[BT] 15 September 1983 - The Venue, London (1cd) [FLAC]

http://www.hungercity.org/details.php?id=3472

The Smiths,
Venue: The Venue, Victoria, London
Date: 15 September 1983

*Audience Master* recorded by Josef

Lineage:
Sony TCS 300 > TDK AD-C90 > JVC KD-D30 deck > Sony TA-F245R amp > inbuilt 16-bit iMac soundcard > Peak 2LE > FLAC 6

01. Handsome Devil
02. You've Got Everything Now
03. These things take time
04. This Charming Man
05. Reel Around The Fountain
06. Miserable lie
07. Still Ill
08. I Don't Owe You Anything
09. Hand In Glove
10. What Difference Does It Make?
11. Accept Yourself
12. Hand In Glove
13. Handsome Devil

Copies of this have had some circulation - I did a few tapes back in the 80s and (initially) four silver CDs about four years ago. As a result it was available to buy from passionsjustlikemine for a while, but i asked for it to be withdrawn from sale. You can have it for nothing, but please do not re-distribute elsewhere.

This was the second time I'd seen the Smiths and i was amazed at how popular they'd suddenly become. I knew they were good - and now half of London seemed to know as well. There was a certain air of expectation. The stage was carpeted in flowers, whereas before Morrissey had thrashed a single bunch around. It was clear that they were going to be a very big band indeed. There one and only single of the time was left until late in the set and their soon-to-be follow up, TCM, was debuted at this gig - note the polite applause after the song. This was a much longer set than first time i'd seen them and they even did an encore. For the encore there was a stage invasion and everyone seemed to know to expect it. Anyway, if you want to know what those early gigs were like, then join me down the front of the stage back in September 1983. You're standing about four rows back, just a little to the right hand side as you face the stage. You can almost smell the flowers. Enjoy.

And from PJLM.com:

This was one of the first gigs where the crowd had suddenly noticeably grown, mostly because Peel and Jensen had broadcast sessions of the band on their shows and, despite "Hand In Glove" being the only official release available, more people were now hearing the Smiths on the radio. The stage was carpeted with flowers and more flowers were thrown into the audience.

The upcoming single, "This Charming Man" as well as "Still Ill" which had just been written were introduced into the band's live set at this concert. However, the recently introduced "Pretty Girls Make Graves" wasn't performed. It would return to the setlist later in the month. "Wonderful Woman" was also absent. It would only be performed on stage a few more times after this date.

The band was in a playful mood, and there was a good deal of verbal exchange with people in the crowd. After "Handsome Devil" Morrissey simply said "Hello!". In "You've Got Everything Now", he yelped here and there and displayed his good mood by changing the melody of some lines. Before "These Things Take Time", Morrissey greeted his fans again, "Hello you gruesome devils!". For the first time, the song didn't start with the drum roll intro. It was performed more or less the way it would be released on the "What Difference Does It Make?" single a few months later. However, Andy seemed to have been experimenting or had problems with his bass lines, as they were out of tune here and there in the song.

Then came what is believed to be the first ever live performance of "This Charming Man". The song was politely received, which hints that despite having only one single out for purchase, the band already had a following in the audience who were able to recognize the introduction of a new composition. This early version of "This Charming Man" was more jangly and rhythmic (if such a thing is possible) and similar to the John Peel session that would be recorded within a week and eventually released on "Hatful Of Hollow". The song didn't stop and start between verse and chorus and didn't include yelps like the single version or the version available on the debut album in many parts of the world.

Many songs were requested from the audience, particularly "Reel Around The Fountain" which was the fans' favourite at the time (it was even then planned as the next single until a change of plans in favour of "This Charming Man". As it turned out to be the next song on the setlist, Morrissey's introduction went "Dear friends... what? patience... 'Reel Around The Fountain'". The song got a rapturous applause and Morrissey thanked the fans with a simple "Thank you" in a high pitched voice. After that, more songs kept being requested from the audience, prompting Morrissey to ask "What? Speak up... louder, louder...".

To someone who shouted "What Difference Does It Make!", Morrissey replied again in a high-pitched voice "Hand In Glove". However the song they played next was "Still Ill", also making its live debut. The early version performed at the Venue was significantly different lyrically to the versions familiar to us now (the debut album version and the Peel session as heard on "Hatful Of Hollow". The words "It just wasn't like the old days anymore no it wasn't like those days" were only sung once in this early version as opposed to three times in the versions we know. And actually, the final line was "It just isn't like those days" instead of "No it wasn't like those days".

Before "Hand In Glove", because people were shouting in the audience, Morrissey asked "Any... any comments? Would anybody like to say something? (various shouts from crowd) How come?". In "What Difference Does It Make?" one line was changed to "I can surely rely on you" as in very early performances from earlier that year. As soon as the first notes were played, there was a loud cheer from the audience. The Peel session of the song had been playing on the BBC for a few months now and many fans in the audience had become familiar with it. It was the last song of the main set, so after it Morrissey simply said goodbye and the band left the stage.

Returning after a short break to perform the encore, Morrissey introduced "Accept Yourself" with the words "Look, you'll have to do it eventually, so do it now, accept yourself". He was really pushing the Smiths' first single so, following this, "Hand In Glove" was played for a second time. In the song's first few bars, Morrissey said "Come on, don't be shy" which prompted a mass stage invasion which, at this point in the Smiths' history, fans were starting to expect. This made Morrissey miss some of his lines in the third and final encore, "Handsome Devil". Before leaving stage the man thanked the cheering crowd "Goodbye! Stay handsome! Goodbye!".

With support bands Felt and The Go-Betweens, The Smiths formed a "Rough Trade showcase gig". Tickets were £3.00. From the NME, a review by Barney Hoskyns: "The Smiths are Rough Trade's most commercial offering yet; deserving successors to Scritti (Politti) and (Aztec) Camera."

**COVER ART INCLUDED** - Actually, it is the art from the "Catch Us If You Can" bootleg, which uses the incorrect date of 15 August 1983.