Garbage - Mac Hall

Awesome.

I am finding it difficult to put into words, what the experience was like, attending the concert of a band I have religiously followed for ten years. A few scattered thoughts:

Attending a concert in a club is a far richer experience than attending a concert in an arena, or stadium. There were only about 600 other concertgoers at Mac Hall, which meant that you had a good view, no matter what your vantage point.

The sound was incredible. I have attended hundreds of concerts, as well as I have played hundreds of shows myself. The sound was the cleanest I have likely ever heard. Loud as heck, but clean. It's taken two full days for my hearing to return to normal.

Missing from the lineup was Butch Vig. Shirley explained to the crowd that Butch's mother passed away, and that Butch was attending to family matters. I was a little disappointed that he did not play the concert (yet understandable), but we got the best consolation prize anyone could ask for: Matt Chamberlain filled the drum chair, and played perfectly. What a treat it was to watch Matt play.

Shirley is a first-class act. She was humble, kind, sweet, instantly likeable and very professional. When she spoke to the crowd, you got an inkling like you personally knew her. She spoke to some fans individually, as some patrons showered her with birthday gifts. I have seen many professional acts, and Shirley came out on top. In fact, the entire band was a first-class act, even though the remainder of the band was mute.

The opening act, The Start, was loud, aggressive, and enjoyable. Their punk and Goth roots clearly showed through their act, though it was sprinkled with a little new wave. I especially enjoyed their old-school Cure cover.

Ok, concertgoers, put your cameras away. I have respect for my fellow musicians and leave mine at home. The image you see at the top of this page was pilfered from another website. Cameras at performances are dangerous things, as flashes are bright, and can temporarily blind your subject. You are also taking photos of your favorite artist without the permission of the artist, or the tour manager, so you're feeding yourself bad karma. Artists generally like "official" photos of themselves circulating the public, unless you are an indie artist, desperate for any publicity. Artists generally don't like bootlegs; it cuts into their profits -- and contrary to popular belief, the music industry isn't that profitable, unless you are U2 or the Rolling Stones.

I also didn't take my camera for fear it would have been stolen, damaged, or confiscated.

My only memento from the concert was my Official Garbage(TM) Coffee Cup. A picture may surface when I put new batteries in my camera.

I am so glad I got to see Garbage live. It is doubtful that I will ever have the chance to see them again -- though it is currently little more than a rumor.