Morrissey might not have picked the bill for the middle day of the Hop farm festival but, frankly, he might as well have done: all four acts that preceded him are personal favourites, while recent support act Viva Brother propped up the bill. Perhaps it was this or simply the Kent sunshine but Morrissey proved on fine form. “How do you follow the Stooges?” he asked on taking the stage. The answer, at least for the fervent crowd that had made its way down to Hop Farm, was to kick off with a Smiths song (I Want The One I Can’t Have) pick up with one of his best-loved solo songs (You’re the One For Me, Fatty) and then return to The Smiths (Shoplifters Of The World Unite) via latter period hit You Have Killed Me. It was a brilliant way to start proceedings and, while the next 60 minutes couldn’t quite keep up with the pace, they nevertheless suggested a renewed vigour in Morrissey that has sometimes seemed lacking in recent years, with a run of concert cancellations, poor health and disappointing chart results. Hop Farm might not have been sold out – at least not for the Saturday that Morrissey is headlining – but the singer remained a formidable live draw, appearing second on the bill to U2 at Glastonbury. He was helped on this occasion by the fact that this initially looked like being the closest the singer was doing to a London gig this summer (two dates in the capital have since been announced) but there is no doubting the enthusiasm of the crowd, many of whom were still in nappies when he recorded 1992 album Your Arsenal, let alone singing with The Smiths. It helps too that his band, the object of frequent criticism from fans, sound in good form. There’s still remains some tendency to crank out the guitars and rock out – versions of This Charming Man and Meat Is Murder suffer slightly from this – but they prove on songs such as Alma Matters that they can play with a great deal of sympathy. And Morrissey’s voice remains flawless throughout. The former Smiths singer is, famously, without a record deal – an odd situation for any festival headliner – following stints on three of the four majors and Sanctuary. At this gig he plays two new songs - rocker The Kid's A Looker and the more sedate Action Is My Middle Name – which show his skill as a melodicist and lyric writer remain undimmed. They are greeted with verve and even a sing-along. Logic would dictate a new deal can’t be far away but things are rarely simple in Morrissey’s world. To hear these new songs properly recorded would be a delight. But, perversely, Morrissey often seems at his best when faced with adversity – consider, for example, his UK tour in the early part of the century when he was previously label-less – and his excellent headline set almost makes you want the situation to continue. As for Hop Farm, now in its fourth year, it can sometimes seem slightly confused. The line up generally follows the rule of new acts in the early part of the day followed by legends at night. But you wonder how many people in the world, let alone Kent, are dedicated fans of The Eagles, Morrissey and Prince, the three headliners in 2011. But the appearance of the latter, in particular, for what was his only UK show of 2011 shows that promoter Vince Power has lost none of his skill with a contact book. And whoever organised a Saturday line up of Magazine, Patti Smith, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and the Stooges and Morrissey surely deserves a pay rise.
Morrissey set list:
I Want The One I Can't Have / You're The One For Me, Fatty / You Have Killed Me / Shoplifters Of The World Unite / Ouija Board, Ouija Board / There Is A Light That Never Goes Out / The Kid's A Looker / Everyday Is Like Sunday / Action Is My Middle Name / Meat is Murder / Satellite Of Love / I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris / Speedway / Alma Matters / Irish Blood, English Heart / First Of The Gang To Die / This Charming Man / Panic | 
