My wife and I were delighted to learn that Garbage would be playing in Paris while we were on vacation there. I was surprised we managed to score tickets at face value, and even more surprised by the intimacy of the venue – the Bataclan. I expected a much bigger place, but the small size made the show louder, closer, and better.
Openers Dream Wife put down a raucous set of garage punk about subjects like female empowerment and ending gender bias. The people tending their merch table were having a great time all night.
Garbage came out to a lively crowd and were soon tearing through hits from their second album, Garbage 2.0. It was the 20th anniversary tour of the record, so you had to expect it. They played other hits, of course, and lead singer Shirley Manson had the crowd in her hands within moments of the first notes she sang.
They tore through tracks like “Deadwood,” “Wicked Ways” (which included parts of Depeche Mode‘s “Personal Jesus”), and “The World Is Not Enough” – the Bond theme they did from the movie of the same name back in 1999. Other highlights included “Medication,” with Manson telling the story of how she had to deal with health care in the U.S. after nearing dying of flu while on tour, “I Think I’m Paranoid,” “Sleep Together,” “Dumb,” and “Push It.”
They closed with “The Trick Is to Keep Breathing,” a new song called “No Horses” (which Manson said is about an environmental apocalypse), and “Cherry Lips” (which Manson said has become the Garbage concert anthem).
It was a fun show with an appreciative crowd. You can’t ask for much more than that.
Keep your mind open.
[Don’t forget to subscribe.]
