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MOZARMY MEET 2023 - FRIDAY 28, SATURDAY 29 & SUNDAY 30 APRIL 2023

A celebration of Morrissey, The Smiths and global friendships in fandom
WEEKEND DISCOUNTED TICKET £35


FRIDAY SPECIAL GUESTS

Stephen Street, Smiths/Morrissey producer

2023 welcomes legendary music producer of The Smiths and producer/co-writer with Morrissey, Stephen Street to the Mozarmy Meet on Friday night. Stephen Street began his career working as an engineer on ?Heaven Knows I?m Miserable Now? and from then onwards became a close confidente and trusted producer of the band, often referred to as ?The Fifth Smith.? He co-wrote Morrissey?s debut platinum solo album Viva Hate, now 35 years old in 2023, which will be celebrated at the Meet. Over the years Stephen has worked with Blur, The Cranberries, Kaiser Chiefs, Pete Docherty, Lloyd Cole, White Lies, Summer Camp and The Courteeners amongst more. Stephen will be doing a short Q&A with Julie Hamill then taking to the bass to play with the band to perform a couple of numbers from his incredible career with Morrissey. We have been asking him for ten years, and finally, he?s coming.

Andrew Paresi, Morrissey drummer

Andrew joins us ten years later after his first appearance at Mozarmy in 2013. The ever popular BBC writer wows fans every time he attends, with many citing him as ?Morrissey?s best ever drummer?. It?s easy to see why as his power behind the kit is a fantastic live experience, one that he was denied to tour. Why? He?ll be answering that, and more questions at a live Q&A with Stephen Street and Julie Hamill, before he gets behind the kit for us once more, and blows the room away. Not only is he the creative powerhouse behind everything from Suedehead to Mute Witness to Disappointed, Andrew is also the comedy voice behind Mr Cardboard Morrissey, who will also be ?appearing? for the 10th year in a row. Andrew was invited to join Morrissey?s solo band by Stephen Street, and continued to drum on his first three albums including Viva Hate, Bona Drag and Kill Uncle. He has drummed with Jim Diamond, Sandie Shaw and Peter Gabriel. We don?t mention Bucks Fizz. He continues to celebrate Morrissey to this day.

SATURDAY SPECIAL GUESTS

Jonny Bridgwood - Jonny will be playing the songs he worked on, live, for the first time since 1997.

From Fireball XL5, to The Sting Rays, to Morrissey, Marianne Faithful and Kathryn Williams, Jonny Bridgwood has played bass and double bass with the great and the good, if you don?t count Ed Sheeran. After success with rockabillies The Sting Rays, this talented bass player?s rhythmic and intricate approach found him in the midst of Morrissey?s band creating baselines on productions such as Vauxhall and I, Southpaw Grammar and Maladjusted. His melancholic bass on the likes of Now My Heart Is Full, Boxers and Used To Be A Sweet Boy pushed him to the centre of much fan acclaim as the ?hidden gem? in the fold of three of the most glorious albums of Morrissey?s career. We are elated to welcome Jonny back to the Mozarmy night after his appearance at the first Meet took an unusual turn and included a raffle of the shirt off his back. Yes. That really happened.

John Robb

Everybody who?s anybody in music has been written about or rubbed shoulders with Louder Than War boss John Robb. Known for his extensive written work in music, John was the first person to interview Nirvana and coined the term ?Britpop?. Back in the late 70s he was inspired to form his own band, post-punk favourites The Membranes, who still play and release deep dark records today with John as front man and committed bass player. Throughout his colourful career he has also seen success making music with Goldblade, has worked as a model (once on a horse). John has enjoyed a fruitful TV and festival career and is a regular talking head on radio. He has written many music books including his latest, The Art of Darkness: A History of Goth. John is a vegan, tee-total gym enthusiast Smiths/Moz fan from Blackpool who lives in Manchester in a fitted striped waistcoat?.


FRIDAY & SATURDAY STALWARTS

Jose Maldonado

Singing live for the Mozarmy since 2015, we welcome back the Mexican Morrissey for another year to lead us in the songs that saved our lives. Jose hails from Los Angeles and is the lead singer in critically acclaimed tribute band Sweet and Tender Hooligans. He is LA?s answer to Morrissey when you want the one you can?t have, and gives everything to the crowd with passion, energy and a loss of shirt. Known and loved by Morrissey, the singer once introduced himself as ?Jose of Sweet and Tender Hooligans? at The Wiltern Theatre in 2004. Over in LA, Jose is a sensation, playing to crowds in excess of 5,000. Catch his weekly Moz-themed radio show on theindependentFM.com, or one of his energetic DJ gigs in LA. An unstoppable force and consummate pro, he is the pillar of any Moz party.

The Salford Lads

The Salford Lads NYC are back at the Mozarmy Meet for the second year in a row. Formed in 1999 this NYC tribute has mastered every note to virtually every every song in the catalogue. Tragically they lost their singer Jesse in 2015, but remained friends with west coast ?arch-rival? the Mexican Morrissey who readily agreed to step in and work with the band to bring another unique and dedicated performance to the Mozarmy Meet. If last year is anything to go by, these guys with Jose are NOT to be missed. The Salford Lads will perform with Friday and Saturday?s special guests.

The Roberts Family Band

You have to see it to instantly love it. Mum on drums, Dad on vocals, 15 year-old daughter on keyboards, her 13 year-old sister on bass. Tess, Jeff, Lily and Josie make up the Roberts Family Band, the crafted musicians who put the ban in banter, and the tribute act that appeared on Morrissey?s website. Seeing them together on stage is enough to give you the warmest feeling, and now the Mozarmy heart is full! Welcoming, fun and totally involving, The RFB will be playing a set of Moz and Smiths classics and bringing some special guests to stage to sing.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY DJS TIL 3AM

DJ Billy Idle - FRIDAY

Rounding off Friday with a full set of Moz & Smiths spins, we welcome back the legendary Hacienda DJ Billy Idle. Know internationally for his concerts in Ibiza and festivals around the world, this stalwart music aficionado was born and bred in Manchester. Billy grew up on a diet of Smiths and Morrissey and has been feeding it back to the world since the 1980s. Billiam is really something.

DJs Loud and Clear - SATURDAY

It's an unlovable Saturday with non-stop disco until 3am as we welcome Smiths/Moz inspired DJs Loud and Clear. Known in Manchester for their regular & exclusive vinyl gigs dotted around the city, this knowledgable duo will be dancing legs down to the knees with the repressed but remarkably dressed Mozarmy until 3am.

What is the #Mozarmy?

The Mozarmy was founded in 2010 with the sole mission of connecting Morrissey/Smiths fans globally via the social media hashtag #Mozarmy. It started on Twitter, and in 2013 a physical meet up was arranged in Manchester. Since then the annual Mozarmy Meet has grown from one night to a full blown weekend party. It has been featured on BBC 6 o?clock headline news and remains the subject of many documentaries, TV features, films and radio shows. Each Mozarmy member has one thing in common: a love of Morrissey and a desire to create an inclusive community, to welcome and mix with likeminded others. The hashtag is now estimated to have 200,000 global users across all social media platforms around the world. The party is now in its tenth year, and 2023 is set to be the biggest and most incredible yet, with fantastic special guests, bands, DJs and more. For some, it is the most important social event of the calendar, due to its joyous atmosphere, and a chance to see friends from far off places.

The Host: Julie Hamill

Julie Hamill is a London-based Scottish writer, radio host and live presenter best known for her books 15 Minutes With You, Frank, and Jackie. After seeing The Smiths play at aged 13 and again at 14, she has continued a life-long fascination with Morrissey and the music to date, culminating in a book of interviews about the singer published in 2015. Julie arranges and hosts the Mozarmy Meet with a team every year, and is devoted to friends made through mutual celebration of the artist. At past Meets Julie has welcomed interviewees Andrew Paresi, Clive Langer, Jonny Bridgwood, Gary Day, Julie Hesmondhalgh, and many more, with a special online concert from Alain Whyte in 2020. Julie is currently writing another novel and continues to write for a number of clients as well as meet and interview prominent figures in the music world at live events.


REQUIRED INFORMATION

Doors open 8.30pm for 9pm start.
Please have your email confirmation ready at the door. Help yourself to a badge on entry. Bring cash - it?s a cash only raffle to win the one-off bespoke Mr Cardboard Morrissey amongst other goodies.
Absolutely no refunds. This is a fundraising event for Star & Garter and Ian Strawboss. Ticket exchange/sales are available by tagging @Mozarmy on Twitter.

Cost of ticket does NOT include Manchester Music double decker bus tour on Saturday afternoon. Please contact directly - tickets sold separately.

SUNDAY 30 APRIL 2023
MOZARMY PICNIC - 2PM MAYFIELD PARK M1 2PY
WEAR A MOZ T-SHIRT
FREE- NO TICKET REQUIRED
Blankets, bluetooth speakers, protest singers with guitars welcome to turn up in a Moz t-shirt with your saddest most limp, miserable and pathetic curly vegan cheeze sandwich or a wet Greggs vegan sausage roll and stuff your face with cake. Dial in the cliche as you wash it down with a vodka, Tizer, greased tea, Perrier, caffeine for the bloodstream, a crate of ale or get bought on stolen wine as you enjoy a topped up alcoholic afternoon spent on a likely rainy Manchester park with a bunch of ambitious outsiders in the soggy cold, sat on your wet jumper, letting the damp freeze through your bum and leave a patch. You won?t care as you laugh and sing, because this is your world, and these are your people. If you don?t like us, don?t look at us, we?re the Mozarmy, happy in the haze.

Mozarmy picnic. 2pm, Mayfield Park, behind The Star and Garter, M1 2PY.

(We can?t control the weather, so plan B will be to despatch to a pub)

Description

18-20 Fairfield Street,

Manchester,

Greater Manchester,

England,

M1 2QF.