On Wednesday night, Garbage kicked off the Happy Endings Tour with a celebratory performance at the Hard Rock Cafe in Orlando, Florida. Singer Shirley Manson told the audience that it was probably the last time they would play in that city due to the financial strain of modern touring. “The streaming era makes touring very difficult,” Manson said. “I thought we owed it to you to be honest.”
Los Angeles quintet Starcrawler opened the night with a blistering bluesy rock and roll set. Singer Arrow de Wilde strutted, flailed, and shook her hips onstage while belting out gritty vocals over catchy rock riffs by guitarists Henri and Bill Cash. The band played with the aggression of punk rock and tones that went from garage rock to sludgy doom. During Garbage’s set, Manson remarked about how impressed she was with de Wilde, whom she’s known since de Wilde was age seven. “You just saw someone special, FYI. I saw her play with her high school band when she was fourteen. She was incredible. The only thing was, I could tell she was nervous,” Manson said. “Fast forward, and look at her now!”
Wisconsin alternative band Garbage then played a fiery farewell set that eschewed many hits in favor of deep cuts. The performance featured four songs from this year’s Let All That We Imagine Be the Light, including the live debuts of “Hold,” “Chinese Fire Horse,” and “The Day That I Met God.” As for the older songs, it was a night for the dedicated fans. Instead of playing big hits like “Stupid Girl” and “#1 Crush,” they played lesser-known songs like the pop-rock “Run Baby Run” and the headbanger “ Not My Idea.” It was their first time playing the latter since 2015.
Manson paced back and forth onstage, singing with a detached tranquility while flanked by guitarists Duke Erikson and Steve Marker and drummer Butch Vig, all founding members. Touring bassist Nicole Fiorentino rounded out the band and added backing vocals. The performance highlighted Garbage’s versatility, jamming through the infectious, synth-heavy new wave of “No Gods No Masters,” the propulsive, snarling rock of “Why Do You Love Me,” and the dark, somber ballad “Even Though Our Love Is Doomed.”
Between songs, Manson told stories, introduced songs, and made political statements. “If there’s one song we’ve written that still means something in 2025, it’s this song. It’s a sad song designed to elevate your spirits,” Manson said of “The Trick Is to Keep Breathing.” She introduced the grimy industrial “Godhead” with a statement about love and acceptance. “I don’t understand why there’s so much hate now, and those who aren’t full of hate are called woke,” she said.
After closing the regular set with the brooding “The Day That I Met God,” the band returned for two more songs. The band started playing “Only Happy When It Rains” before Manson was ready and had to restart it. The second time, they played it with passion and followed it with a lively rendition of “When I Grow Up.” If this was the last major Garbage tour and the last time they visit Orlando, the band sent the fans off with a triumphant romp through the catalog, touching on a few hits while digging up long-neglected songs and debuting others.
