Garbage in concert at the Grand Rex in Paris: we were there, we tell you all about it

A musical journey through the best of 90's rock! On Saturday, July 6, 2024, the Grand Rex in Paris opened its doors to the legendary American-Scottish band Garbage. Garbage, the flagship combo of the late 90s, continues to make fans dance to this day. We had the pleasant experience of seeing them live at their only concert in Paris on July 6. We tell you all about it.

But first, a little background is in order to better understand the craze surrounding this band that truly marked an entire generation. Garbage was first and foremost a quartet formed around the charismatic Scottish singer Shirley Manson and American musicians and producers Butch Vig, Duke Erikson and Steve Marker. Despite their 31-year career, Garbage have remained true to their musical style, blending rock and electro sounds, with an obvious complicity between each member.

But Garbage are also, and above all, hits that have made thousands of fans on the Old Continent dance and sing along. These include, of course, " Only Happy When It Rains ", " Stupid Girl ", " Vow ", " I Think I'm Paranoid ", not forgetting the powerful " Pushi it ", all taken from the band's eponymous debut album released in 1995, or"Version 2.0", released three years later. Since then, Garbage have released 5 further albums, the latest of which is entitled"No Gods No Masters".

Despite the release of these recent albums, Garbage fans still treasure their first two albums, which for many remain precious sonic gems that we love to hear again, to remind us of our carefree youth. And that's exactly what Garbage 's return to Paris on July 6 was all about. In the Grand Rex hall, slightly greying heads dominated the assembly, while youth was rather scarce. But the fans, most of whom are in their forties or fifties, are determined to show that they've still got what it takes!

The concert hasn't even started yet, but the fans on the ground floor decide to get up from their comfy seats and make a dash for the stage. After a few minutes, the security guards kindly ask them to sit back down. But the calm doesn't last long. As soon as the lights go down at 9pm, the most excited fans decide to get up again and make their way to the front row.

Garbage kick off their set gently, with the single " #1 Crush ", taking us back in time to 1995. And the audience quickly let themselves be carried away by the music and the enthusiasm of seeing Shirley Manson and her bandmates back in Paris after several years' absence. On stage, the set design is uncluttered, with a simple backdrop. While Butch, headphones on, bangs energetically on his drum heads, Duke - hat on his head and glasses screwed on his nose - and Steve - sporting a long beard - surround their long-time accomplice, the charismatic Shirley Manson. Wearing a colorful frilly dress, the singer doesn't wait long (the end of the third track) before addressing her fans - in French, please.

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Declaring her love for Paris, Shirley Manson is the talkative type, close to her public. But the strong-willed artist is not one to mince her words either. In the middle of her set, a spectator threw a beer mug on stage, and Shirley Manson wasted no time in giving her an insistent tribute for several seconds. Waiting for the song to finish, the singer expressed her anger and reminded her that this simple gesture can be dangerous for musicians. Shirley's husband, a member of the staff, made a brief appearance on stage to wipe up the spilled liquid.

After this moment of clearly palpable tension, the show picks up again. And that's the most important thing. During their 2-hour set, Garbage played one hit after another, old and new. While die-hard fans were able to let off steam on the energetic " I Think I'm Paranoid ", the catchy " Special ", the iconic " Stupid Girl ", the excellent " Vow " that we love so much, not forgetting the timeless " Push It ", the audience also had the opportunity to discover live several recent tracks such as " The Men Who Rule the World ", " No Gods No Masters " and " Godhead ". The American-Scottish band even indulged in a successful cover of " Cities in Dust " by Siouxsie and the Banshees. Unfortunately, where we were in the hall, the sound wasn't always of the highest quality. As for Shirley Manson's voice, it wasn't always of exemplary accuracy. But we forgive her. Because Shirley Manson and her four musicians put on a show and give the audience what they want to hear.

In the Grand Rex auditorium, spectators dance, sing and raise their arms. The mood was clearly upbeat, much to the delight of Shirley Manson, who repeatedly thanked her Parisian fans for their loyal support and the euphoric atmosphere.

The Scottish-born artist, who once again showed his commitment and denounced world wars, did not fail to satisfy his fans one last time during a successful encore featuring the single " Milk ", followed by the excellent hit " Only Happy When It Rains ", taken up in chorus by the entire assembly. Conquered and happy, the fans didn't hesitate to rise to their feet at the end of the concert to say a final thank-you to a band that has stood the test of time, staying true to their style and values. As the icing on the cake, Butch Vig took to the stage to announce that Garbage will soon be back in stores with a new album! We can imagine that a new tour will accompany this release. Stay tuned!

Setlist:

#1 Crush
Godhead
IThink I'm Paranoid
Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)
Special
The Men Who Rule the World
Metal Heart
Run Baby Run
Hammering in My Head
The Creeps
The Trick Is to Keep Breathing
Bleed LikeMe
Stupid Girl
Wolves
No Gods No Masters
Cities in Dust (cover of Siouxsie and the Banshees)
Vow
When I Grow Up
Why Do You Love Me
Push It

Reminder:
Milk
Only Happy When It Rains