Billed as possibly their last United States headlining tour, Garbage performed an emotionally charged set at The Pinnacle in Nashville.
Starcrawler got the night off with an explosive start, bringing the spirit of rock and roll to the stage. With a sound that combines punk, garage rock, and glam rock elements, the group had the Music City crowd energetic.
While the instrumentals were strong, lead singer Arrow de Wilde was the star of the show, just because of her mere presence. On stage, it was the small things that she did that grabbed the audience’s attention. It was obvious she cares about the band’s performance, but at the same time, she just has this “I don’t give a damn” swagger that’s not really seen in modern rock music. That was most prevalent during her exit from the stage. As her band kept playing, she grabbed her leather jacket and exited the stage. In some ways, it was refreshing, proving that rock and roll is still alive and well.
In an August post on Instagram, Garbage stated that the Happy Endings Tour the band is currently on is likely their final U.S. headlining tour. The post read: “Yesterday saw the commencement of rehearsals for our last North American headline tour… If the truth be told, it is unlikely we will play many of the cities on this tour ever again.”Between it possibly being the group’s final Nashville show and the assassination of conservative media personality Charlie Kirk, the emotions were charged during the performance. Five songs into Garbage’s set, lead singer Shirley Manson addressed the crowd, condemned all political violence, and pleaded with the crowd and the universe to make it stop.
“Human life has become so disposable, and it’s terrible,” Manson said. “This cycle of crazy violence has to stop. It is so frustrating for all of us – it’s just mad. There is so much violence and so much killing, and we have to make it stop ourselves. Life is so precious. We don’t get it again. This is it. You may as well make it wonderful, make it fun, make it adventurous, make it interesting.”
While sadness and frustration were prevalent early, the night also featured some funny, introspective, and nostalgic moments. During the 21-song performance, which included fan favorites, there were times when Manson would share stories about some of the tracks the band was about to play. From an audience member, it added insight and significance to the tunes.
Though the band has technically left the door open a sliver, this show felt like Garbage’s final farewell to its Nashville fans. Early into their performance, Manson reflected on the band’s career and how she remembers playing the group’s first Music City show back in 1995.
“This is just absolutely crazy that we should be here, 30 years older,” Manson stated. “We always come to Nashville shivering in fear, but we also have immense gratitude to be in this incredible city with your music history. You’ve heard it all before, so blah, blah, blah, but as a musician, it’s a profound place to come. It never gets old, and it never gets tired, and it is always very special.”
GARBAGEWebsite Facebook
