Review: Garbage + The Horrors + Honeyblood, Ashton Gate Stadium

Photography: Shona Cutt

The last time I heard music coming from the direction of Ashton Gate Stadium, Bon Jovi were in town. Tonight, Garbage come to Bristol to prove they can still deliver grunge infused alternative rock and roll 25 years into their career.

Having celebrated 20 years of their self-titled debut in 2015 with a tour, this evening marks the anniversary of Version 2.0. Not that this information was included in the small print on the Skyline Series poster. So, for those turning up to hear debut album classics: Queer, Only Happy When It Rains and Stupid Girl will be out of luck.

Female duo Honeyblood are a fitting band to kick the evening off with their garage punk. Strong vocals from Stina Tweeddale are given uplifting support from Cat Myers on drums, who offers her own unique melodic harmonies; a key ingredient to their charm. Lo-fi girl power never sounded so current as they thrash refreshingly from song to song.

Honeyblood open things up

The Horrors are a well-oiled beast and its evident in their set this evening. Drawing largely from their latest release V they continue to spit noise, cloaked in gothic invention. Machine echoes just that, as ferrous industrial sounds pulsate through lead singer Faris Badwan; whose more than happy to jolt around the microphone in similar fashion; lights reflecting off his patent biker jacket. Still Life will always be a joyous live moment for the band before they finish with the more 80’s inspired Something To Remember Me By.

Faris Badwan leads The Horrors

There’s nothing remotely odd about watching a bunch of 50 somethings rocking out this evening. Garbage lead singer Shirley Manson is sporting bright orange hair with a matching face paint streak across her eyes. Not forgetting Butch Vig on drums who will still be cool long into the grave having produced Nirvana’s seminal album: Nevermind. Taking us through the wealth of songs that make up the bumper reissue of Version 2.0, they begin where the album concludes; with the moody atmospheric brewing’s of Afterglow.

Songs like Temptation Waits and Hammering In My Head begin with chaotic sound effects that are heavily edgy and electronic. Proving they can stand the test of time, especially given the current out pouring of experimental noise these days. It would be fairer to say, they’re the masters of this trait and the band around Manson constantly serve the crowd infectious modern soundscapes that at times get you leaning back on one foot, so you don’t topple over.

Garbage’s Shirley Manson

You get a sweet reminder of how Manson’s vocal tones can sooth and soar with Bond theme tune The World Is Not Enough before they delight the crowd mid-set with killer 90’s single I Think I’m Paranoid. Its loud and in your face grunge as Manson melodically swells “Bend me break me anyway you want me, all I want is you”.

The band just don’t let up throughout the 20 plus set list. As one hellraising, full-of-attitude song follows another. That said, there is a tender moment in Trick Is To Keep Breathing before they go out in spectacular fashion with David Bowie’s Starman. A wildly rocking evening to an almost full house at Ashton Gate Stadium prove the world has not forgotten Garbage, and if the whispers of new material are true, tonight has shown, their peers will have to think way outside the box to outshine these masters of grunge.