Morrissey concert in Auckland, NZ - cancelled

The Auckland show in two nights time has been cancelled. This was to be the last concert of the current tour.

Information from the promoter:

This event has been CANCELLED...

Morrissey: 40 Years of Morrissey on Thursday 14 December at The Civic has been cancelled.

A message from the presenter:

“We regret to advise the Morrissey: 40 Years of Morrissey show scheduled for Thursday 14 December at The Civic, Auckland will no longer be proceeding due to unforeseen logistical issues. Thank you for your patience and understanding."
All ticket holders will receive an automatic refund as per the information below.

---

Media items:

• New Zealand Herald:" Morrissey cancels Auckland show as former Smiths frontman cites ‘logistical issues’" - December 12, 2023
• Stuff: "British indie rock legend Morrissey cancels only New Zealand show" - December 12, 2023

 

[Dirk Blaggard]

He’s such a prick. I’m $1000 out of pocket. No patience or understanding. He’s just heading home early because he’s a curmudgeon.

Yes a couple of the people I work with left San Deigo, went to the Aussie gigs, loved it and bought tickets for the now cancelled gigs and flights and booked a hotel. They are gutted.
I do feel sorry for them. But come on, in this day and age why would anyone pay through the nose and travel for a M gig. " Fool me once....Fool me 100 times"

 

[hand in glove]

I was going to the Auckland show and would most definitely like an explanation!
I'm hoping there Is a genuine reason, but it feels like he couldn't be bothered to get on a plane from Sydney so it was easier to cancel.
I'd love to understand what happened.

But he can get on a plane to Los Angeles, so why not make that stop in New Zealand?

Why?
Why?
WHY?

What’s the matter with you, Moz? You’re breaking our hearts.

 

[DisappointedFan]

I know this is incredibly unlikely, considering how many shows he's canceled over the years for no reason at all, but if Moz or someone in the band got covid in Mexico, could that be causing some of these issues? Is there any restrictions on flying internationally if you've tested positive within a certain number of weeks? Or could covid cause unexpected health issues even after you're over it? Exhaustion, fatigue? It doesn't excuse being vague and closed off about all this, but I'm just wondering if that could somehow be contributing to all this. I couldn't leave Spain last year until I paid €50 for a covid test, no exceptions. And if it didn't show negative I couldn't get on my flight home. Is anything like that still happening? Or is all that over?

In the case of NZ, there are no limitations around entering the country due to COVID.

I think it was clear the writing was on the wall for NZ when the Perth show was cancelled.

 

[nicky wire's legs]

You see, thus is why I'm glad he's getting old. Because age will put him in his place if nothing else does--and he REALLY needs putting in his place. I mean, who the f*** does he think he is? Some guy who wrote some clever/quaint lyrics ONCE UPON A TIME and now he thinks he's the f***ing queen of france?! What-the-f***-ever, dude. Who knows, maybe age is already putting him in his place. Maybe incontinence makes it impossible for him to go onstage and board planes, maybe that's why he wears the baggy trousers? Did anyone think of THAT???

 

[nicky wire's legs]

There are 2 possibilities for Moz's behaviour in terms of giving no explanation.

1. He doesn't think he needs to.
2. He genuinely doesn't care.

Take your pick. I do have to say, 2 is unlikely in my view - Moz I'm sure does care about his fans. If it is 1, then Moz is incorrect. He does need to. He is losing casual fans (and record buyers) with behaviour like this.

If you didn't 'didn't care' you WOULD think you needed to. Not think you need to, is another way of saying you don't care.

 

[bhops]

I know this is incredibly unlikely, considering how many shows he's canceled over the years for no reason at all, but if Moz or someone in the band got covid in Mexico, could that be causing some of these issues? Is there any restrictions on flying internationally if you've tested positive within a certain number of weeks? Or could covid cause unexpected health issues even after you're over it? Exhaustion, fatigue? It doesn't excuse being vague and closed off about all this, but I'm just wondering if that could somehow be contributing to all this. I couldn't leave Spain last year until I paid €50 for a covid test, no exceptions. And if it didn't show negative I couldn't get on my flight home. Is anything like that still happening? Or is all that over?

Stop searching for an excuse. He just couldn't be fooked. After Asia and especially after Perth this cancellation was 'predicted' by quite a few people on these boards. There is a pattern of behaviour that becomes quite predictable once you've followed along for awhile.

 

[Dead Girl]

He probably already had a taste of that in a past life, that’s why he’s chosen what he is.

I also thought the same.

 

[Redacted]

I think it's really rude that the band posts pics of what a great time they are having, certainly all expenses paid, while fans are out money and dealing with the cancelations. Very tacky.
Also, about ten years ago I recall reading he was uninsurable or close to it, anyone remember this?

 

[Rubbish Ring]

I was due to fly to NZ tomorrow for the concert so I can add now Auckland to my list of wasted trips in the past month (Hong Kong, Perth). I'm certainly not rich but Morrissey hasn't been to my part of the world since 2016 so I was trying to get to as many concerts as I could.

He doesn’t care about fans like you.

 

[Rubbish Ring]

The ol’ lOgIsTiCaL iSsUeS excuse rears it’s ugly head again. Seeing that the two “globally exclusive” YATQ 20th Anniversary shows are selling at a snail’s pace, there’s no chance in hell he performs in front of a 20% full arena. He’ll cancel these shows and be put on suicide watch. The end of Morrissey has arrived.

 

[Redacted]

Not at all, in fact it’s probably draining to not accept a person for who they are, to constantly be banging your head against a wall, expecting them to change to be someone they are not, and never could be.


What do detractors get out of detracting? It must be draining to come on to a site dedicated to an artist that they don’t care for anymore and somehow think they can change the artist by being negative and complaining. And btw, I’m not defending his cancellations, I’ve been there myself, and yes it sucks, but he is who he is. The door to exit ‘Moz fandom’ is not hard to find, but why is it for so many like you that still stick around?

People stick around because they want to, for whatever reason, no one owes you an explanation and no one has to leave.
This site is for all opinions about Morrissey and he completely deserves the thrashing he is getting. Also, no one is trying to change him, no one is foolish enough to think he would read this site and change, but people who have been screwed over by him are absolutely entitled to complain about it.
If you want a site where Moz is only praised, go make it yourself, stop trying to change this one and stop telling people to leave.

 

[Gaylord Deepstar]

 

[FactChecker]

At this point, it's probably advisable for anyone wishing to follow him to a "destination gig" that they choose a location that they wouldn't mind spending a few days in on its own merits.

In the cases of Perth and Auckland, it appears they never should have been scheduled in the first place.

The issue for me is whether I'm interested in the material. I didn't go to his Hammersmith show about 10 years ago even though I lived 20 minutes walk from the venue, because I wasn't keen on setlists I was seeing on this site. Ditto for anything since then. If he was doing a genuine "40 years" tour taking in a range of old material including rarities that have never been done line (there still are a few left) - like the Oye Esteban tour of 1999-2000 - I would consider that, but I wouldn't go to any of these recent gigs even if they were happening on my doorstep. Also I'm not sure I want to hear his stuff played with top session musicians, rather than rough rockabilly boys having a go, which is where we are now. The latter sound suited him when he was still essentially someone from the post-punk scene who respected The Fall; ever since he started fancying himself as a European crooner it's just been more obvious that his actual technical level as a singer is "not good enough for cruise ships".

 

[FactChecker]

I have a feeling "Logistical Issues" is a phase that works into the leagal contract and his liabilities. I'm just guessing but perhaps tour insurance accepts things like " logistically we could not get show equipment to the venue in time due to plane shortages " just guessing

The guys who do tour insurance must be a soft touch compared to the rest of the industry, if they never bother checking claims or doing background research about what other options were available.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

And yet still here you are!

For what reason? There must be something about him that you like?

I think the ex-fan phenomenon is more interesting and deserving of attention than the Latino-fan phenomenon ever was. Just hilarious.

Not to mention the blindly adoring cultists who think everything he does is good and just and who never utter a word of criticism no matter what happens!

 

[Thewlis]

Not to mention the blindly adoring cultists who think everything he does is good and just and who never utter a word of criticism no matter what happens!

Yes, also called ‘sycophants’ back in the day.
The funny thing is many of them have turned into the most vocal ex-fans on this site today.
Quite funny if you’ve been around long enough!

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Not at all, in fact it’s probably draining to not accept a person for who they are, to constantly be banging your head against a wall, expecting them to change to be someone they are not, and never could be.


What do detractors get out of detracting? It must be draining to come on to a site dedicated to an artist that they don’t care for anymore and somehow think they can change the artist by being negative and complaining. And btw, I’m not defending his cancellations, I’ve been there myself, and yes it sucks, but he is who he is. The door to exit ‘Moz fandom’ is not hard to find, but why is it for so many like you that still stick around?

Many of us have given explanations in the past. I still have great affection for Morrissey. He and his music really helped me in the past. I will probably always be a fan, to some extent. But! That doesn’t stop me from coming to this discussion board and uttering my opinion and engage in debate with fellow fans. The purpose of this isn’t to change Morrissey’s mind (if that was the case, I wouldn’t come here, would I?), but to simply engage in discussion and vent. Some of you more ardent supporters seem to have a really hard time understanding this.

 

[FactChecker]

I remember the one time I had a dip in Dave Bret's book about Morrissey, whatever it was called, at the end he's talking about how much devotion the star evokes and he cited the fact that he can "cancel a sold-out show without giving illness as an explanation" or something like that. That was back in the 90s and even then I didn't think it was much to be celebrated.

 

[Was I ever any good]

I think it's really rude that the band posts pics of what a great time they are having, certainly all expenses paid, while fans are out money and dealing with the cancelations. Very tacky.
Also, about ten years ago I recall reading he was uninsurable or close to it, anyone remember this?

It actually wouldn’t surprise me if the band didn’t find out about the cancellation until very late on.
I mean, why would they post pictures of themselves having drinks, ECT?
Surely all the band wouldn’t be as thoughtless as Morrissey?

 

[nicky wire's legs]

Many of us have given explanations in the past. I still have great affection for Morrissey. He and his music really helped me in the past. I will probably always be a fan, to some extent. But! That doesn’t stop me from coming to this discussion board and uttering my opinion and engage in debate with fellow fans. The purpose of this isn’t to change Morrissey’s mind (if that was the case, I wouldn’t come here, would I?), but to simply engage in discussion and vent. Some of you more ardent supporters seem to have a really hard time understanding this.

I think most of us are just trying to wrap our heads around a mentality completely alien to the vast majority of people, to try to find human sympathy that would allow us to understand why he does the baffling things he does. Ultimately, I think we need to relinquish the quest to understand and the idea that he contains fathomless mysteries within him. I think the real truth is that there isn't much to understand: he does what he does because he feels like it and because he can. As basic and spiritually desolate as that.