Marilyn Manson - 'Guns, God & Government World Tour' (Eagle Vision)
4/5
By: Toby L
A man that rarely portrays political-correctness as a virtue, preferring to spark reactions via the miming of fornication and revealing his ring-piece, you can now document the marvels and splendour of the Manson live-experience thanks to his latest concert-based DVD, 'Guns, God & Government World Tour', which profiles his most recent global-jaunt. But don't expect it to be an easy ride.
Content >>>
Oh yes, there's plenty of what we've come to expect of ole' Mazzer - the gratuitous nudity (both on-stage and in the audience), plus rousing devil-hymns such as 'Antichrist Superstar' and 'The Fight Song' as demonically and forbiddingly infectious as tight leather pants, performed so extravagantly and professionally that even your granny might show signs of excitement... Well, unlikely as the latter is to occur, what proves most staggering, genuinely, is the sheer ingenuity of the MM show: overblown, loud and entirely for the people.
'F**K THE POLICE,' even bellows our hero with all the bombast and sincerity of whoever it was that first coined such a notion within a public-arena, and the crowd go wild. It's blistering stuff, if completely unoriginal.
But to assess Marilyn as an innovator would be to miss the point; he picks up where A. Cooper, T-Rex and glam left off and shoves it in a melting-pot to form his distinctive brand of terror-rock - hence the lack of controversy these days surrounding his motions. We know the reality of his arch intellect, the fact that his Stateside mansion is the cleanest in the neighbourhood and that he's pals with famous people. This is not a leader - this is an entertainer, and 'Guns...' more than justifiably depicts him as one of the true, finest cult-performers, the hysteria of the sets and exploding cannons and fireworks an equal match to his twisted charisma... The accompanying, 'on-the-road' documentary-extra, meanwhile, only serves to enhance the alarming veracity of the show aspect of the band's endeavour.
Sound & Vision >>>
Delectably, the rawness of the material is what suits the scenarios best; there's little room for fine-tuned, widescreen shots here - instead, we're offered a bountiful multitude of fast-changing scenery from at least half a dozen of his performances throughout the tour, all grainy, seedy colours and unflattering angles. Musically, this is remarkably faithful to the original recordings, yet this is little surprise when considering the fact that 'Lyn incorporates so many identical samples in each gig... That rasping vocal-effect on his mic remains intact throughout too, naturally.
A collection of tunes spanning his entire career - from the incendiary 'The Beautiful People' through to the bittersweet eeriness of 'The Nobodies - this is a fan's dream; but, remember, don't let his fantasy corrode your everyday conventions. As a potential obsession, this is tainted love indeed.
Artists in this article: Marilyn Manson
Your Feedback
Login to post your comment