Vivid LIVE headliner Morrissey bans meat from Sydney Opera House catering for his exclusive shows

CONTROVERSIAL pop star Morrissey will play the Opera House for Vivid LIVE — but you can forget about grabbing a hot dog at the venue before the show.

TICKETS to see legendary British musician Morrissey at Vivid LIVE will be in hot demand but you can forget about a hot dog at the Sydney Opera House before the show.

The staunchly vegetarian singer has requested a ban on meat from backstage catering and any food and beverage bars associated with the Concert Hall on his performance nights.

So for the four nights the former Smiths frontman is performing at Vivid Live in May, concertgoers will have to enjoy roast beef sandwiches or antipasto plates at nearby restaurants.

Morrissey, who titled the second Smiths record Meat Is Murder, is uncompromising about his catering demands and recently cancelled a scheduled concert in Iceland when the venue refused to go meat-free on the night of his gig.

Meaty demand ... Don’t be wearing a meat frock to Morrissey’s Vivid LIVE shows in May. Picture: AFP.

“I love Iceland and I have waited a long time to return, but I shall leave the Harpa Concert Hall to their cannibalistic flesh-eating bloodlust,” he said in a statement.

Morrissey has a passionately devoted audience with the Opera House offering tickets via a national ballot for his only Australian shows on May 26, 27, 30 and 31.

The animal activist is also renowned for his antimonarchy stance and penned a lengthy blog against the Brit Awards, held in London today.

Vivid LIVE festival director Ben Marshall, who has also brought Nick Cave and The National to the iconic venue, said the concerts will sell out quickly, based on demand for tickets for his European concerts in March.

Eighties heroes ... Fans of the British band The Smiths remain fiercely devoted after all these years. Picture: Supplied.

“I have vivid teenage memories of his face all over our lever-arch files in high school, so it’s amazing to now showcase his artistry on the Concert Hall stage,” Marshall said.

“These four vital, intimate concerts will be a very special occasion for all those like-minded souls who’ve been affected by Morrissey.”

Ticket ballot ... Demand for Kraftwerk was so great fans had to apply in a national ballot. Picture: Prudence Upton

Vivid LIVE also held a ticket ballot for the Kraftwerk winter festival concerts in 2013 to offer fans interstate and overseas a chance to attend the special shows.

Fans can apply for tickets from Monday until March 6 via sydneyoperahouse.com/morrissey.

The full Vivid Sydney program of lights, concerts and special events from May 22 until June 8 will be announced in mid March.

Now in its seventh year of taking over the Opera House with contemporary music, Vivid LIVE has featured some of the world’s most revered artists including The Cure, Giorgio Moroder, Lou Reed, Florence and the Machine and Pixies.

It has become a big drawcard for pop and rock artists wanting to offer their fans something different.

Local artists, including Kate Miller-Heidke, have also relished the opportunity offered by Vivid to perform at a venue which can be tough to book with competition from the annual symphony calendar.

“Some artists have wit or attitude, others are very good at being vulnerable; not many artists are all of these things. That’s part of what I love about Morrissey. I’m not surprised he wants to play Vivid LIVE at the Opera House — it’s such a special festival,” Miller-Heidke said.

Originally published as Vivid LIVE headliner Morrissey bans meat from Sydney Opera House catering for his exclusive shows