KEGL 97.1 The Eagle Freaker’s Ball w/ The Cult & Marilyn Manson – Oct 30th 2015 – Verizon Theatre – Grand Prarie, TX
How fitting for a local radio show to bring Marilyn Manson to their annual Halloween themed party & on Hallow’s Eve no less.
It was actually in this building the last time I saw Alice Cooper on a co-headlining tour with Manson back in 2013.
I really don’t know what to say here because I just don’t know what’s up with him. He’s been spitting out releases every couple of years that no one pays any attention to with a different lineup & live he just seems kinda out of it. Even when he’s recycling old gags like the bible burning from a fascist podium thing he just doesn’t feel present. He seemed to do a little better last time on the Alice Cooper tour, what can light a fire under your ass like having your mentor & chief inspiration watching your performances each night? But the time before that was a total disaster. I had gone to see opener’s The Pretty Reckless fronted by human masterpiece Taylor Momsen but when Manson took the stage it was such a train wreck I couldn’t even make out what songs they were doing.
This time wasn’t quite as bad & their was the full production to distract you from it occassionally but he seems either totally drunk/stoned or he thinks that’s how he’s suppose to present it. Something of interest – when he came out first thing he notices is a small child up front against the barricade (apparently Parents of the Year were in attendance) & questions why he’s there (as we all were). He kept playing up to the kid and including him in the show and even occasionally extending his microphone for him to sing into it – This was wholly enjoyable as otherwise it would have been just another drunk phoned in performance.
See? It’s all about perspective – For me as a veteran of the music industry this was barely above ho hum – but for that kid, this was one of the greatest nights of his life – something that he’ll never forget & will always talk about with grand revision of the utmost importance & influence – and that’s exactly what he should do as that’s really what it’s all about.
Before Manson was the Cult whose career trajectory I’m even more befuddled by. Same as Manson, back in the 1990’s I saw them play some of the most inspired sets in my life, something that keeps me coming back residually ever since.
Somehow I’ve managed to see the Cult more times in the last 5 years than I did in the previous 20, with each performance more dreadful than the last.
This show was no exception – Besides singer Ian Astbury’s complete inability to recreate the songs live anymore, it’s his stage banter that’s even more cring inducing.
An embarassing prick with zero self-awareness to say the least, seemed resentful of being here and taunted the audience instead of attempting to entertain them. His Jim Morrison impression taken too far.
His real resentment seemed to come from opening for Manson whom he openly criticized a sent a few back-handed shots his way.
A puzzling presentation that equaled a complete waste of time.
The saving grace of this misguided affair was, as it always is & should be – The Fans:
