http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/may/23/24912/
Former Smiths singer and very vocal vegetarian Morrissey came to San Diego on May 22 with a message about the world famous tourist attraction just down the road from the Valley View Casino Center hosting him and around 11,000 (mostly local) fans: "SeaWorld Sucks."
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/may/23/24911/
Band members sported "SeaWorld Sucks" t-shirts onstage, hammering home the singer's alliance with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) RE alleged animal cruelty at Sea World's theme parks and his longtime championing of meatless diets. The latter POV was somewhat overstated by showing film footage of animal slaughterhouses during the band's performance of "Meat is Murder."
According to PETA, "The intelligent, social ocean animals at SeaWorld are forced to live out their lives in small tanks and are denied everything that is natural and important to them. Many of them die far short of their natural life expectancy. Despite the numerous tragedies that have occurred at SeaWorld theme parks and the threat that the parks pose to the safety of animals and even trainers, SeaWorld continues to turn a blind eye."
Among the SeaWorld San Diego animal fatalities are performing Orcas like Sumar, who died in September 2010 after being in captivity since 2001.
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/may/23/24913/
This week wasn't the first time Morrissey pissed of the locals. When he played San Diego in June 2007, he cut his set short and refused to perform an encore, telling the audience he was upset about overzealous security guards who were allegedly roughing up patrons.
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/may/23/24914/
Why the singer chose to further punish the AUDIENCE with an abbreviated set, rather than doing something about the security guards, was never explained.
Within hours of Morrissey’s 6-3-07 Viejas appearance, fans at Morrissey-solo.com were ripping the singer a new one for cutting his set short and skipping out on encores (for the only time so-far that tour).
“How Soon is Now is the most over rated Smiths song, and to end on that just plain sucked. I've seen Moz many times since ‘91, and this was the least entertaining. He was booed after the no-show encore.” (Bob)
“Tonight's performance just plain sucked…I think his ego is starting to affect him, he has no respect for his fans.” (Tuvok)
“The security was moronically tight and the sound was a nightmare, it sounded like an alarm clock stereo.” (Anonymous)
“He seemed like he was pissed off all night…like he hated everything.” (VK)
“He left in the middle of a song, the lights came up and Frank Sinatra started playing…I want my money back!” (Mel)
“Who the hell does this guy think he is?” (Anonymous)
One fan, Xrebirthx, blamed San Diegans for the poor performance. “I think the crowd was really harsh by booing him and chanting, ‘culero, culero, culero.’”
According to Encarta, “culero” is “a highly offensive term for somebody viewed with dislike or contempt.”
(Photos courtesy Joe Scarnici)
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/may/23/24912/
Former Smiths singer and very vocal vegetarian Morrissey came to San Diego on May 22 with a message about the world famous tourist attraction just down the road from the Valley View Casino Center hosting him and around 11,000 (mostly local) fans: "SeaWorld Sucks."
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/may/23/24911/
Band members sported "SeaWorld Sucks" t-shirts onstage, hammering home the singer's alliance with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) RE alleged animal cruelty at Sea World's theme parks and his longtime championing of meatless diets. The latter POV was somewhat overstated by showing film footage of animal slaughterhouses during the band's performance of "Meat is Murder."
According to PETA, "The intelligent, social ocean animals at SeaWorld are forced to live out their lives in small tanks and are denied everything that is natural and important to them. Many of them die far short of their natural life expectancy. Despite the numerous tragedies that have occurred at SeaWorld theme parks and the threat that the parks pose to the safety of animals and even trainers, SeaWorld continues to turn a blind eye."
Among the SeaWorld San Diego animal fatalities are performing Orcas like Sumar, who died in September 2010 after being in captivity since 2001.
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/may/23/24913/
This week wasn't the first time Morrissey pissed of the locals. When he played San Diego in June 2007, he cut his set short and refused to perform an encore, telling the audience he was upset about overzealous security guards who were allegedly roughing up patrons.
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/may/23/24914/
Why the singer chose to further punish the AUDIENCE with an abbreviated set, rather than doing something about the security guards, was never explained.
Within hours of Morrissey’s 6-3-07 Viejas appearance, fans at Morrissey-solo.com were ripping the singer a new one for cutting his set short and skipping out on encores (for the only time so-far that tour).
“How Soon is Now is the most over rated Smiths song, and to end on that just plain sucked. I've seen Moz many times since ‘91, and this was the least entertaining. He was booed after the no-show encore.” (Bob)
“Tonight's performance just plain sucked…I think his ego is starting to affect him, he has no respect for his fans.” (Tuvok)
“The security was moronically tight and the sound was a nightmare, it sounded like an alarm clock stereo.” (Anonymous)
“He seemed like he was pissed off all night…like he hated everything.” (VK)
“He left in the middle of a song, the lights came up and Frank Sinatra started playing…I want my money back!” (Mel)
“Who the hell does this guy think he is?” (Anonymous)
One fan, Xrebirthx, blamed San Diegans for the poor performance. “I think the crowd was really harsh by booing him and chanting, ‘culero, culero, culero.’”
According to Encarta, “culero” is “a highly offensive term for somebody viewed with dislike or contempt.”
(Photos courtesy Joe Scarnici)