The Antichrist Superstar. The Pale Emperor. The man who was so feared that his Calgary concert in 1997 was cancelled. Or just call him Marilyn Manson. The iconic shock rocker took a break from his current tour with Five Finger Death Punch to play a headlining set at the Grey Eagle on August 24^th.

Returning to Calgary for the first time since 2013, Manson sold out the event centre with an audience comprised of a variety of ages and types, all ready to revel in the aggression and angst that has been part of our collective playlists since 1994.

A black curtain dropped to reveal Manson, clad in leather with trademark upside down double-crosses lit up behind him as he and the crowd screamed out the chorus to We Know Where You Fucking Live. Disposable Teens and Angel with the Scabbed Wings followed as Manson perched on the edge of the stage. Backed by the percussive blasts of drummer Gil Sharone, Manson crouched low and led the crowd through the fast-paced lyrics of This is the New Shit.

Rounded out by former Rob Zombie bassist Piggy D and guitarists Reba Meyers and Tyler Bates, musically the show was tight. Manson rarely strayed from centerstage, but it was impossible to take your eyes off him as he did high kicks, knee lifts, and danced on stage. It was a far cry from some shows previously where Manson would appear on stage intoxicated and forgetting lyrics.

Reports have come out that Manson is now sober, and that reflected in the show. He didn’t touch on the sobriety but did remark that he "is a drug addict" prior to an incredible version of 1998’s The Dope Show. The original video featured Manson playing with androgyny in white latex with breasts, which at the time was one of many things they did that made right wing critics clutch their pearls.

Manson made up for the long gap between Calgary shows, with the concert being the live debut of his newest single Raise the Red Flag as well as performing The Reflecting God for the first time since 2018. The cover of Sweet Dreams (are made of these) remains an ethereal, darkly beautiful song. Fans waiting to hear The Beautiful People were not disappointed as the song closed out the main set.

It was an evening that anyone that attends rock concerts looks for. All the fist thrusting, head banging, releasing of aggression and sweat that make people plunk down their money for a show. As for Manson, it appeared that he looked, dare we say it, happy? He was constantly smiling, his silver grill sparkling in the intense light show, and performed at a level that one should expect from a 30+ year veteran. This version if Marilyn Manson is the one fan shave been looking for, and on this night, they found it and more.

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Contributor Jason Clevett |

Person Marilyn Manson |

Topic Concert Review |