Morrissey on Broadway Night 2: setlist, review

Morrissey‘s seven-night Broadway run continued on Friday, May 3 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater, located on West 46th St across the street from Hamilton and just down the street from the NYC Scientology Center. With no opener, just after 8:30, clearly as an ode to the location, Moz came out singing Judy Garland’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” before he and the band launched into “Alma Matters” from 1997’s Maladjusted. 

Unlike Bruce Springsteen’s yearlong run on Broadway, Morrissey’s residency seems to be just a series of shows that happens to be in an old, lovely Times Square Theater, playing a solid set that draws from all eras of his 35 year career. There was no storytelling element, but he didn’t say anything dumb, either, dropping a few quips but mainly sticking to the music. (He says a lot of dumb stuff these days.) His band, still led by Boz Boorer, sounded great, too, and the stage backdrop — giant photo flash umbrellas, and projections of Morrissey’s heros — was really well done. It felt like his Radio City shows from a few years back, just more intimate.

While garnering a rep for cancelling shows, Morrissey was in fine spirits on Friday and in even better voice. Unlike, say, Echo & The Bunnymen’s Ian McCulloch, Moz can still hit the notes and is capable of sending shivers down your spine, like on Viva Hate deep cut “Break Up the Family” when he sings “I’m in love for the first time…and I don’t feel bad.”

The setlist was noticeably different from Night 1, with less Smiths songs but more deep solo cuts like “Hold Onto Your Friends” from Vauxhall & I, and the aforementioned “Break Up the Family” (one of my favorite Viva Hate songs). It was a real treat to hear “Hairdresser on Fire,” the b-side to “Suedehead” and Viva Hate CD bonus track, too, as was “Jack the Ripper.” But like usual these days, the middle of the set dragged with too many long, midtempo newer songs. That said, “Spent the Day in Bed,” from 2017’s Low in High School, actually sounded pretty great. Morrissey also only played one song off his forthcoming covers record, Jobriath’s “Morning Starship,” which he said he was happy to be paying tribute to a local NYC artist.

Overall, I was a little jealous we didn’t get the same set as Night 1, which had “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore,” “Suedehead” and “What She Said,” but we did get “Is it Really So Strange,” and “Everyday is Like Sunday” and “How Soon Is Now.” But I was also glad to see the setlist being switched up so much, knowing many fans are seeing multiple nights. It will be interesting to see what he plays Saturday night. Setlist and a few more Instagram pics are below.

After Saturday’s show, Moz takes a couple days off, picking back up on Tuesday (5/7). Some tickets remain for these shows, and Morrissey will be back in August with Interpol.

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SETLIST: Morrissey @ Lunt-Fontanne Theater 5/3/2019
Alma Matters
Is It Really So Strange? (The Smiths song)
Hairdresser on Fire
Spent the Day in Bed
I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris
How Soon Is Now? (The Smiths song)
Hold On to Your Friends
Break Up the Family
World Peace Is None of Your Business
Morning Starship (Jobriath cover)
If You Don’t Like Me, Don’t Look at Me
Munich Air Disaster 1958
Back on the Chain Gang (The Pretenders cover)
The Bullfighter Dies
Life Is a Pigsty
Jack the Ripper
Seasick, Yet Still Docked
Scandinavia
Everyday Is Like Sunday

Encore:
First of the Gang to Die