Morrissey’s reputation as the world’s most unreliable concert draw remains solidly intact, thanks to incoming reports he walked offstage just one-and-a-half songs into tonight’s Liverpool concert after a fan tossed a drink at him.
Disgruntled fans are documenting the incident on Twitter, and reports vary as to whether Moz actually was hit or not, and whether the offensive projectile was a beer bottle, a plastic water bottle, a cup of some variety or some other kind of liquid-bearing vessel. (Watch the video of it below and you can be the judge.)
According to a fan posting on Morrissey-solo.com, Moz took the stage and said, “It’s Saturday night. It’s raining. It’s Liverpool. And it’s perfect,” then opened with The Smiths’ “This Charming Man.” He was playing the night’s second song, “Black Cloud,” when, the Liverpool Echo reports, “he was struck just moments after shaking hands with members of the audience by what appeared to be a half-full plastic glass.”
Morrissey plainly took offense at the gesture, and left the stage, along with his band, leaving 7,000-odd befuddled fans at the Echo Arena in Liverpool having just witnessed a very short concert. Fans report the following announcement was made: “Morrissey’s been hit in the head with a bottle of beer. The show won’t be continuing.”
An arena spokesman told the Liverpool Echo:
“We are reviewing CCTV evidence to ascertain exactly what happened. We have a strict policy of no glasses being allowed in the arena and we also decant all drink from bottles into plastic glasses at events of this kind.”
The incident comes exactly two weeks after Moz collapsed on stage at a concert in Swindon, two nights into his European tour in support of the Swords
It’s been a troublesome year for Morrissey, who canceled or postponed concerts for vague health reasons repeatedly on his Tour of Refusal, to the consternation of fans in the U.K. France, Italy and the U.S. He even fell ill during his set at the Coachella festival, claiming he was nauseated by the smell of barbecuing meat nearby.
See video of Morrissey getting hit in the head in Liverpool after the jump…
VIDEO: Morrissey hit in head during “Black Cloud,” Echo Arena, Liverpool, UK, 11/7/09
VIDEO: Morrissey, “This Charming Man,” Echo Arena, Liverpool, UK, 11/7/09
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Yep, I was there, front row, it was definately a plastic glass with what looked like water in it. It hit him directly on the top of his head.
I can understand him walking off, he has been ill and this was just conveyed as utter disrespect. The offender should have been ejected (I think maybe he was eventually), but Morrissey should have given the fans another chance, after all the waiting, like we did to get front row, after years of being unable to get my hands on Morrissey tickets.
He was fantastic for just 7 mins, would have liked to see the remaining 90 mins or so. Come on Morrissey, don’t take one ‘fan’s’ total lack of respect out on us all! We don’t deserve that.
Yes I was also there..My partner and I support morrisey 100%. Disappointing as it was, it was a despicable thing to throw something at another human being, hin also being quite vulnerable, I would imagine on the stage. Apparently the person in question got beaten up twice tonight? People always seem to throw plastic objects at live concerts, and its about time someone made a stand against it.
There is a light and it never goes out.
Lydia has a point – boorish behavior seems more and more comment at shows in general, and I don’t blame Morrissey for having no tolerance of it. I do feel bad for those fans who got shafted because of one jerk – I know I would’ve been heartbroken.