Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, California. show review - Dec 9th 1996
Kerrang
(Thanks to Ryan for typing this review out)
The Scottish girl in the parachute trousers is bathed in pink light. She may be tired, but she manages a flirty smile. The men in black t-shirts study their instruments and strain to fill a yawning space of this cavernous ice hockey rink with their lush, industrial-pop fusion. The indomitable Shirley Manson announces to applause that Garbage are about to start working on their new album, but the audience cheers most for ‘Milk’ and ‘Stupid Girl’. After a final arena friendly ‘Vow’, Shirley exists the wrong side of the stage, runs back out and sticks her tongue at the audience. Priceless. Mere hours before about the death of his mother, Billy Corgan and company take to the stage for a show that has been delayed for four long months. As they burst into ‘Zero’, it’s quickly apparent that this will be a selfish show for the Pumpkins. They eschew popular favourites like ‘1979’ and ‘Quiet’ for relative obscurities like ‘X.Y.U.’ and ‘Muzzle’. Acceptable, but for a few exceptions the band play everything listlessly as flag on a windless day. Spacebilly is in no mood for a show. He frequently flips the crowd his middle finger, even stopping the band mid song during ‘33’ because a dangerous looking sweater has been thrown onstage.
They look adrift and lost. Corgan’s whine is anything but strong, as a wistful ‘Porcelina of the Vast Oceans’ roams into Yes-like nether regions. Following a heavy feedback ‘X.Y.U’, they leave the stage. Seven long minutes later, they return to play a 20 minute, Hawkwind-like version of the ‘Aeroplane Flies High’ that sends half of the audience to the car park. One wishes the Pumpkins well, since this tour is far from over. Has any band in recent memory suffered so much for their art?
Most Rocking Moment: Fuck You (An Ode To Now One) is performed brilliantly, and it speaks volumes about the band tonight.
Least Rocking Moment: The seven minute wait between the last song and the encore.
Best On Stage Quote: Thanks to anyone who bought the album. If you didn’t.... fuck you!”- Shirley Manson.
Verdict: The long road is taking it’s toll.