Morrissey at The Lowry, Salford

THE SENSE OF feverish anticipation that Morrissey still generates before each live performance, record release and even interview is a remarkable testament to the cult of personality that the former Smiths singer continues to command more than 15 years into his erratic solo career. The start of his latest British tour in Salford on Tuesday, the first of four shows in his native Manchester, fortuitously coincided with a chart-topping slot for his fine new album, Ringleader of the Tormentors. Arriving to tumultuous applause, the old curmudgeon almost looked happy.