises.

Entering stage, Morrissey shouted "Chicaguee!" as a greeting. After "Speedway" he said "You may have noticed that I contracted the Chicago flu but I'm a big boy, and life goes on". His only other banter was given before the final song of the main set, "The Teachers Are Afraid Of The Pupils": "You've been very patient and I'm very grateful, thank you".

 


A fair audience recording of the complete set is circulated on bootlegs, including the internet.

 

Do you have information about this concert? Or do you own an uncirculated recording of it? If yes please contribute and get credited.