Review: Greg Phillips. Photos: Mary Boukouvalas
It had been a decade since Garbage last played in Australia. Two albums had been released in the meantime including this year’s Let All That We Imagine Be the Light, so fans were keen to experience what the band had to offer in 2025. Of course what they didn’t expect was the Good Things Festival beach ball saga but more of that later.
Last night, the ornate Palais Theatre provided the band with their first Australian headline show of the tour and clearly the longtime fans were out in force to welcome them back.
With the ominous Laura’s Theme from Twin Peaks piping out of the PA as the walk-on music, the drama was already building. Shirley Manson strutted onstage, resplendent in tartan skirt and shawl, looking part runway model, part battle-ready soldier as she sung, “If you’re ready for love”, the opening bars of There’s No Future in Optimism, the opening track of the new album. It was obvious from the get-go that this band was in powerful shape and ready to rock the room.
‘Hold’, also a new one followed and suffered a bit from the theatre’s sonic inability to cater to loud, distorted guitars. ‘I Think I’m Paranoid’ was the first of the more familiar tunes and had the crowd up out of their seats, where they remained for the rest of the show. ‘Vow’, the band’s break through hit was up next and it quickly became evident that this gig had entered a party zone from which there’d be no return.
Run Bay Run from the Bleed Like Me album kept the momentum going. The aggressive spotlights were right in our faces and so too was the music, this is the way you present a rock show.
Five songs in and Shirley finally took to the microphone to welcome the audience and attend to a couple of important items on her agenda. This was the first time they had played their own headline show on Australian soul since the passing of their “mentor” Michael Gudinski and she wanted to acknowledge his importance to the band. “I just want to say a big thank you to Michael on behalf of the whole band,” Shirley said. She went on to thank Michael’s family and tour connections and said it was an emotional night for the band … they wouldn’t be who they are if it wasn’t for Michael’s help. Then came the beach ball statement!
“I just need to say one last thing … about the bizarre beach ball gig. And I want our fans to know that if that person is indeed what he said he was, he said he was a Garbage fan, I would never have spoken to him like I did. I would like you to bear in mind, that everything is contextual. If you are not given any context, you have no idea what went on. Second of all, I have had a thirty year career. I have never spoken to any fan in my life like that before .. except for one cunt who spat on me once. He spat on me once, I went fucking nuts and you know what happened … I got a gig as a Terminator on a massive TV show … thank you to the true fans, we love you and sorry I lost my cool but I still fucking hate beach balls and I always will.”
Manson’s initial reaction to the incident was deemed inappropriate by many. Preaching peace for Palestine and in the same breath suggesting people should punch a guy in the face for playing with a beach ball was a bit hypocritical. However, our man on the spot at Good Things in Melbourne told us that the beach ball guy was annoying and many in the crowd kept trying to move away from him. Not enough to deserve a directive to harm him though. Last night’s apology from Manson was definitely heartfelt and I think enough for us to move on and forget about the whole, weird episode.
The Trick Is to Keep Breathing from the Version 2.0 album was an apt tune to launch into next. A headline gig in a city close to her heart, amongst her most ardent fans had Manson in a comfort zone she was clearly enjoying.
The dual guitar assault of Duke Eriksson and Steve Marker was impressive, utilising a variety of guitars from Guild Bluesbirds to Starfires and Teles, as well as occasionally generating sounds from their individual keyboard setups. Meanwhile, new bass player Nicole Fiorentino (Bizou, Smashing Pumpkins) hung back in the shadows alongside Butch Vig and his splendid Roland TD-50X fully-electronic VAD drum kit.
Fiorentino made her presence felt with some deep plunging bass notes featured on #1 Crush, the hit song from Baz Luhrmann’s “Romeo + Juliet” soundtrack.
Manson then spoke to the audience again about the band’s journey and in particular a record company that insisted that they work with rappers and hip hop artists of the day or else they would release the band from their contract. Bleed Like Me was the album and the last with a major label before they went independent. The band then kicked into the title track with Fiorentino’s bass featuring once more.
Queer, one of the band’s most popular anthems had the audience swaying and singing along with Manson, beginning a barrage of hits including When I Grow Up, Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!), and Push It. The fabulous electro-pop epic The Day That I Met God, saw the band leave the stage for a breather before returning for a 2 song encore.
A ripping Stupid Girl was a highlight, played superbly and lapped up by the appreciative crowd. Then came a foreboding farewell from Manson.
“It’s taken us eleven years to come back to Australia, I don’t know if we’ll ever be back,” she said. “Maybe we will, who knows? Depending on how things go. This is a funny thing, this music industry of ours, there’s no guarantees so let’s sing together like it’s our last time together with you, who have been with us 30 years strong. Thank you much.” From the moment Shirley opened her pipes to sing Only Happy When It Rains, the crowd was with her and band in full voice.
It was indeed and emotional gig for both band and longtime fans and if we don’t ever get to see Garbage back in Australia, at least they left nothing behind on stage, gave it their all and rocked the roof off the grand old Palais one more time.
SETLIST:
There’s No Future in Optimism
Hold
I Think I’m Paranoid
Vow
Run Baby Run
The Trick Is to Keep Breathing
Not My Idea
Hammering in My Head
Wolves
#1 Crush
Bleed Like Me
Queer
Chinese Fire Horse
When I Grow Up
Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)
Push It
The Day That I Met God
Encore:
Stupid Girl
Only Happy When It Rains