After 20+ years as a band no one could blame Madison band Garbage to slow down, but with “Strange Little Birds” Garbage delivers a dark, moody and rocking album that became my favorite album of theirs quickly. Their North American tour promoting the album came to the Skyway Theatre yesterday.
After a DJ set by Jake Rudh while the crowd waited, it was time for Kristin Kontrol. This is the new project of singer Kristin “Dee Dee” Welchez formerly of the Dum Dum Girls. Their debut album “X-Communicate” was just released late May. Their sound is based on 80s synth pop but sounds, rocky, modern and well produced. After the first song Welchez responded to shouts of “Dee Dee” stating, “Call me Kristin” with a smirk. Her latex pants must have either been painted on or requiring the assistance of several people to get into. She mentioned that she now knows hot it feels to excercise in latex. Not having heard them before, I enjoyed the bands songs and their set list pretty much covered their whole album.
Set List: Face 2 Face / White Street / Show Me / (Don’t) Wannabe / X-Communicate / Going Thru the Motions / On the Regular / Baby U in? / Smoke Rings / Skin Shed
Garbage started their set on a darkened stage with only a few strobes playing “Sometimes”. The songs is moody and creepy and the delivery was perfect for everyone except the photographers. From there Shirley Manson and the band let loose and did not slow down for the rest of their set. Her band mates are no slouches on stage but watching Manson reminds one of a tiger prowling the stage. She moves a lot and gets close to the crowd. Garbage’s set list had a good balance of old and new songs and by “Stupid Girl” fans were singing along quite loudly. Lights were great with well-placed smoke that turned the stage at times into a giant multi-colored sphere. The band was excited to play Minneapolis again, as Manson put it “It’s been a while coming”.
Overall a great show by one of my favorite bands.
Set List: Sometimes / I Think I’m Paranoid / Stupid Girl / Special / Blood for Poppies / The Trick Is to Keep Breathing / Empty / My Lover’s Box / Sex Is Not the Enemy / A Stroke of Luck / Control / #1 Crush / Battle in Me / Automatic Systematic Habit / Bleed Like Me / Push It / Vow / Only Happy When It Rains / Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!) Encore: Blackout / Why Do You Love Me / Even Though Our Love Is Doomed
