Garbage performed at the Sydney Opera House shortly after the deadly anti-Semitic attack on Bondi Beach. Shirley Manson condemned all forms of violence in a touching speech.
Garbage performed at the Sydney Opera House just hours after a terrorist attack at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach.
At least twelve people died in the attack and almost 30 others were injured. The concert took place in the evening under the impression of the national tragedy – and became an urgent appeal against hatred and violence.
Shirley Manson’s moving appeal
Frontwoman Shirley Manson addressed the audience several times during the performance with personal words. With a visibly emotional voice, she spoke about the escalation of intolerance and violence worldwide. “We live in a shockingly frightening, violent, hateful and intolerant world,” Manson said. The only answer to this can only be to show love and compassion to one another in order to counteract the division.
According to Manson, Garbage have always been a band that believes in equality. Religion, skin color, gender or sexual orientation should not play a role. They clearly criticized political and social power structures because they fueled hatred and turned people against each other. The audience clapped for a long time after the singer’s words.
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The evening was given additional personal explosiveness by a statement that Manson published at the same time on the band’s Instagram account. In it she wrote that six close family members had been on Bondi Beach just hours before the attack. “Our deepest condolences go out to the victims and their families,” the statement said. Manson condemned anti-Semitism and Islamophobia alike and called for an end to the violence.
Garbage make an emotional statement with “Fix Me Now”.
As a musical signal, the band changed their setlist at short notice. Garbage played the song “Fix Me Now” from their 1995 debut album – for the first and only time during the Australian tour. With lines about fear, hope and the desire for healing, the song gave the evening a special emotional depth.