With only six UK dates on the tour, fans schlepped from far and wide for a rare evening with the former Smiths front man. It was a night of high emotion with plenty of twists and turns.

Bournemouth Echo:

1. Meat is off the menu

Forget about chowing down on that pre-show burger or hot dog. Morrissey doesn't eat animals and you'd be hard pressed to find any meat-products on sale tonight.

Fans were also greeted at the door by pamphleteers from animal rights group PETA.

2. Morrissey fans of the world, unite and take over

Young and old fans of Morrissey and The Smiths have flocked together excitedly waiting for the indie icon. Tonight this is the hottest ticket in the land.

Bournemouth Echo:

3. Moz shares his music video collection

With no support act, the audience is treated to a selection of music videos on a huge screen above the empty stage. They give an insight into his artistic influences with tracks from The Ramones, Penetration and New York Dolls. There's also a fitting tribute to the recently departed 80s pop star Steve Strange and his band Visage's Fade To Grey.

Bournemouth Echo:

4. Bournemouth strikes again

He's actually here. The relief from the audience is deafening, as Morrissey strides out onto the stage of the Windsor Hall and launches into The Queen Is Dead and then Suedehead.

It's been a nail-biting week for fans and Morrissey later acknowledges his previous cancellations.

Here he is, back at the BIC for the first time since 1991. What's more, he look's like he's having the time of his life.

Bournemouth Echo:

5. Unmistakably Morrissey

Morrissey's voice has been undiminished by time or his recent illness. His trademark warble and velvety tones enthrals the near sell-out audience.

His voice and stage presence is so compelling that even new tracks from recent album, World Peace Is None Of Your Business, hold their own in the set-list. Smiler With Knife is a particular high point.

6. Don't expect a knighthood soon

As would fit the monarchy bashing lyrics of The Queen Is Dead, the video screens have unflattering images of her majesty and Kate And Wills accompanied by the caption 'United King-Dumb.'

Bournemouth Echo:

7. Heaven knows he's happier now

Looking like Evel Knievel in a racing stripe shirt, Moz is clearly in high spirits. There's good humoured banter with the crowd about south coast rivalry with Brighton and a joke about Mother's Day before singing Every Day Is Like Sunday.

He even ends the night stripped to the waist having thrown his shirt to the crowd.

8. An unexpected video nasty

Some how at odds with the feel-good atmosphere was the truly upsetting footage of animals being slaughtered at an abattoir that accompanied Meat Is Murder. It's stomach churning stuff and thought provoking.

Bournemouth Echo:

9. Not much of an encore

After ending triumphantly with Irish Heart, English Blood and Smiths favourite Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before. Hopes were high for more old gems in the encore.

Sadly we got just the one song with Speedway, which admittedly had a nice sing-song in the middle with a very brief Bournemouth version of Bigmouth Strikes Again. It was then left for the drummer to inexplicably start kicking over his drums and wrecking his kit before the lights came up.

Bournemouth Echo:

10. There's a club if you'd like to go?

All done by 10pm. It's a noticeably short set, but it covers all the bases and most people will have come away happy.

Still, it's Saturday night and the masses throng out the doors to pubs, clubs and probably not a kebab shop.

All pictures by www.rockstarimages.co.uk