Nothing trashy about Garbage’s concert
Band delights crowd with songs from1995 album
So much has changed over the last 20 years. Yet, one thing absolutely remains the same:
Garbage can be quite delightful.
Of course, I’m talking about the band Garbage, the multiplatinum outfit that is fronted by iconic vocalist Shirley Manson. The group performed Wednesday at the Fox Theater, sounding every bit as strong as when it was crafting such ’90s modern-rock staples as “I Think I’m Paranoid” and “#1 Crush.”
It was the second date of Garbage’s 20th anniversary tour. And, fittingly, the group didn’t come to Oakland to hawk a new album, but rather to remember an old one — Garbage’s selftitled debut from 1995.
Manson and her four Garbage men — including producer extraordinaire Butch Vig on drums — opened the two-hour show by performing behind a translucent screen, looking like mere shadows as they cranked through the b-side track “Subhuman.”
When the screen lifted after one song, the troupe rocketed right off to the first album, quickly alerting fans the intention was to play “Garbage,” more or less, from start to finish.
The only real drawback to that plan? The album isn’t great. It definitely has some great songs, but also its share of filler. Plus, it’s top heavy, with nearly all of the best songs coming near the start. That might be a great plan for a debut record, giving an act its best chance of catching the busy ear of a radio station music director. But it also translates to an anticlimactic concert experience, since all the biggest thrills come early in the set list.
Still, Manson’s vocals were amazingly powerful as she rocked through the album opener, “Supervixen,” and then moved straight into the powerful “Queer.” She captivated the capacity crowd with “Only Happy When It Rains,” spurring about 2,800 voices to cry out together, “Pour your misery down on me!”
The show didn’t reach those heights again until the encore. In the interim, the enthusiasm seemed to slowly leak out of the building as Garbage continued through the tracks from the debut album. The musicians were all business during the first half, taking a break between the album’s Sides 1 and 2. (Kids, ask your parents to explain what that means.)
Garbage used the break to play some rare B-side material and other such cuts, including a cover of The Jam’s “The Butterfly Collector.”
The group then queued up Side 2, eventually bringing the main set to an end with a tasty “Milk,” which is the rare gem to be found on the second half of “Garbage.”
Manson and the band delivered a generous encore, highlighted by “I Think I’m Paranoid” and “#1 Crush” as well as some very good news for fans who might’ve been thinking that this anniversary tour was Garbage’s last.
“This is not our swan song,” Vig told the crowd. “We are almost finished with our sixth album. We are going to come out and tour again next year.”