Morrissey is celebrating the release of his new album, which is out next Friday, with a two-night stint at the Hollywood Bowl this weekend. In honor of the Smiths icon, the Bowl has, for the first time, limited all of their in-house food offerings to vegetarian options, just like Morrissey likes it. Apparently, the singer’s visit is a big deal to the city: According to the L.A. Times, the Los Angeles City Concil has dubbed this Friday “Morrissey Day” in the city.
Of the reasoning behind the distinction, Mayor Eric Garcetti had this to say in a statement: “Los Angeles embraces individuality, compassion, and creativity, and Morrissey expresses those values in a way that moves Angelenos of all ages. Morrissey Day celebrates an artist whose music has captivated and inspired generations of people who may not always fit in — because they were born to stand out.” Monica Rodriguez, of the City Council, pushed the point a little further–and perhaps a bit too far–claiming that Morrissey “uses his voice to raise awareness for many social issues while ‘in his own strange way,’ always staying true to his fans.”
Do “Angelenos of all ages” also think that the British elections were rigged to edge out the anti-Islamic candidate? Or that immigration can pose a threat to national identity? Let’s stick to the music when celebrating Morrissey Day, folks. And let’s also hope, given the lavish reception, that the temperature is right in the Hollywood Bowl this weekend so the Morrissey show will actually go on, just as it didn’t in Paso Robles on Sunday night.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly named L.A. city councilwoman Monica Rodriguez.
