"The first thing to say is that this band should be damn proud of themselves to be able to sound and look so much like one of the greatest bands this country has ever produced, with front man Graham looking just as beautiful as Morrissey, with the trademark quiff and glasses, complete with loose shirt and long beads (and of course a bunch of flowers). He even aired the same charming confidence during the songs and during the small chats to the audience, adding that little extra authenticity to the night.

The band opened with early classics, including This Charming Man which was executed brilliantly, moving onto more obscure songs, such as Nowhere Fast, Reel Around The Fountain and London, making the night even more memorable as these songs aren?t recognised as much as they should be. Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others was easily the best sounding song they played, and it was impressive how close to the original they made it sound. My personal favourite was Panic; it?s a short, snappy and utterly superb song, and The Smyths stuck to these criteria perfectly. Plus it's always elevating to hear a room full of Smiths fans singing "Hang the DJ".

The encore comprised of There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, in which the audience was given the spotlight for a few moments, singing the line "there is a light and it never goes out" a few times, which was quite uplifting, and then Bigmouth Strikes Again, which was an amazing way to end. Each chord and every beat sounded perfect, and in fact it is quite difficult to find any flaws in the whole performance. I eagerly await their return to Mr Kyps."

Review by: Kirsty Chant

And here's the link to where it appears on the mrkyps website: http://www.mrkyps.net/gigreviews.asp?ID=534

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HANG THE DJS
FRIDAY JULY 14
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Oh Moz! A special evening dedicated to the still-legendary Smiths, featuring their founder members on the wheels of steel!

Ever since they split up in 1988, The Smiths have remained an enigma. Any self-respecting fan of indie, alternative rock and even British pop music owns at least one of their four life-changing, life-affirming albums, each one of them of which should be issued to teenagers the moment they hit 16, such is their importance and relevance, even today. Morrissey may have gone on to enjoy solo success and indeed, hes enjoying something of a cultural career renaissance these days but hes never, ever sounded in better voice nor delivered the same heartfelt, tender yet hysterical lyrics since his Smiths glory days.

This month a film based on the career of the Salford lads is getting a major UK release and their third album The Queen Is Dead, celebrates its 20th Anniversary, which were celebrating tonight with a live/club event which celebrates their music as well as their influence. Guest DJing on the night will be none other than Moz & Marrs old bandmates themselves, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce, who are joined by a host of Smiths-minded live bands including The Smyths.

PLEASE NOTE: this is a one-off event being held instead of MOVERS & SHAKERS, which was advertised previously, this month.

Doors: 9pm-4am
Entry: �8
Info: 020 7274 5537, www.brixtonjamm.org

How did you first fall in love with The Smiths?

GRAHAM: "I adored the Smiths from the very moment I saw them on the Tube with This Charming Man. I fell in love with the Smiths with 'Well I Wonder' when it ailed my broken teenage heart."
ANDY: "I first heard This Charming Man coming from the bedroom of my older sister. I waited till she went out, crept in stole the shiny new blue thing that was Hatful of Hollow and retreated to the safety of my room. I've never been out since."
SIMON: "Aged 14 years I was hiding under a table as the thuggy Bruce Springsteen fans threw stuff at the geeky Queen fans in the Maths class in darkest 80's Stevenage. A fellow refugee was Stephen Trousee, the indie lad from Liverpool who was in my class. I knew he liked Echo & the Bunnymen, but this time he was holding a copy of a blue album called Hatful of Hollow. We talked beneath the blitz above and he knew I was into music and wanted to let me hear something that he said would change me. Excited, we met in the music room later, he played me 'What difference?' My mouth fell open, I thought I heard Roger McGuinn sounding guitars, but with this really odd vocal. I had just got into the Byrds and loved the janglyness of the playing. Later on my girlfriend's brother Bill had the same album and I heard him upstairs playing 'What Difference?' on his guitar. The power of the intro just stuck me once again, a real statement of intent. A few months later, after going through a hating Morrissey phase and loving the rest of a band, I heard a then rival band member, Graham, in a local band singing a Smiths song whilst rehearsing in a community centre. That song was 'What Difference?. How sweet was this I thought. In the next 6 months, I ate the Smiths for breakfast, lunch & tea. As a bass player I loved Andy Rourke's playing and then loved Moz's domination of every scenario he was in. By 1986 and The Queen is Dead I was drunk on this music, . 6 years later came the first shot at a tribute, and then another 12 after that before the re-birth of The Smyths. What difference does it make? To me: More than anything in my musical life."
TOM: "Having grown up on a healthy diet of heavy rock music I unfortunately missed out on The Smiths when they where still together.I actually got into The Smiths much later when I was introduced to the Queen is Dead album. I became a born again Smiths fan and have not looked back since."
CHRIS: "During the early 1980s, my elder brother and I enjoyed the weekly ritual of watching Top of the Pops and taking the mickey out of anyone who wasn't Adam & the Ants. One particular Thursday we had a field day, pouring scorn on the funny-haired chap with the silly dance and the floppy shirt. Even my mum joined in with the laughing and pointing. A year or so later, a guitar-playing friend of my brothers called Daniel gave him a tape. All the songs on it were his own compositions except for two of them, William It Was Really Nothing & Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want by the aforementioned funny-haired chap and his associates. I was impressed enough to borrow and tape Daniel's copy of Hatful of Hollow. I listened to that tape endlessly on my Walkman whilst doing my early morning paper round. That album still brings back memories of dawdling round the dark streets, lost in the music and those astonishing lyrics, occasionally delivering the right paper to the right house. A schoolmate had Meat is Murder which I duly borrowed, taped and loved just as much. By the time The Queen is Dead came out, I was smitten enough to actually buy my own copy!"

Did you ever see The Smiths live?
Graham did. Twice. October 1986 at the London Palladium and then again in December at Brixton Academy (their last ever gig). Chris had a ticket for the Kilburn gig in 1986 (where "Rank" was recorded) but he was skint and sold his ticket to a friend with the words "I'll go next time they tour". What an idiot.