Garbage - London Electric Ballroom - 28/8/02
3/5
By: Andy Willson
There are rumours flying around the circuit that Garbage are devil-worshippers - so just imagine the Electric Ballroom's collective relief to find that the ideas were unfounded, and that it was just Ms Manson dressed all in Satin... And, to satisfy the dirty voyeurs amongst us, the Scottish dame was also clad in her nifty hot-pants and high heels (well, boots, to be specific), plus a clingy vest top; so, yes - clearly - our Shirls was out in force to kick some serious, Camden-poseur butt.
Really, too, it's a wonder that such confidence in still intact within this band-unit. Having received a scathing media-backlash in recent months that's so scarring and brutal most other acts would retreat back into whatever cave they crawled out from and seek refuge, Garbage have soldiered on triumphantly, playing sell-out shows across the globe and playing exclusively to those that appreciate them the most - the fans.
The especially expectant crowd tonight had been thoroughly warmed up by a typically screeching set from a promising Queen Adreena, who successfully manage to sound like the bastard son of Bjork and King Adora. But when tonight's headliners eventually take to the stage, the volume gets turned up a couple of notches. Opening with new material from the latest offering, 'beautifulgarbage', Shirley and Co. soon put on the crowd-pleaser tops and crash through old favourites in the vein of 'Push It' and 'Milk'. And, of all the weeks to choose to play for us, it happens to be the front-woman's birthday this week - and, boy, she makes sure we all know it, even finding time to stop and collect gifts from the loyal attendees nearer the front.
Such an ambience can be created, too - for this is the most intimate venue Garbage have played in seven years. Yet, despite the reasonably small enclosure, mid-set, the crowd-surfing starts up - diligent, defiant renditions of 'Stupid Girl' and 'Only Happy When It Rains' placed back-to-back, the former being performed for the fourth time this week, still sounding as fresh as it was when it was released the best part of eight years ago. Elsewhere, they manage to catch the crowd out cold with an unusual intro to the sultry 'Cherry Lips', but the poppy composition soon shapes itself into place, and - after a good hour - the encores get delivered: three album tracks. As they bid us farewell, from observing from the hysterical reaction, it's a safe bet that a few die-hard fans will be sleeping over to catch the same thing all over again tomorrow evening.
Seemingly, by judging the quality and assuredness of tonight's performance - to use a clichéd journalistic approach - this lot may well call themselves Garbage, though it appears that many music-lovers are justifiably not willing to chuck 'em out just yet.
Artists in this article: Garbage
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