The Sweet and Tender Hooligans are a tribute band for Morrissey and The Smiths. The Smiths were an indie rock band formed in 1982 in Manchester, U.K. The founding members were Morrissey, Mike Joyce, Andy Rourke, and Johnny Marr, with Morrissey and Marr writing the songs. The Smiths are an important band and fused rock and post-punk into something that stood out from the dance pop of the time.
The Sweet and Tender Hooligans, who take their name from one of The Smiths’ songs, have been playing their tribute shows for more than 20 years. Based in Los Angeles, they have played to sold out houses in the UK, Mexico, and the US, with frontman Jose Maldonado channeling Morrisey so convincingly it can be spooky. Morrissey himself took the stage with Maldonado to joke that “I’m Jose.”
The tribute band got together in 1992 in Los Angeles to keep alive the music of The Smiths, who had broken up five years earlier. Their success in the UK attracted the BBC’s attention, and LA Weekly named them “Best Cover Band in Los Angeles.” A review says:
“Just like Morrissey, Jose gets better with age. This band gives 110% in each performance...”
The Sweet and Tender Hooligans, along with the Cineramas, will be at the Music Box on August 24. When shows like this are scheduled, organizers often use poster printing to promote them.