Morrissey kicked off his set at the Coachella Festival with the classic Smiths tune ‘This Charming Man’ – just one in a string of hit songs by his former band that he played tonight (April 17).
Performing in front of a backdrop with a black-and-white photograph of the naked torso of a sailor smoking a cigar with the word ‘Refusal’ written across his chest, the singer humbly asked, “Does it sound OK?” after performing ‘Girlfriend In A Coma’. The audience cheered back loudly in response.
Midway through the set, Morrissey said, “I can smell burning flesh and I hope to God it’s human,” as the smell of barbequed meat from nearby food stands wafted through the air. A few minutes later, the famous vegetarian walked off the stage in the middle of ‘Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others’.
He returned shortly afterwards, saying, “The smell of burning animals is making me sick. I just couldn’t bear it.”
Morrissey continued on, performing his latest single ‘I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris’ as well as older solo material and more classic Smiths tunes including ‘Ask’ and set-closer ‘How Soon Is Now?’, which culminated with a loud gong finale.
Photo Gallery – all the action from Coachella 2009.
Morrissey played:
‘This Charming Man’
‘First Of The Gang To Die’
‘Black Cloud’
‘Girlfriend In A Coma’
‘Irish Blood, English Heart’
‘How Could Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel?’
‘When I Last Spoke To Carol’
‘Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others’
‘I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris’
‘Seasick, Yet Still Docked’
‘The Loop’
‘Sorry Doesn’t Help’
‘Ask’
‘Let Me Kiss You’
‘How Soon Is Now?’
–By our Los Angeles staff.