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DailyBoom Your Old School Music Authority

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

TBT- Daily Boom Exclusive: 'The Rage and Rapture Tour' Review- Garbage


It's Throwback Thursday so here's an oldie but goodie.

A certain kind of magic is almost inevitable when you take two legendary bands, each fronted by iconic female rockers and you have them hit the road together for a 27- city North American tour. The Rage and Rapture Tour, co-headlined by Garbage and Blondie seems to have only picked up momentum as it rolled into a series of East coast dates. The Aug. 2nd tour stop in Philadelphia at The Mann Center, a beautiful outdoor venue nestled in Fairmount Park, was absolutely everything that I had hoped it would be. You know how sometimes you see a show that's so fantastic that when you wake the next day you're still carrying it with you? This was one of those for me. I left the venue a little bit changed. I'm not exactly sure how or why, but I do know that it's a good thing.


I've always been entranced by Shirley Manson, from the very first moment that MTV introduced her and the rest of Garbage to me. My college-girl self thought that she was the epitome of cool, drop-dead stunning and most importantly, she was smart. As Manson took the stage, 25 years after my first impression of her was made, she was still all of those things and more. Fire from the top of her hair to the tips of her combat boots, owning every inch of the stage.


Here we are in the city of brotherly love. This is the city I fell in love with when I grew up on the tiny little island of Scotland.” proclaimed Manson after the band’s first few songs. Clad in star stockings, a shimmering silver dress and of course, a head full of flame-colored hair Manson owned every bit of the stage as she lost herself in the music. At times she seemed to be stalking the cords and then in other moments, she was vulnerable to the point of fragility before bouncing back with authority.


Manson has a way of making you feel the anguish of her songs while turning them into a bit of performance art. She appears almost catatonic for part of “#1 Crush” and then twirls with abandon through “Stupid Girl”.


Manson introduced several songs by weaving in bits of her own personal history as well stories of strong women rockers that affected her and drove her to get to America, somehow. She was intensely connected to the band and the audience simultaneously and somehow managed to absolutely break my heart along with hers during a very still rendition of “Cup Of Coffee”.

Their set continued gaining momentum for well over an hour so that by the time Garbage cranked out one of their anthems, “Only Happy When It Rains”, it truly gave the audience the eventual outburst that it needed. Manson started the song sitting on the stage and as she slithered through the opening lyrics The Mann was fixated. By the time the music crashed in, she was lying face down, soaking up the cheers as the band enjoyed an energetic and deserved moment in the spotlight.


As The Rage and Rapture Tour continues it's North American run I'm going to bet that it'll only get better with each show. Garbage can't help but leave absolutely everything on the stage.



Setlist:

No Horses
Sex Is Not the Enemy
#1 Crush
Empty
I Think I'm Paranoid
Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)
Blackout
Special
Cup of Coffee
Even Though Our Love Is Doomed
The World Is Not Enough
Stupid Girl
Only Happy When It Rains
Push It
Vow