Johnny Marr – O2 Academy Bournemouth

WOW. Last week we published an interview claiming Johnny Marr was sick of being asked about The Smiths. Not that you’d know it from tonight’s all conquering live show.

I’d like to think Johnny put his guitar down for a break, read our story and decided to prove us Southern softies wrong. This special night had it all and then some.

Killer new material entwined with a treasure trove of Smiths numbers. Of course he had it all planned from the start.

He’s very cool like that, is Johnny. Always one step ahead of the curve and as relevant as ever.

A busy O2 Academy audience of all ages welcomed the band-hopping indie icon on stage with genuine reverence and friendship. With the set energetic from the off, 50-year-old Marr kicked things off with the album title track Playland then to much delight launched into Smiths favourite Panic .

With no let up, more new tracks were beautifully delivered from Marr’s guitar in the form of Easy Money, Candidate and Upstarts from previous album The Messenger. Then pogoing through Smiths classics Big Mouth Strikes Again (with lyrics changed to “now I know how Johnny Marr felt”) and Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One. So strong were Marr’s vocals that you even temporarily forgot about the shadow of Morrissey. His years of experience and experimentation have allowed Marr to become the ultimate front man, making the songs entirely his own.

Not to mention his mesmerising guitar solos that showcased his extraordinary talent. The night just got better and better with a rare outing for Getting Away With It from his 90s band Electronic before unleashing There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, which was a spine-tingling moment for everyone in the venue.

Marr even threw a cover of Lust For Life into his encore for good measure, alongside a soaring Still Ill and a glorious How Soon Is Now? Cue many happy sweaty faces and a warm feeling that you’d just seen a master craftsman at work.

Patrick Gough