When Morrissey sings, the boys listen--and sections of the audience at Morrissey's SXSW show looked like a gay-hipster bar. What's the allure? Hype over his new album, Ringleader For The Tormentors? General anti-dance music backlash? Whatever the draw, his gay fans are unfaulteringly loyal. This show was packed. Gay, gay, gay.

Morrissey's show was among the most talked about of the festival in genreal, up there with The Beastie Boys and The Pretenders, as he performed new songs that held up to the old tunes by The Smiths he threw in for kicks. Unlike his usual pity-party music of the past, with lyrics that could pass for suicide letters, "Ringleader For The Notorious" (on sale April 4) has already won critical praise, and holds more optimistic fare. (A little.)

In a pre-show interview, he said The Smiths were offered $5 million to reunite and play at Coachella, but they turned it down for personal reasons. Fools. The gays will just have to settle for The Scissor Sisters, Paul Oakenfold and Madonna at Coachella instead.