The concert in Manchester, England was filmed on May 22, 2004, on Morrissey's birthday. He joked "I can't believe I'm 29." Later he would exclaim "this is the nicest birthday I ever had so far". He was in good spirits and on occasion bantered with the audience. Steven Patrick was in excellent form and voice. He has a flair for theatrics, swinging the mike wire about and interacting with fans in the front rows, some trying to rush the stage. A first class band backs Morrissey with driving rhythms and punk inspired rifts, as he prowls the stage. Yet, Morrissey can still beautifully carry a ballad. Morrissey may not be 29 anymore but he has sex appeal and is a sharp dresser. Actually his band was also smartly attired adding to the overall polished production of the concert as a whole.

The DVD opens with clips of Manchester and fans queuing at the MEN. A couple from the United States was interviewed, raving Morrissey and his music. They were excited to see him perform live in front of a hometown audience.

Morrissey is adored by his fans and some were thrilled to grab at his sweaty shirts thrown out to the crowd towards the end of the shows. The MEN concert closed in a rather unique way. At the end of his encore song, Morrissey tossed his shirt out to the crowd and walked off the stage as the band continued jamming on 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out'. One by one each band member put down his instrument down and waved to the audience before exiting. Last to leave was keyboardist Mike Farrell.

The MEN chapter also concludes with pictures of the city and fan comments. Many describing Morrissey's songs as funny, touching and something that they could relate to on a personal level.

The concert opens with Morrissey's name lit up in big, red letters that tower the stage. Throughout the show the colors would change but the focus remained on the flamboyant man himself. Close up camera angles caught the many moods and expressions of the singer and on occasion the band members. Steven Patrick has a commanding stage presence, frequently caressing himself, combined with hand gestures adding to the drama of his perceptive lyrics. Morrissey has perfect control of his rich, baritone voice and he performed both old and new songs with panache.

New songs such as 'Irish Blood, English Heart and 'The First of the Gang to Die' are powerful commentaries on politics and culture in the UK in the first and the USA in the second. Morrissey is still penning controversial songs such as the scathing 'I Have Forgiven Jesus' blaming God for "all the desire he placed in me, when there's nothing I can do with this desire".

At first, I was bewildered by the song but the video of the song shows Morrissey dressed as a priest singing the song as he walks down a dreary street. I than realized that the song might have been written from the perspective of a fallen priest.

The crowd at the Move Festival knew a lot of the words to Morrissey's new songs and sang along with enthusiasm. The fans just flowed to the driving beats, reaching out their arms in hopes of getting a bit closer to Morrissey. The five songs were performed with zeal and the sound was strong especially for a big, outdoor venue.

The majority of the DVD is the MEN show. It demonstrates why Morrissey is still a popular live performer. Morrissey has a wide vocal range and strong command of his songs. His gestures and preening are riveting. His five-piece band is tight and polished thus the concert as a whole is solid entertainment. I admit that I missed out on much of the hype of the Smiths and Morrissey's Viva Hate but after watching and reviewing this DVD I now count myself a Morrissey fan!

The Band: Boz Boorer - guitars, congas, clarinet, backing vocals and writing collaborator. Alain Whyte - guitars. Gary Day - bass. Deano Butterworth - drums. Mikey V. Farrell - keyboards, percussion, trumpet and backing vocals.

Related Links: For more information on Morrissey and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -- MorrisseyMusic.com | Buy Morrissey's CD | Buy Morrissey's DVD

(Originally Published on May 10, 2005)