Morrissey just started a week of re-rescheduled U.S. dates, which began with the When We We Young festival, but walked off stage six songs into the second night of tour — Fox Tucson Theatre on Monday night — and didn’t come back. From the Arizona Daily Star:
“He sang for 30 minutes, said he was losing his voice & then walked off of the stage.” Tucson photographer Cynthia Elliott said on Facebook. “House lights went up. The show was over.”
Fox Tucson Theatre Executive Director Craig Sumberg on Tuesday said they were negotiating with managers for Morrissey, 57, about possibly rescheduling the concert or giving refunds. There apparently was an agreement between the promoters and Morrissey’s management that Monday’s concert was not a “formal show,” which could open the door for some sort of remedy, he said.
“The best for all concerned would be to reschedule the show,” he said.
The last song he played that night was “Every Day is Like Sunday” and in video of that from the show you can hear him say, after walking off, “it seems I have left half my mouth in Guadalajara…but I will stand here and I will sing and if necessary, I will drop dead.” You can watch that below. Morrissey’s keyboardist Gustavo Manzur (whose onstage collapse caused dates to be rescheduled last year) released a statement about the show:
He sends his love and apologies. He is SO embarrassed. He has expressed this since we stepped off stage. I’ve hugged him and his voice has been reduced to a whisper. My heart is broken but if this is the worst, thank the Lord. We’ll take care of him. He tried…he would have NEVER come out if didn’t think he could have. He tried. His voice is gone. But he’s not. Just a bit of rest for his voice. Please understand. He is human.
Morrissey is scheduled to play San Antonio, TX tonight (4/12) and that show is still on.
In related news, Car Seat Headrest has covered The Smiths’ “That Joke isn’t Funny Anymore,” the side one closer from 1985’s Meat is Murder. Main man Will Toledo does a nice solo rendition of the song and you can listen to that below.