GARBAGE
w/ Starcrawler
10/3/25 – The Sylvee – Madison, WI
©Justin Nuoffer/NuofferMedia.com
The capital city of Wisconsin was alive with a flurry of activity. The warm evening had the restaurants and patios lining East Washington Avenue packed. Fall’s golden hue beat down on the glass front of The Sylvee, giving it a radiant glow that perfectly foreshadowed the night ahead.
The marquee wrapping around the front of the venue read, “GARBAGE HAPPY ENDINGS SOLD OUT.” The crowd outside continued to grow as the glass doors opened. The line moved quickly through security and ticket checkpoints, and soon, fans were rushing down the stairs to the main general admission floor. The security barricade filled within minutes.
Near the entrance, the merchandise stand was packed with tour shirts and trinkets. Along the back wall, the bar flowed steadily with everyone’s favorite after-work beverages. Upstairs, another level offered seating and general admission standing room, with an additional set of stairs leading to private suites. Every vantage point in the venue offered a clear view of the massive stage. It was impossible not to have a great sightline.
Opening the evening’s event was Starcrawler. The band, with their blend of pinks, blacks, and purples, knew their color scheme and dressed to match. Hitting the stage and jumping right into “Goodtime Girl” and “Roadkill,” their style was a wild mix of classic rock, punk, and glam. Vocalist Arrow de Wilde was unstoppable, constantly in motion and commanding the stage. Next to her, Henri Cash’s guitar work transported the audience back decades. Loud and brash, Starcrawler had The Sylvee crowd eating it up as fans moved and danced along.
Check out the Starcrawler concert photo gallery below:
Visually, Starcrawler is unlike anyone else, but they bring something fans across the spectrum can enjoy. They powered through tracks like “She Said” and “Different Angles,” closing with “Bet My Brains.” After ten years together, it feels like the band has truly found its audience.
A few blocks away from The Sylvee, a small building stands on a corner lot. The red exterior is hard to miss. There is no signage other than a small one in the window welcoming Garbage back to town. That building is the former home of drummer Butch Vig’s Smart Studios. It holds a ton of music history and was where the band was partially formed and their early albums were recorded. Smart Studios is legendary in music history.
Heading up the street and into The Sylvee, “Laura Palmer’s Theme” from Twin Peaks played overhead as the band took the stage in total darkness. Then, without a moment’s notice, the venue was launched into “There’s No Future in Optimism.” The floor began to shake as fans jumped up and down, the front row stretching their arms toward the stage. The excitement was off the charts as the band moved through their setlist with tracks like “Hold,” “I Think I’m Paranoid,” and “Vow.”
Garbage took a short break, giving vocalist and feminine icon Shirley Manson a chance to speak to the crowd. She thanked everyone for coming out and acknowledged that it was a long-overdue homecoming show. “This is a big deal for the band, it is,” she said, moving to the side of the stage and waving toward guitarists Duke Erikson and Steve Marker as they stepped forward. Behind his kit, Butch Vig waved to the crowd.
They launched into “Run, Baby, Run,” then took another pause as Duke Erikson spoke about his friend Dave Benton and their band Spooner, Madison legends. “If I hadn’t met Dave Benton, I wouldn’t be here,” he said with earnest sincerity, raising a glass in a toast to his friend. Every person in the building understood that this performance was about more than just music or having a good time. It had been nearly seven years to the day since their last show in town.
Rounding out the first half of the evening, the band performed “The Trick Is to Keep Breathing” and “Not My Idea.” Once again, they mentioned visiting a famed Madison restaurant the night before. Their conversation with the crowd felt like a love letter to the city and its people. The adoring Garbage faithful soaked it up, and rightfully so. A shared history like this is something to celebrate. Moving forward, the band tore through “Hammering in My Head” and “Wolves.” Looking around the venue, everyone was dancing and sharing in the moment. The energy was beautiful.
With a sold-out venue, the crowd was always attentive when Manson spoke between songs, which she did several times throughout the night. She told a story about the label not wanting to release the next song because they thought it felt too violent, yet it was later featured in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet. That led them into “#1 Crush.” Soon after, Manson spoke again, touching on the world we live in today, social issues, and the differences that divide us, race, sexual preference, class. “If you don’t get this next song, you won’t get Garbage at all,” she said before the band launched into “Bleed Like Me” to a roaring applause. The stage lights turned green and orange as The Sylvee sang along to every chorus. The unity Manson had mentioned earlier became instantly tangible.
Rounding out a personal and touching section of the homecoming show, Manson told the story of her bad audition and how, for whatever reason, the band brought her back for another one, which eventually led to her being hired and learning to sing and write songs. One of the first tracks from that early session was “Queer.” The reaction was both overpowering and empowering. The sense of love and support within the venue was undeniable.
As the night headed toward the encore break, Garbage were flying high. The crowd never lost energy or attention. Ripping through “Chinese Fire Horse,” the band hit many of their biggest radio hits, including “When I Grow Up.” But hearing the intro to “Push It” instantly transported fans back to the summer of 1998 when Version 2.0 was released. The song, in a live setting, was just as powerful as it was then, and the nostalgia gave everyone goosebumps. It was hard not to sing along, especially when they rolled seamlessly into “Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go).” The floor bounced as the infectious rhythm and vocal cadence kept everyone moving.
As “The Day That I Met God” followed, the mood turned somber. Manson’s delivery transformed the venue into a reflective space. The song, strange and singular in their catalog, reminded everyone of just how good this band is as musicians.
Coming out of the encore break, the fans were as vocal as ever, screaming and applauding. Vig and company launched into arguably their biggest U.S. hit, “Stupid Girl.” Their pride while performing the track was obvious as they shared smiles and grins with one another. The song is timeless and remains a defining staple of the late nineties.
This gave way to a series of thank-yous and well-wishes to the Madison crowd. Manson spoke openly about the current state of the music industry and how it has become difficult for artists to tour in the U.S. due to rising costs. She also acknowledged how challenging it is for up-and-coming bands to survive. Still, she reassured the audience that it doesn’t mean they won’t play in Madison again, since it is, after all, home. Her words were heartfelt, honest, and entirely understandable.
That slightly gloomy reflection became the perfect setup for “Only Happy When It Rains.” The anthem was another in a long list of sing-along moments and a final chance for fans to pour out every last drop of energy. Looking around the venue, every level of The Sylvee was alive and bouncing.
Check out the Garbage concert photo gallery below:
This homecoming may have meant a great deal to the band, but it was clear it meant even more to the city of Madison. The musical history of Garbage and its members is deeply woven into the city’s lore. As fans spilled out into the night, the air buzzed with nothing but positive energy. The performance was glorious, and the time the band took between songs to connect with the crowd was something few artists do unless it’s scripted. This was an unparalleled evening. With any luck, Garbage will return to Madison again soon.
