Garbage At Good Things Festival Brisbane Gallery

Despite a controversial incident during their Melbourne performance, Garbage was ready to put on a major set at Good Things Brisbane. We were there to capture it all (including the many beach balls in the crowd).

Garbage are one of those iconic acts that have spanned multiple generations of fans, and their Good Things Festival performances have proven that. Even those who went in not sure who they were soon realised they know almost every song – leading to singalongs abound from attendees young and old.

However, their performances in Sydney and now Brisbane have been somewhat marred by that beach ball incident in Melbourne on Friday, when Shirley Manson called out a crowd member who has since revealed he is a major Garbage fan and doesn’t believe he did anything wrong. Manson maintains she also didn’t do anything wrong, and music fans across the globe have been hotly debating who was in the right in the aftermath.

It is worth noting that after Friday, a whole lot of stores across Brisbane have likely sold out of beach balls given the sheer amount that were making their way around the crowd across the entirety of Good Things Brisbane, but especially during Garbage’s set on Sunday. You’ll see for yourself in the gallery below.

Manson did take a moment to address what had transpired, saying: “If a beach ball brings you joy, for that I apologise. If I upset you about your blessed beach balls, I humbly apologise…I would really like it if the government apologised for what the f**k is happening in Palestine.”

The Garbage frontwoman’s statement likely won’t come as a surprise to those who have seen their live sets or follow the band closely – her outfit each day has been a direct comment on Palestine, whether through text-filled shirts that read: “stop killing children,” to her entirely Palestinian-flag coloured outfit on Friday complete with a keffiyeh.

Sunday was no different, with another shirt that appears to read: “Stop genocide. End apartheid. Free Palestine’.”

Beyond the beach ball controversies, speaking out for Palestine, and crowd members trying to rile up Manson, Garbage delivered a performance as great as ever. For the fans who weren’t up to date with the drama, or simply didn’t really care and just wanted to see a band they love, it was a solid way to close out their Good Things Festival run.

It’s not clear whether we’ll see Garbage grace our shores again, whether due to other commitments, a sour taste in their mouth, or simply the difficulty of tour logistics for international acts coming to Australia. I’m sure many are very keen to see them again even just days after catching them last, so here’s hoping this gallery gives you a bit of a taste of their live show to tide you over.

Full gallery taken by Gerry Nicholls for Blunt Mag.

Garbage at Good Things Festival Brisbane Gallery