Words and Images by Joe Russo
Marilyn Manson and his band are currently on their “Hey Cruel World” tour supporting their ninth studio album entitled Born Villain, and we checked out the King of Industrial Death Metal during his stop at the Wellmont Theatre.
The stage was enshrouded with a huge black curtain that fell to the floor as Manson and his crew hit the stage. They tore into the opening track from the new record entitled “Hey Cruel World”. Throughout the night, Manson would play 3 more tracks from his latest release; which echoes vintage-Manson. The make-up clad crowd surged forward and a mosh pit soon started swirling. Manson strut his stuff to and fro dressed in black leather and his uniquely freakish face paint.
He wore full red lipstick that over the course of the evening would smudge and smear across his smirking face. He donned a bright pink streak under his right eye like warpaint as if ready for battle, marching like a madman. Twiggy Ramirez was dressed like a gothic samurai warrior, complete with a trademark skirt and sporting a mask that was reminiscent of the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”. Manson declared: “I wore these tight pants tonight so you could see my dick. Because I love you…” and then ripped into “Love Song”.
www.marilynmanson.com
The show motored along as Manson and crew sprinkled in some covers among their classics. Tasty renditions of Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus” and the Eurythmics’s “Sweet Dreams” were crowd favorites. Manson worked the stage feverishly from side to side as he played to the crowd and announced how good it felt to be back. At one point he dragged out a contraption that looked like a gas pump nozzle fitted to a large showerhead device that sprayed streams of smoke into the crowd. The shock rocker isn’t shy when it comes to his wardrobe as he made several changes throughout the show. Highlights from the night included a battle helmet covered in mirrored panels, a pink fox stole, and a fitted tuxedo jacket with silver glitter lapels. He worked through an assortment of different microphone props throughout the set. One microphone had a huge slasher style kitchen knife protruding from the bottom of it which he wielded about as he sung, casting sinister shadows on the walls of the theater. Another was adorned with brass knuckles fitting the stand.
Manson moved through his vast catalog making stops from early onto the present. He stopped at one point to reflect on the bands recent hiatus saying “… during the past few years, we’ve been savagely penetrating people and doing narcotics”. Manson’s last tour and record came back in 2009 when he and Twiggy Ramirez reunited. Twiggy has since changed instruments from the bass to guitar. Manson playfully teased him like a brother, throwing an arm over his shoulder towards the end of the show. At one point, Marilyn grabbed a cell phone from someone in the front row, caressed and serenaded it before sticking it down his pants and then tossing it back into the crowd. At another point, Manson took swipes at the drummers kit as he was still playing it during a song…ultimately picking up the snare drum and tossing it about.
After “Sweet Dreams” there was a small set break to bring out the podium for “Anti-Christ Superstar” to which Manson came out in his SS gear. He climbed the podium with 2 mics in hand and flailed about as he pontificated. Another small set break to remove the podium led us to the encore that everyone knew was coming…”Beautiful People”. For this one, Manson came out with a microphone that had a bright LED light attached to it which illuminated his face as he sang and writhed about the stage. While Manson’s show only lasted about an hour and twenty minutes, it was packed to the gills with trademark imagery, outrageous musical gestures and killer music.
Just what we all hoped for.
Setlist
Hey, Cruel World
Disposable Teens
The Love Song
No Reflection
Mobscene
The Dope Show
Slo-Mo-Tion
Rock Is Dead
Personal Jesus – (Depeche Mode cover)
Pistol Whipped
Tourniquet
Irresponsible Hate Anthem
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) – (Eurythmics cover)
Antichrist Superstar
The Beautiful People
www.marilynmanson.com
TheWaster.com | Born Villain
05.02.12
