23 August 1986
Greek Theatre, Berkeley (San Francisco), CA
Still Ill
I Want The One I Can't Have
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
How Soon Is Now?
Frankly, Mr. Shankly
Panic
Stretch Out And Wait
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
Is It Really So Strange?
Cemetry Gates
Never Had No One Ever
What She Said (with Rubber Ring intro and outro)
That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
Meat Is Murder
Shakespeare's Sister
The Queen Is Dead
/Money Changes Everything
/I Know It's Over
//Hand In Glove
//Bigmouth Strikes Again
The Smiths had a huge fanbase in California and this was a great, wild concert. "Bigmouth Strikes Again" returned to the set after a one gig hiatus, and "Shakespeare's Sister" was added to the setlist again after being absent for most of this leg of the tour. The song seemed to have gone through a few minor changes musically.

As the band came on stage Morrissey greeted the crowd with a loud "Hello!". He wasn't very talkative throughout this show. Besides introducing "Panic" and "Stretch Out And Wait", his only banter consisted of the lines "I suppose I should say something, really... No? okay" after "Cemetry Gates" and "Old habits..." before "Hand In Glove".

"Oscillate Wildly" was soundchecked before this show (amongst other songs) even though it was not played on this tour (or ever). "William, It Was Really Nothing" was also heard at soundcheck. It was currently off the setlist but would return before the end of this leg.

 


A good audience recording of the complete concert is circulated on physical and digital formats, sometimes under the title "The Greek Theater, Berkley 1986". A second audience recording is rumoured, but unconfirmed.

 

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