New York, NY - United Palace (Oct. 22, 2023) post-show

Post your info and reviews related to this concert in the comments section below. Other links (photos, external reviews, etc.) related to this concert will also be compiled in this section as they are sent in.

Setlist:

We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful / Our Frank / Suedehead / Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before / Alma Matters / Half A Person / I Wish You Lonely / Let Me Kiss You / How Soon Is Now? / Girlfriend In A Coma / Darling, I Hug A Pillow / The Loop / Istanbul / Sure Enough, The Telephone Rings / Irish Blood, English Heart / Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want / Everyday Is Like Sunday / Jack The Ripper // Speedway

Setlist courtesy of @Amsden & @FROSTY

---

• Photo: basia_ana / Instagram stories. Link posted by Famous when dead (original post).
  
  
• Encore shirt photo from the MORRISSEY Facebook group, link posted by Famous when dead (original post):
  
  

 

[Anonymous]

Field notes:

I attended Saturday and Sunday night. As others have stated, a bit more variety would have been nice between the shows, but overall the set worked well as is. Better than the three shows I saw last year (Vegas x 2, Boston) where he played 4-5 unreleased songs or slower, lesser known songs right in the middle of the set, killing a lot of the room's energy. I agree that while on paper it does look like a fairly routine list of songs, hearing so many classics back-to-back live does not suck. And I must say I was singing/humming bits of "The Night Pop Dropped" much of the next day.

Saturday I was second row center lower loge. It's been awhile since I've seen a show from that vantage point and I really enjoyed it. Lotta nice people up there, too. Chatted with several folks in the beer line, standing around, etc. I didn't find it cold up there, but I run hot. I was given one of those cool New York Moz stickers by a nice fellow.

Sunday I was 11th row orchestra, center aisle. I love "Istanbul" so that was a welcome change. Obviously being closer and on floor level changes the experience dramatically, so again the set of songs was powerful. I kept hoping they'd break into "Speedway" during the main set, thus making the pending encore a mystery, as he has occasionally done in the past. But, not to be. Speaking of "Speedway", I thought this may be the best version I've ever heard. Really well done. I believe @bored mentioned somewhere that a fan was complaining about that song being the encore. That's wild. Imagine complaining when an artist does one of their greatest songs ever as an encore.

Overall, a great time was had. While the venue was great, I do wish it could be transported to another part of the city. 25-30 minutes up and down on the A train from where I was staying was a bit of drag. I did enjoy a little place called Penny Jo's a bit south of the venue both evenings before the show. Great cocktails and bar bites, and friendly staff.

Enjoyed your comments until you complained about a 25 minute subway ride. Poor you - try driving over 1.5 hours because of major delays on the George Washington Bridge - trip that normally is only 40 minutes on a Sunday night

 

[Orange Crush]

Field notes:

I attended Saturday and Sunday night. As others have stated, a bit more variety would have been nice between the shows, but overall the set worked well as is. Better than the three shows I saw last year (Vegas x 2, Boston) where he played 4-5 unreleased songs or slower, lesser known songs right in the middle of the set, killing a lot of the room's energy. I agree that while on paper it does look like a fairly routine list of songs, hearing so many classics back-to-back live does not suck. And I must say I was singing/humming bits of "The Night Pop Dropped" much of the next day.

Saturday I was second row center lower loge. It's been awhile since I've seen a show from that vantage point and I really enjoyed it. Lotta nice people up there, too. Chatted with several folks in the beer line, standing around, etc. I didn't find it cold up there, but I run hot. I was given one of those cool New York Moz stickers by a nice fellow.

Sunday I was 11th row orchestra, center aisle. I love "Istanbul" so that was a welcome change. Obviously being closer and on floor level changes the experience dramatically, so again the set of songs was powerful. I kept hoping they'd break into "Speedway" during the main set, thus making the pending encore a mystery, as he has occasionally done in the past. But, not to be. Speaking of "Speedway", I thought this may be the best version I've ever heard. Really well done. I believe @bored mentioned somewhere that a fan was complaining about that song being the encore. That's wild. Imagine complaining when an artist does one of their greatest songs ever as an encore.

Overall, a great time was had. While the venue was great, I do wish it could be transported to another part of the city. 25-30 minutes up and down on the A train from where I was staying was a bit of drag. I did enjoy a little place called Penny Jo's a bit south of the venue both evenings before the show. Great cocktails and bar bites, and friendly staff.

Aye, 25-30 minutes is a long time on a train. Why not take a colouring book the next time - it helps pass the time.

 

[SqueezingMySkull]

Enjoyed your comments until you complained about a 25 minute subway ride. Poor you - try driving over 1.5 hours because of major delays on the George Washington Bridge - trip that normally is only 40 minutes on a Sunday night

Hahahaha only 25 minutes on the subway is a blessing.

 

[SqueezingMySkull]

Elvis Costello did his spin the wheel tour (actually called the Revolver tour) where there was a giant wheel with tons of songs on it and whichever one it landed on, he played. Audience members came up to spin the wheel too. When I saw him on this tour he played 32 songs and it went on for over 3 hours. I think he had people come up and dance in a cage too, it was really fun. (there might have even been a proposal on stage too) I was completely exhausted by the time it was over.

I know I'm not famous, but at my shows, after years of gathering up songs, I printed out a list of 100 songs and handed it out to the audience. Or sometimes I would keep the list on stage with me but ask the audience to yell out a number. It was incredibly fun.

 

[SqueezingMySkull]

Of course I’d love to hear some unplayed songs. But maybe in his mind the set is perfection. Years of putting songs in, taking them out, and like a sculpture with their clay, shaping it into his ideal setlist. Anyway, he’s not a human jukebox.

Well...but isn't he though? His band certainly is. That's literally their job.

I don't understand your posts. No one is debating whether Morrissey himself likes his own setlist.

 

[SqueezingMySkull]

If people would consider, maybe it’s not so wise to compare what Morrissey does, to what other ‘artists’ do.

Why not? Everything is comparable. It's that kind of comparing that led to my decision not to buy tickets for Morrissey's shows this week in NYC. Because if he's not going to make the show entertaining for me as other artists I am a fan of who put in effort consistently do, why should I spend tons of money and time on him? I love Morrissey, and I loved his show months ago in NYC, but I want to hear different songs, and I want to be surprised. Setlist variety is a big thing for me. Kind of an obsession, actually.

 

[goinghome]

Regarding the du jour faux emphasis on community, while individuals are more sidelined, this comes to mind

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Why not? Everything is comparable.

Of course. But it’s also a choice not to, which
has its benefits.

It's that kind of comparing that led to my decision not to buy tickets for Morrissey's shows this week in NYC.

No, it’s fine. But for me, choosing not to compare, I get to experience the pleasures that come with being present at two amazing Morrissey shows, and two more to come.

Because if he's not going to make the show entertaining for me as other artists I am a fan of who put in effort consistently do, why should I spend tons of money and time on him?

Yes, of course I see how people come to that conclusion, they want their ‘money’s worth’ and it makes them feel good if they believe the artist cares for them just because the artist switches up the setlist. And more importantly ( and probably for the contrary Morrissey too) it’s expected of the artist to do just that.

I love Morrissey, and I loved his show months ago in NYC, but I want to hear different songs, and I want to be surprised. Setlist variety is a big thing for me. Kind of an obsession, actually.

Fair enough. I’m not saying people are wrong for choosing not to go, it is right for them. We all have different needs and some approach life differently than others. And some go to Morrissey shows for different reasons.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Well...but isn't he though? His band certainly is. That's literally their job.

Hmmm. I’ve yet to find any buttons on his body to be pushed to select my favorite song.
Not that I’ve searched everywhere though.

I don't understand your posts. No one is debating whether Morrissey himself likes his own setlist.

Really?

Well, he shapes his setlists, and people are debating his choice of songs.

 

[Mayfly]

Just read this after replying to another comment. I noted much the same. He "may" be limited by the plug and play nature of the musicians in the band. I do think this is a bit of a "benefit of the doubt" outlook, though... they are (or should be) good enough to learn twice as man y songs... especially with the breaks (scheduled/cancellations) in touring they've all had. Without naming names, a previous member learned up ~60 songs in under two months (some of which were admittedly in the vault of the mind from having played them years ago... even if it was over 15 years ago lol). My point is... it's definitely doable, but I agree, it's definitely an easier row to hoe if the same people are involved year after year.

Like you, I am confident that the band can learn to play more songs from Morrissey’s back catalogue. Juan and Brendan have already shown their ability to learn other songs as they played various songs from BOT, Trouble Loves Me, First Of The Gang…. More than happy to give them the benefit of the doubt.

But the previous line-ups with Boz & co or Alain more recently were also a part of Morrissey’s back catalogue as they had also written music for him and recorded with him. Now we only have Jesse who is in that position.

 

[Anonimyth]

Like you, I am confident that the band can learn to play more songs from Morrissey’s back catalogue. Yes, I give them the benefits of the doubt. Lets see if these musicians will stick around after the end of the South American tour, and how future setlists will develop.

Let's hope they don't stick around before the beginning of the South American tour.

 

[Anonymous]

The only person responsible for the static setlist is Morrissey himself. I think he likes the comfort of a familiar set, one where he doesn't have to think about remembering the words, or which order the verses are etc, and can just enjoy performing. Having to keep rotating new songs into the setlist every night is too much like hard work.

 

[Ryan]

The only person responsible for the static setlist is Morrissey himself. I think he likes the comfort of a familiar set, one where he doesn't have to think about remembering the words, or which order the verses are etc, and can just enjoy performing. Having to keep rotating new songs into the setlist every night is too much like hard work.

Remember the days when he would whip out I Keep Mine Hidden?

 

[TILTNGO]

 

[Famous when dead]

Morrissey at the United Palace / October 22, 2023

Morrissey at the United Palace / October 22, 2023

New Jersey's Original Alt-Weekly

www.theaquarian.com

(7 images - Ehud Lazin).