DVD Review: Morrissey - 25 Live (Eagle Vision)
Filmed at Los Angeles’ Hollywood High School, Moz
performs in front of an intimate audience to say the least. Opening with “Alma
Matters,” off of 1997’s Maladjusted,
Morrissey plunges into a set comprised of 19 tracks, both old and new, taken
from both his own discog, and the Smiths. Other highlights from his solo
catalog include “Irish Blood, English Heart,” “November Spawned a Monster,”
“You Have Killed Me” and “Everyday Is Like Sunday,” though the truly best
moments come when Moz turns back the clock and descends into Smiths territory,
especially on particularly emotional renditions of “Please Please, Please Let
Me Get What I Want” and the closing “The Boy With The Thorn In His Side,” which
features Moz pulling a child onto stage and holding him during the majority of
the song.
The glaring issue with 25 Live is how much asskissing goes on between these rabid fans and
Morrissey himself. Now, this is nothing new, and if you know anything about Moz
and his fans, you know they are literally in love with him. But it does detract
from the overall performance when Moz continuously hands the microphone to the
crowd so they can tell him how much they adore him.
There are some omissions from this set list, but that’s
going to be the case when it comes to pretty much any live release. Still, it’s
not the ultimate Morrissey collection, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth
owning.
Grade: B
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