Artist:  Garbage

Date / Venue:   - Wednesday 20th February, Civic Theatre, Auckland

It's been a few long years since Garbage made their way to our shores. Ten years to be more precise. They were at the top of their game then and while they arguably aren't as popular as they were back then, after their show at the Civic Theatre in Auckland it's obvious that they still have a following.

Granted it was a predominantly 'older' crowd but that certainly didn't hinder the band's infectious energy in showcasing their massive catalogue with songs like 'Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)', 'Push It', 'Only Happy When It Rains', 'I Think I'm Paranoid'  being highlights of the evening. Even the sprinkle of newer songs from last yearsNot Your Kind of People including 'Blood For Poppies', 'Control', and 'Man on a Wire' didn't slow the momentum as the band rolled through hit after hit, only appearing to hiccup once when they had to restart 'When I Grow Up' when Shirley Manson either missed her cue or was in the wrong key. But that was the only apparent flaw to an otherwise very professional display.

Initially the Civic felt like a weird venue choice as it's seated, but once the band ripped into the second song 'Queer' everyone rose to their feet and stayed there for a majority of the nearly two hour show. It became a personable affair with fans at the front allowed to approach the stage with no barrier making it possible to reach out and touch Shirley. She certainly seemed to enjoy it as well, even interacting with a fan and subsequently dedicating a song to that fan's sister.

Shirley held a beautiful dominating aura onstage with her voice commanding and powerful as ever, even drawing in the crowd by forever thanking them and occasionally engaging in a personal story or two - 'The Trick is to Keep Breathing' was dedicated to all the fans who had stuck by the band and for the amount of people they had helped out throughout their career with their songs, while the hard hitting 'I Hate Love' had Shirley claiming it was her favourite song on their latest album.

When Shirley told the story of how she had her wedding ring ripped off her finger (and how she got it back) when they were here in 1996, it certainly felt like a night of nostalgia, but the band (including Butch Vig - drums, Steve Marker & Duke Erikson - guitars & keyboards) kept an even balance of new and old, tightening the screws on what was overall a polished display.

Garbage finished things off with an encore of 'Special', 'Stupid Girl', and 'Beloved Freak' before thanking the crowd once again and leaving.
Hopefully only leaving for a short while though and returning sooner than the ten years since their last visit!

Garbage set list:

Automatic Systematic Habit
Queer
Blood For Poppies
Push It
Metal Heart
Control
Why Do You Love Me
#1 Crush
Only Happy When It Rains
Milk
Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)
I Hate Love
When I Grow Up
Man On A Wire
The Trick Is To Keep Breathing
I Think I'm Paranoid
Vow
You Look So Fine

Special
Stupid Girl
Beloved Freak