Review: Garbage @ Thebarton Theatre 12/12/25
Adelaide left the beach balls at home as alt-rock stalwarts Garbage ripped through a set of their best songs for an eagerly appreciative sold-out crowd.
Words Tobias Handke // Image Henry Maurin
Garbage w/Lucky @ Thebarton Theatre 12/12/25
Garbage has been in the news for all the wrong reasons this week. What should have been a celebration of the alt-rock icons, who are touring Australia for the first time in over a decade, has turned into a media circus after frontwoman Shirley Manson got upset about the crowd playing with beach balls during Garbage’s set at Good Things in Melbourne.
For those who have been living under a rock, Manson got cranky when a beach ball appeared in the crowd during Garbage’s set. This led to the ginger-haired singer giving her two cents not only on beach balls, but also saw her single out a punter with a beach ball and label him “a fuckin middle-aged man in a fuckin’ ridiculous hat”. She also ranted about the struggle of artists in the modern music industry while also discussing the plight of the Palestinian people. Things didn’t end there, with Manson giving the media the middle finger at Sydney airport, which was very ‘90s rock-and-roll of her.
After playing a headline show in Melbourne and apologising for her Good Things outburst, Manson and her band touched down in Adelaide for a highly anticipated, sold-out concert at the newly renovated Thebarton Theatre. Would the crowd bring beach balls to the show? Would Manson go off on another rant? Everyone was curious to see what would go down, but before Garbage took to the stage, emerging Melbourne artist Lucky opened proceedings, with the indie rocker taking full advantage of the coveted support slot.
Backed by her band (featuring guitar, bass and drums), Lucky was the perfect fit to open. Her early 00s alt-rock vibe made for a good companion to what was to come from Garbage. I have to admit, I had no clue who Lucky was, but it didn’t take her long to win me over with her melodic guitar head nodders, including the new song ‘Houston’ and the swirling ‘Beetle Lady’. A bright future awaits.
Appearing on stage to the strains of ‘Laura Palmer’s Theme’ from Twin Peaks, the crowd was in full volume as Garbage kicked things off with ‘There’s No Future in Optimism, the opening track from their latest album, Let All That We Imagine Be Light. From that point on, it was hit after hit with a few deep cuts thrown in for good measure.
Garbage is one of those bands that have been around for so long, you forget how many incredible songs they have. ‘I Think I’m Paranoid’ was the first big track that saw about half the audience get their phones out, followed by Manson getting everyone clapping along during ‘Vow’ and ‘Run Baby Run’ taking the energy up another level.
Addressing the crowd for the first time before ‘The Trick Is To Keep Breathing’, Manson thanked “beautiful Adelaide’ for selling out “in a nanosecond” as she dedicated the song to several family members of the band who were in attendance.
Speaking of the band, there’s no question that Manson is the central figure. She was a force of nature as she strutted around the Thebby stage, radiating a snarling intensity. She might not be everyone’s cup of tea, something she admitted to the crowd with a chuckle, but there was no denying that her voice still holds despite a long career on the mic.
Then there’s Butch Vig behind the drums. The record producer responsible for some of the biggest albums of all time hit the skins with a controlled power that was truly mesmerising. I found myself getting lost in his rhythmic percussion throughout the show, eyes glued to his drum kit. Duke Erikson, sporting his custom black hat, and the bearded Steve Marker took up postion on either side of Manson. Playing guitars, bass and keyboards, the two act as a double act, playing up to the crowd while dishing out electrifying solos. Stationed at the very back near Vig was touring bassist Nicole Fiorentino. The former Veruca Salt and Smashing Pumpkins member went about her business without any fuss, but her skill on the bass was exquisite, and she acts as an important cog in the Garbage wheel.
Those hoping for a little controversy were left empty-handed. Manson made no mention of beach balls or Palestine, instead offering tidbits about the origins of some of Garbage’s songs. She waxed lyrical about ‘Not My Idea’, telling everyone that was the first song she wrote, and explained that ‘Men That Rule the World’ was about a certain American President. Manson also revealed that ‘#1 Crush’ was written for their debut album, but was left off due to record executive Jerry Moss fearing the song might lead to someone committing suicide. The song found a new life when Baz Luhrmann used it in his hit film Romeo + Juliet a couple of years later, with the song becoming a fan favourite.
The last half of the set is hit heavy, with a lounge version of ‘Special’ followed by ‘Queer’, ‘When I Grow Up’, ‘Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go) and ‘Push It’, which featured a strobe display that almost sent me blind. Garbage finished up with ‘The Day That I Met God’, a song Manson wrote while high on painkillers after hip surgery after she thought she discovered who God really was.
I’ve made my feelings on encores clear in more than enough reviews, but this was one of the few times I was happy to see the main act retreat backstage for several minutes before returning. The crowd didn’t stop chanting and stomping their feet, urging Garbage to play one more song. There was a real love and appreciation for the band, which was reciprocated when Garbage came back for two final songs, ‘Stupid Girl’ and ‘Only Happy When It Rains’, leaving fans hoping it’s not another ten years before Garbage tour Australia again.
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