04/12/2025

Garbage – Auckland Town Hall: December 3, 2025 (13th Floor Concert Review)

Garbage played their fifth, and most likely, last show in Auckland last night in front of a full house at the Town Hall.

“Let’s pretend tonight is our last night together.”

Thus spake Shirley.

Citing increased touring costs, singer Shirley Manson told us, “We don’t know if we’ll ever come here again”. While at the same time telling us, “It is remarkably profound to be here tonight…we can only express out gratitude with our music”.

And so they did…for an hour and 45 minutes…the four original bandmembers, augmented by bass player Nicole Fiorentino (Veruca Salt/Smashing Pumpkins), treated fans to a near-perfect setlist, punctuated by passionate rants from their front-person.

Lips

The evening began with Auckland band Lips. With Steph Brown front and centre, behind her keyboard, the 4-piece set the mood with their own brand of electro-pop while fans prepared themselves for the main event.

Garbage

At precisely 9pm, the lights went down and the ominous strains of Laura’s Theme (Twin Peaks) could be heard as the headliners found their places on stage.

“If you’re ready for love, if you’re ready for love”….the strong, strident voice of Shirley Manson rang out and the band launched in to There’s No Future In Optimism, the opening track from their latest album, Let All That We Imagine Be The Light.

The album title is a mouthful, and after five songs (including old favourites like Vow and I Think I’m Paranoid) and 20 minutes, Shirley showed us she has plenty to say.

Noting that it had been at least a decade since they were last here (Feb. 20, 2013 to be precise) Manson told us that they were “super super thrilled to be here”

In fact, Shirley stopped down several times to have a word or two…most notably just before Bleed Like Me, when she recounted the band’s then record label (Interscope) had called them old-fashioned when making their fourth album, advising them to work with some hip hop artists to “appeal to the kids”.

The band’s response: “Fuck off!”

And so the self-described band of “losers, outcasts and weirdos”, went independent, even after the album peaked at #4 on the US charts.

Yes, Shirley had a lot to say…about inclusion, misogyny, rebellion and ageism…but there was plenty of music.

The newer material fit right in with old faves like Queer and When I Grow Up, and the set seemed to hit a high point when Cherry Lips and Push It moved the crowd to cheer and collectively grin from ear to ear.

It did feel like a family affair…we were told Butch’s wife was in the audience, that their road manager Levi is a Kiwi and they dedicated the last song with local record rep, Ashley Page.

The set ended with The Day That I Met God (aka The Tramadol Song), the closing track from the new album, but was quickly followed by Stupid Girl and Only Happy When It Rains.

What more could you ask for?

Well, Androgyny, the lead single from Beautiful Garbage was missing, but that’s my only complaint.

Otherwise, if this was Garbage’s farewell to Auckland…they did it with style and grace…and they have never sounded better.

Marty Duda

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Brenna Jo Gotje

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