10/07/2016 Uptown Theatre, Kansas, USA

12 mars 2017

10/07/2016 Uptown Theatre, Kansas, USA

Strange Little Birds Tour

10 juillet 2016
Uptown Theatre
Kansas City, Missouri
USA

Groupe

Shirley Manson (voix)
Steeve Marker (guitare et clavier)
Duke Erikson (guitare et clavier)
Matt Walker (batterie)
Eric Avery (guitare basse)

- Première partie: Kristin Kontrol -

Setlist

1. Sometimes
2. I Think I'm Paranoid
3. Stupid Girl
4. Special
5. Blood For Poppies
6. The Trick Is To Keep Breathing
7. Empty
8. My Lovers Box
9. Sex Is Not The Enemy
10. A Stroke Of Luck
11. Even Though Our Love Is Doomed
12. Control
13. Blackout
14. Automatic Systematic Habit
15. Bleed Like Me
16. Push It
17. Vow
18. Only Happy When It Rains
19. Cherry Lips

Rappel / Encore
20. Supervixen
21. #1 Crush
22. Why Do You Love Me

> 10 juillet 2016 - photos publiée sur Instagram du groupe
Shirley et une fan - Shirley et Steeve

Concert

- Kristin Kontrol -

Review

A reinvigorated Shirley Manson and Garbage brought the party to the Uptown last night
Jul 11, 2016 - on ThePitch
1990s alt-rock icons Garbage exploded onto the music scene just over 20 years ago, with an innovative, withering blend of rock and industrial sounds, led by the magnetic Shirley Manson with sounds curated and crafted by guitarists Duke Erikson and Steve Marker, all helmed by producer and drummer Butch Vig (who also produced Nirvana's Nevermind and the Smashing Pumpkins' Siamese Dream, among hundreds of other recordings). While the band somewhat quietly returned from a several-year hiatus in 2012, it is the band's June 2016 release, Strange Little Birds, that is a return to form. Strange Little Birds is by far Garbage's strongest effort in years, and the band's reinvigorated energy was apparent in last-night's appearance at the Uptown. Despite some technical difficulties (which provided ample opportunity for the witty Manson to verbally engage with the audience), Garbage gave the Uptown audience two hours of angsty, driving rock that more than demonstrated that the band is still angry - and very much alive.
   The band started their set cinematically, entirely backlit, with one of its new songs, the dirge-y "Sometimes," before popping into their hits "I Think I'm Paranoid," and an EDM-influenced performance of "Stupid Girl," both of which, somewhat surprisingly, still sound crunchy and fresh, despite being very much associated with the golden age of MTV.
   "Well, well, Kansas City, Missouri," said Manson to an enraptured crowd. "It's been a long time." Manson, who somehow is about to turn 50 (though looks well over a decade younger than that), prowled and pogoed across the stage, to the sharp, tight beats. She wore trademark fishnets and a striped, mod minidress. From the stage, she danced with audience members, occasionally blowing a kiss or shaking an audience member's hand. Notably absent was Butch Vig, who, Manson explained, has regrettably been sidelined with a sinus infection and is not permitted to fly. Manson noted that Matt Walker, a former drummer for Filter, has "saved our bacon."
   Manson took several opportunities throughout the night to engage the audience, explaining that "The Trick is to Keep Breathing," was written about a friend living in a violent relationship. She also proclaimed that the band is heavily in favor of rights for LGBTQ people, noting that "they still don't have the same rights as me," before performing "Sex is Not the Enemy." Manson donned a rainbow boa for the song, which she draped on her microphone for the rest of the night.
   Technical issues frequently interrupted the band, at times frustrating Manson, who at one point belted "someone tell me what the fuck is going on," to cheers from the audience. She joked after learning that the issue was a glitch in the control pad, that knowing what your problems are makes them much less irritating.
   "When you look under the bed and the monster is not there you feel better," she said, laughing.
Manson's rawness is unusual to see in a performer, and it's refreshing. Her just-beneath-the-surface simmering anger has always been one of her appeals. She owns that power, and last-night's audience ate it up. And yet, while she certainly noticed the technical issues and was distracted by them, it's not likely the audience would have noticed much if she'd not pointed it out. The band sounded tight and well-rehearsed after a month of touring on the new album.
   A clear highlight of the night was the band's performance of "Even Though Our Love is Doomed," from Strange Little Birds. The song begins with a smoldering, muted beat, topped with Manson's bare vocals. The song builds, with the band slowly adding synthesizers and shoegazey guitar lines, until it explodes with streaking guitar lines, crashing symbols and Manson's wail.
The technical issues continued, with Manson's mic even going out during the performance of "Automatic Systemic Habit." Manson gave up trying to fight it. From then on, she seemed to relax.
   "You're all a bunch of perverts," she joked, Scottish accent blazing. "You like to see a little bit of suffering, don't you? You like to see a band doing this for a long time get knocked on their backs?"
   Despite all of the trouble - or perhaps because of it - the show felt intimate, and like an opportunity to witness the band plowing through challenges. Manson, who also told the audience that many of her family members were present, threw herself into the performance. At times, she seemed to be improvising. At the end of "Vox," for example, she added lyrics from Beyonce's "Don't Hurt Me," from Lemonade: when you hurt me, you hurt yourself, don't hurt yourself.
   The evening culminated with frenetic blasts of light and energy, with the entire band fully committing for its three-song encore, which included a brooding performance of "#1 Crush," which showcased Manson at her hungriest and most open. The night was moody, a bit glitchy, a bit nostalgic, but vested in emotion and fun. Garbage and Manson proved themselves to still be a very worthy draw.

>> A lire aussi: