Photos and Review by Richard Knowles
Show photo HERE
With a career spanning over 20 years Garbage has managed to stay relevant in an ever changing industry, where people’s attention spans are that of a toddler. The band burst on the scene in the nineties and released hit after hit. putting them in households across the globe. Since then they have continued that success. I was fortunate enough to catch their set in Boston at a nearly sold out House Of Blues. The band is currently out on tour promoting their latest album “Strange Little Birds” which is darker then their previous work. In my opinion it’s a great departure away from what you may be used to from them. However, it demonstrates the band’s ability to show some balls and put some real, genuine feeling into an album.
Supporting Garbage on this tour is Kristin Kontrol who totally caught me off guard. Kristin was the founder and lead singer of the popular Dum Dum Girls and since ventured out on a solo project and has found favorable success. With a heavy synth-pop influence it’s a definite departure from the Dum Dum Girls. It’s something that stops you in your tracks like a deer in the headlights and all your left to do is brace for impact. She left the crowd wanting more and lucky for them, Garbage was up next.
I’d be lying if i said that being 10 feet from Shirley Manson didn’t trigger memories of my teenage crush on the bands lead singer. As the band made it’s appearance on stage to an overwhelming roar of the crowd those childhood feelings came rushing back. With one flip of the singer’s pink locks and one riff off guitarist Duke Erikson’s guitar it was like I never grew up. Blasting into an early hit “I Think I’m Paranoid’ the band took control of the stage and never looked back until they exited the stage. They closed the night out with “Why Do You Love Me”. Longevity in this industry is something hard to achieve but with constant successful tours, accompanied by steady record sales, it doesn’t look like Garbage is going anywhere anytime soon.
Garbage at the House of Blues – Boston, MA
