Watch Johnny Marr perform solo and Smiths classics with 30-piece orchestra at Manchester homecoming show

8 December, 2023

Johnny Marr

Johnny Marr has performed a collection of solo and Smiths classics with a 30 piece orchestra during a Manchester homecoming show last night (December 7) – check it out below.

Marr is marking his first 10 years as a solo artist with a two-night residency at the Factory International’s new venue Aviva Studios this week and will play a second show tonight (December 8). You can get any remaining tickets for the show here.

In a four star review of the show, NME said: “Songs from Marr’s four solo albums over the last decade dominate the set, but inevitably it is the choice cuts from the past that rouse the crowd most effectively.”

Check out footage from the show and the set list here:

Johnny Marr played:

‘Armatopia’
‘Day In Day Out’
‘New Town Velocity’
‘How Soon Is Now?’
‘Get the Message’
‘Rubicon’
‘Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me’
‘Hi Hello’
‘Somewhere’
‘Spiral Cities’
‘Walk Into the Sea
‘Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want’
‘Easy Money’
‘Getting Away With It’
‘Panic’
‘There Is a Light That Never Goes Out’

Led by conductor Fiona Brice, the orchestra for the performances has been assembled by Marr specifically for the two-night billing; and is composed of musicians from across the North.

Speaking about playing with an orchestra, Marr said: “I’ve had two experiences of playing with an orchestra – Hans Zimmer, obviously, and also with Pet Shop Boys – but to actually sing in front of an orchestra playing my own work, that’s a first. You can’t help feeling a little bit emotional.”

He continued: “It’s been really enjoyable working on the arrangements. I’ve been doing a lot of pre-orchestration work, and some of the songs have taken on a sort of highly pumped symphonic feel.”

Later this month Marr will also join BBC 6 Music as the station’s latest Artist in Residence, presenting eight new shows broadcast from next Monday (September 18) to Thursday (September 21) and the following Monday (25) to Thursday (28) from 9pm-10pm BST.

Through each episode, he will explore the songs that have shaped specific periods of his life. He’ll also take a deep dive into the inspiration behind various riffs during his time in The Smiths, demonstrate his deep love of Chic, and share advice for anyone about how to play the guitar.

Meanwhile, Marr was recently joined by The Charlatans‘ Tim Burgess for a cover of Electronic‘s ‘Getting Away With It’ at Halifax’s Piece Hall.

The performance was the latest in a series of recent on-stage collaborations with Marr previously joined onstage by Gaz Coombes to perform The Smiths‘ classic ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’ at Lakefest 2023.

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