The Smiths Ltd is a tribute band that hopes to present the Smiths’ music to an audience who didn’t get to see the original band themselves or to the people who were born too late. On the 15th of June, an apparition of Morrisey graced the stage of Leadmill.
Who the smiths were?
The Smiths were an alternative rock group from Manchester that consisted of Morrisey, the singer, and guitarist, Johnny Marr, bassist Andy Rourke, and drummer Mike Joyce. The band made the 80s their year. They burst on the scene and it didn’t take them long to create a large following. Morrisey was heavily inspired by writings like Oscar Wilde and poetry which he would emulate parts of in his work. Morrisey and Johnny Marr, both the group founders, carried on to have long-lasting careers after the band split up with Morrisey continuing with his controversial lifestyle. With the release of The Meat is Murder in 1985 the band became more and more political. It acted as a rebellion against the government and the band started to display many of Morrisey’s beliefs such as veganism. The band was a massive inspiration for many future bands and paved the way for indie rock.
The Smiths Ltd replicates both the look of Morrisey and the sound. The band also formed in the same place as the originals, in Manchester which helped the tribute band get the inspiration. The Morrisey that they “found” replicates him so well, from the face, hair, wardrobe, and flamboyant nature. I was extremely impressed by the accuracy and enjoyed my time at the Leadmill. Being a fan of the Smiths and jealous of my dad because he was around in the 80s I have always wanted to go back in time and go to a Smiths concert and to an extent I felt like I went into a time machine. The crowd was made up of all types of people from younger people to older people and It was nice to see the range of people that the music of the smiths attracts. The crowd was also ecstatic, the room was filled and everyone was singing which wasn’t too much of a surprise because of the popularity of the songs but it was very overpowering hearing a whole crowd sing some of them.
