Four out of five members of alt-rock titans Garbage may be American, but tonight is still firmly a hometown show. “My name is Shirley fucking Manson and I’ve sung in this hall since I was 10 years old,” their ever-iconic, Edinburgh-born frontperson proclaims to the sold-out audience. “And I’m soon to turn 58, so you can all suck it!”
If the vibe is confrontational, it’s gleefully so. Weaving between her black-clad bandmates, Manson stalks the stage with gravitas garnered from more than three decades onstage. During the high drama opener, Romeo + Juliet soundtrack classic #1 Crush, she’s resolutely stoic and grounded in pink taffeta dress and neon green leggings. During 90s hits including I Think I’m Paranoid and Special, she drags the mic stand behind her, approaching the audience with taunting daring. The conviction of her rock star persona is only broken a few songs in when she leads the audience in a rendition of Happy Birthday for her sister, one of a number of loved ones present tonight.
