morrissey 25:live

Not to brag or anything but it's pretty incredible when you get an invite to Morrissey's 25:Live theatrical release, followed by an advance screener, followed by a call from his PR folks. This probably has something to do with that fact that we e-mailed them half a dozen times when we found out that this piece of history was opening in select theaters this weekend. Not only did we watch all 92 minutes of this film once on our computer, five times in our living room, and at Chelsea Cinemas last night, but we're going to see it Monday too.

The synopsis of the the film is as follows. On March 1st of this year Morrissey played the Staple Center in Los Angeles, which has a capacity of over 18 thousand. The next night he played the performing arts center at Hollywood High School, which has a capacity of 18 hundred...tickets sold out in 12 seconds. We're gonna go ahead and let you count to 12, and consider how fast that is. If you are a Morrissey fan this is an obvious reaction and most definitely comes as no surprise. If you've seen this living legend live as we have "a few times--sorry, are we bragging again?" you know that this was one of his most special performances ever and it shows in every second of the movie.

In 25:Live not only does the master play every single fan favorite but he performs them as if he loves them as much AS is we do, which as any fan knows, you can tell when someone is tired of singing the hits. We don't want to give away to mush but you must know that in true showmanship he enters the high school, walks right up to the microphone, and says, "You never forget your alma mater," and from there it's concert perfection.

One of the most impressive aspects of the film, beyond the obvious, are the moments where Morrissey speaks to the front row of fans, calling them by name and handing them the microphone to talk between songs. It's almost as if the star, often regarded is god-like, has decided to let his guard down for a few and walk among the mortals. It really is a special live performance, again having seen some shows, you can really feel the energy of the crowd. The last comment we'll make is that most live performance videos released today are Frankestien'd, with edited together bits from different dates, but not this one; it's one show, straight through, in all of its glory.

Check out the trailer below and find more details HERE and HERE for showtimes and information. If you ever wanted to see what all of the Morrissey fuss is about, now is your time--and if you can't get to a show, this is a close second...you'll definitely love this one.