Sweet and Tender Hooligans

Great performance! So happy they played "How Soon Is Now." Last time I saw them, they didn't play it.

My wife & I saw Morrissey perform at the Shrine Auditorium in LA recently and left rather disappointed!! The Sweet & Tender Hooligans totally redeemed our awful experience with another one of their Guaranteed-to-Rock-the-House shows!! This was a unique way to ring in the holidays and close out the year... PS: This Charming Man can honestly say he did not have a Girlfriend In a Coma at the end of the show!! ;)

I expected the show to be kind of hokey-after all, it isn't REALLY The Smiths. But the band were so good that I would say they are more like the Nordstrom of The Smiths or the Saxs Fifth Avenue of The Smiths. Honestly, Jose Maldonado has such a great Morrissey voice. The musicians were fantastic. They even brought out some string musicians for a few of the numbers. Something contagious happens when a band looks like they are enjoying themselves-the audience tends to feel that energy and goes with it. I expected that The Sweet and Tender Hooligans might try to "be" Morrissey and The Smiths. I mean sort of take on the role as actors. I dreaded that possibility. But thankfully the band does not seem to be afraid to take from The Smiths and make it their own. For example when the lead singer sang "Ganglord"with only the stringed instruments, it was refreshing to hear an old favorite presented in a different format. He also sings some of the songs in Spanish.

Pleasantly surprised by this cover band!! Gear setlist too.

I'd been trying to catch these guys for a couple of years. If you love The Smiths and Morrissey, you will not be disappointed. it is the closest thing you will ever get to seeing the boys from Manchester actually play all the hits from their catalog. They are rock solid musicians and performers (and this is saying a lot given the difficulty of playing this material well). I heard a lot of people say "If you close your eyes, it's as if you're actually at a Smiths show". I disagree. You'll want to keep your eyes open. Their lead singer has truly studied Morrissey and has his stage presence, hairstyle, hand gestures and gyrations down cold. I had an absolute blast and so did everyone else who was in my immediate area. We were all scream singing along like it was 1985. Thank you guys. Here's hoping you play together for another 20 years.

I really enjoyed Sweet and Tender Hooligans at the OC Fair. I love the Smiths... and never did see them live, so I was thrilled when I found out about this band. And they rocked! I was up dancing from the first song to the last! I went by myself, which seemed kind of pathetic, but it was a blast. The whole audience was just having a great time. Thank you!!!

I've seen this band several times, and every time they absolutely amaze me. They put on such a great performance. The lead singer has all of Morrissey's moves down and even looks like Morrissey. He is able to motivate and engage the audience so well. I felt tired when I first got to the show after a long week of work and honestly wanted to just sit down and relax. He had me and everyone else on their feet within the first couple songs. I will continue to go back to see this band and give praises to the Mexican Morrissey!

Jose Maldonado (the lead singer) is amazing! He sounds, looks, and acts just like morrissey. I was impressed from the moment he came out on stage till the moment he came off. He sang the greatest hits from both the smiths albums and the morrissey albums... He even took off his shirt and showed the public his six pack! I had a great time and was please that he sang for 1.5 hours straight! I got my moneys worth! I looked back at one point in the concert and the entire auditorium was full of people. I liked Joses attitude and good natured personality... See u soon Sweet and Tender Hooligans.

I am a huge Smith's and Morrissey fan and my wife and I were completely blown away with how good these guys are. Almost too good as the singer looks like a Latin Morrissey and sings flawlessly. My only criticism is that they didn't play longer!!

"Accept no substitutes other then these substitutes", Jose Maldonado. Hooligans were amazing! The songs played with the strings group was phenominal!!! Truly beautiful music! Moz fans are truly the best! They add to a great evening!

I attend this birthday celebration every year at the House of Blues in Hollywood, so I already know what I'm in for. Every year the Sweet & Tender Hooligans (in my opinion, LA's premier Smiths/Morrissey cover band) strive to outdo themselves. I was glad to see Tom Tally and the Tallywood Strings joining the Hooligans on a few songs; the quartet always adds an air of elegance to my favorite songs. I would have liked to have heard more B-sides, deeper cuts or anything off of Ringleader of the Tormentors. Also: what happened to the Moz birthday cake we cut every year? Either way, great show and I'll definitely be back next year, if not sooner.

This is my fourth time seeing the Sweet and Tender Hooligans in concert. If you want to feel nostalgic for the 80's and desire to feel 17 again, then this is the band for you! Jose Maldonado is the great Mexican Morrissey! He moves like him, he sings like him, and if you allow yourself to believe it, you could almost swear that the Smiths did the impossible and reunited. Do yourself a favor and catch the Hooligans next time they're in town. They WILL NOT disappoint!

great energy on the stage from the bands and off the stage from the fans. thoroughly enjoyed the show.

The Sweet and Tender Hooligans continue to deliver a passionate and emotional tribute to the timeless music of The Smiths and Morrissey as a solo artist. This show was a prime example of how the Hooligans and their fans have an unyeilding connection to their hero...Morrissey.

"Accept no imitators but these imitators" Great show, worth every penny.

The Mexican Morissey is amazing ! Best show ever !!

If you are a Morrissey/Smith s fan, these guys are amazing

Always love seeing them play. As long as he's been doing shows, he still plays like it's his first show. He puts 100% into it all the time. The new HOB is so much better than the old one. More bars, bigger and u have the choice of VIP.

Jose is awesome doing his impression of Morrissey and he plays all the hits!

Bought these for my daughter. She was amazed this group was so good. She'll be following the band from now on.

I was able to give up one ticket to friends and sat up front next to the stage .

Hooligans where amazing, can't wait for them to come back to OC, I will definitely be a fan forever, love the Smiths and Morrissey tribute

Another perfect performance from the gang that dares to pay tribute to The Smiths and Moz.

Girlfriend is a big Morrissey (Smiths) fan. We went to see Morrissey a while back and I had never been so bored at a concert! I saw that the Sweet and Tender Hooligans were playing at the fairgrounds so I purchased tickets for her Birthday. I figured I'd suffer through it for her. Turns out Jose Maldonado put on a great show (Very lively) would definitely see them again. Just sorry Jose missed his high school reunion for us! :)

What an amazing show. They played the best of Morrissey & The Smith's hits. They interacted with the audience! Great show! Will definitely see them again!

If you love Morrissey/The Smith's then you need to see this band, they sound amazing live and put on an awesome show!

They were just ok this time. I have seem them a couple other times and they were excellent. There was something lacking this time. I suggest a lot more Smith songs and less obscure Morrissey songs. The crowd just wants to sing along to the hits. The opening band was cool.

All I can say is amazing. Check them out whenever possible!!!

Bottom line for concert..extremely good effort was there by entire band but would have enjoyed more of the past fan favorites that were not sung such as How Soon Is Now or This Charming Man.. not sure if there is some kind of copyright permission but i do remember them performing more fan favorites the first time i witnessed this band.. Overall a little disappointment with the venue as well as with the air circulation in the stage hall.. hence the Three Star rating.

Well, like a few dumb asses I met that night, I had no idea this was a COVER Band. But, they started out great. "How soon is now" was their second song and it sounded great. My only gripe would be the set list. With all the great Smith's and Morrissey songs to choose from, the set REALLY seemed to drag in the middle? Was that only me who felt that way? Otherwise, I had good time.

The show was incredible! Jose was in rare form that night. It's as if Morrissey's spirit was inside him in a way that I've never seen before. The band was on point, the songs were awesome and the moves were exact! It was my first time going to an Unhappy Bday celebration for Morrissey, but definitely not my last. Can't wait for next year!!!

Awesome show. Jose Maldonado is excellent at getting the crowd pumped and keeping your attention. Overall had so much fun.

Myself and a couple of friends surprised my wife for her Bday... little did we know that we were all in for a huge surprise. I've only seen the Hooligans a few times and I always have a good time, but man o' man... the show they put on on Friday Dec. 28 @ HOB Anaheim was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!... and long!! Which is good bcuz we did not want the night to end. Even the band themselves acknowledged to playing their longest set ever to which the crowd responded with a thunderous and joyful roar!!... and then they kept playing some more!! AWWWESOME!!! Definitely a night to remember. Go see The Sweet and Tender Hooligans!!!

Opening band The Curse (The Cure cover band) was awesome! Sweet and Tender put on an amazing show.

Always such an awesome show. Love going and always look forward to the next show..

These guys simply get better each and every time I see them.

These guys never fail to deliver a great performance! Great mix of Smiths and both new and old Morrissey. My only complaint is it seemed HOB over sold the event. Out of all the shows I've been to there, it's never been that packed full of people. Just uncomfortable!

This is absolutely the best cover band I have ever seen. The lead singer dances and sings just like Morrissey. He takes off his shirt just like Moz, dances with the microphone, and people rush the stage to hug him. The entire band is so extremely energetic and you can tell they have endless passion for what they're doing. This is the second time I've seen this exact band at this exact venue. Nothing could've been better about this concert. It was perfect. They are talented musicians who know how to throw an amazing show.

Jose Maldonado along with the entire band are amazing. If you are a Morrissey or Smiths fan, they are a MUST SEE!! It was a 90 min set and it left us wanting more!!! I love them! Other than the original, they are the next best thing!

OMG, this singer is really Morrissey! If you are a Smiths or Morrissey fan, you must go see this band!!! 5 Star show all the way!

WOW! So much fun. I love The Smiths and the show brought back great memories.

Every time I see this band, I am never disappointed. Just like Morrissey, Jose gets better with age. This band gives 110% in each performance and continue to carry a torch as the 'ultimate tribute to Morrissey and The Smiths". I don't think Morrissey or Marr could re-create the energy like the Sweet & Tender Hooligans. I am looking forward to seeing them again (very soon!).

Coming from England I was truly skeptical about this cover band but was I "wrong". They were truly amazing and the entire concert was just alive. One would truly think we were watching The Smiths....The lead singer was dynamic....Well worth seeing again and again..

Awesome!! Always put an amazing show. They really are the ultimate cover band. Have been following them for years now.

Great Morrisey tribute. Great voice and very charismatic. To bad the sound was totally flat....I blame the sound guy at the Hangar, not the band. Would see again.