Defiance

Your shoulders are strong,
So come lengthen your stride -
When you're alone,
Oh there is light outside!
Gene, 'The Car That Sped'

Was thinking of posting something like 'bother life, bother the world and everything in it' (possibly using a word more extreme than 'bother' - possibly), but I'm not going to. There is still light at the end of the tunnel, even if the tunnel is bleak and long. I hate this time of year, and I hate the way people get at this time of year. But I don't hate the people, all the same. To everyone out there who's suffering in anticipation of academic pain to come, I salute you. Keep your shoulders strong. I'm feeling a bit emotional and cliched today, a bit unstable and vacillating, but still firm of purpose if not firm of act. You may hear from me at some time in the future, but for now try not to get into my path.

I'll Never Wash My Ears Again

World tour, media whore, please the press in Belgium,
This was your life,
And if it fails to recoup, well maybe,
You just haven't earned it yet, baby!
The Smiths, 'Paint A Vulgar Picture'

Since my last update I have seen Morrissey live, in concert! I rock, as does the world. I'll try to avoid being too fannish, but I sense I'm going to fail miserably. The gig was excellent, the man is real (as an antipodean fan, sometimes a little doubt creeps in), and not only the old hits, but also the new experiments, are even more mindblowing live than they are on the stereo at home. To be honest, I never thought this moment would come. For a moment there (just for a moment, mind) I could have died happily.

Here is a little comment that I wrote about the gig on Morrissey-Solo, which seems remarkably measured all things taken into account:

Drunken Hecklers
Yeah, I was at the front when the show was starting and the drunken hecklers, the main offender amongst whom was a skinheaded ox of about 6'4", burst to the front.

He shoved himself in between myself and my sister saying "out the way, out the way". When I looked askance at him (I was the next tallest person in the surrounding area) he yelled in my ear "I've been waiting fifteen years to see Morrissey in concert, and if anyone tries to stop me getting to the front they're going to get hammered, do you want to get hammered?"

Anyway, this twerp was waving his treetrunk arms into the heads of everyone around him at random and yelling out "Mozza!!" after every song. The head security guy was in negotiations with him to shut up and quiet down for about half the evening. About halfway through the set Morrissey leant over and said "Yes, my man?" to which he replied with a dull stare - "You really have nothing to say ..." chirruped the great man to the satisfaction of all around.

The crowd was fairly subdued at times, sometimes failing even to cheer through to the next song. But hey, this is Perth. I enjoyed the show immensely and was surprised by the good quality of Moz's new material, which I hadn't heard before. He's getting on in years, but he clearly still has what it takes. Makes you wonder what he was like back in the day ...

I did think it would have been better to play a song from Morrissey's solo career as the encore, since Alain and Boz just don't look quite as satisfied playing Smiths tracks ... 'There Is A Light', amazing song that it is, just seemed to fall a little flat next to the majesty of 'Speedway'.

As you may note, I was peculiarly critical in the company of fellow mad fans, but if truth be known I was in veritable ecstasy after the show, drunken hecklers (my God that guy was a tool!) aside. My fluke artist sister got hold of the set list used by the band (my God, the actual set list that Morrissey may or may not have touched!), and I caught a bunch of gladioli thrown by the Mozster into the crowd, although they were ripped out of my hand by some insensitive (or at least momentarily touched) fellow concert-goer.

The music was beautiful, the onstage banter criminally brilliant, and the moment unforgettable. Now, enough fannish raving. But I should just mention that the Panics, Morrissey's support act for the night and a much-hyped local band, were very, very good. They are a sort of Radiohead-influenced guitar-pop group with a thick, harmonious and serene sound. I'll be buying their work at the first opportunity I get. The world needs more bands like these.

Review

I've seen a couple of movies over the last couple of days, Garage Days and Donnie Darko. I'd give the former three out of five for being a humourous, at times touching and certainly remarkably polished but overall a little confused and directionless effort. I'd give the latter five out of five for being a cinematic masterpiece. Donnie Darko was simultaneously exactly my favourite kind of film and nothing like anything I've seen before. It's brilliant, go and see it. I won't give any spoilers because certain people would decapitate me slowly if I did so.

That about covers it for now; I am progressing acceptably well with assignments and so forth, happily. I hope the trend continues until the end of November 2003, when I plan to leave university permanently and go on to live a life of crime, fame, and unutterable wealth.