Morrissey is still a charming man

Any doubts that Morrissey would be up for his date in Hull after his recent brush with illness were blown away as the iconic pop star took to the stage in the city this week.

He may be pushing 50 – his milestone birthday is tomorrow – and looking, let's say, a lot stouter than he did in his Smiths pomp, but there's no denying that his floating voice with its falsetto reach is still a force to be reckoned with.

The energetic foursome, who were handpicked by his Mozness for the tour, impressed when they toned down the Siouxsie And The Banshees-style wailing and concentrated on what sounded like some pretty impressive melodies.

It was the iconic star, not the young upstarts, the packed arena had come to see. Welcomed on stage by a kitsch projected backdrop of Shirley Bassey and New York Dolls numbers, intertwined with footage gleaned from what looked like awful 60s TV variety shows, Morrissey obviously still has a taste for the flamboyant – as well as the lost Britain of yesteryear. A giant bicep-bulging sailor formed the backdrop – make of that what you will.

But, if the build-up and scenery were a little camp, there was nothing fey about his live performance. Ripping straight into a performance of This Charming Man before dovetailing into Irish Blood, English Heart – the song that kick-started the singer's Indian summer comeback in 2004 – this was Morrissey backed by a muscular, and aggressive, backing band that had no problem filling what is often a cavernous and unforgiving venue.

"Is it too loud for you?" he quipped at one point. "Is it too Grimsby?"

Four songs in, the band really went to town on How Soon Is Now, with guitarist Boz Boorer recreating Johnny Marr's epic fractured guitar riff to a heavy, bludgeoning, effect. The track ended with the drummer bashing the living daylights out of the huge Rank Studios gong behind his kit.

The sterling opening ended with more Smiths crowd pleasers – Girlfriend In A Coma and Ask – while You Are The Quarry's Let Me Kiss You climaxed with the ageing singer ripping his shirt off to the words, "And then you see someone you physically despise".

A nod to the middle-aged spread and greying temples? Maybe, but with the shirt flung into the crowd, it proved a barnstorming opening.

If anything, Morrissey may have used too much of his big artillery too soon, as the second half drifted a little. Tracks such as Something Is Squeezing My Skull – or something is squeezing my Hull as he announced it – Throwing My Arms Around Paris and When Last I Spoke To Carol, from his latest album, were all given an outing.

It was refreshing to see Morrissey so at ease with his illustrious back catalogue – much more than I remember him being at Bridlington Spa several years ago – and willing to dig into The Smiths' repertoire for some crowd-pleasing numbers. But I would have loved to have seen the reaction to "panic on the streets of Humberside" or a Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now.

Another shirt change, this time from tight white to tight black, and the encore consisted only of a fine rendition of First Of The Gang To Die before he was gone – leaving the band to distribute T-shirts, plectrums and drum sticks around the audience. A good night, a great performer, a muted finale.

Let's hope it's not, as rumoured, his last show here in Hull before retirement beckons.