Marilyn Manson

at Mama Kin
by Kendra J. Loring
photo by Dya Khalsa

You’d think just from the name Marilyn Manson, that a Halloween show would be packed with the absurdities this band is becoming known for, but in fact their performance was quite tame. Their imagery is intense, full of color and contrast, sex and violence. Their music is hypnotic and incredibly fun. But nothing they did proved they were a band worthy of so much controversy. And as hard as the Reverend tries to look frightening, he can’t help but exude sex appeal.

Reports from their Babyhead gig a few nights prior told of shards of glass littering the club after The Reverend broke a bottle over his own head. And many times before and since, the psychotic singer has taken his clothes off, hid his unmentionables between his legs and danced around the stage.

Things went straight downhill about half way through the set, when the band followed Mr. Manson’s lead and left the stage. Unsure if the band even wanted to be cheered back on stage, the crowd simply waited to see what was next. Perhaps this is MM’s way of getting a crowd going, but after the fourth time, it was getting a bit old.

Somehow the band made it through the excellent tunes “Cake and Sodomy” and “Lunchbox,” in between people screaming “You suck,” and fans chanting “Man-son!” I think the only fear Marilyn Manson struck in people this night was that they were not going to get their money’s worth. But they pulled through and even did their new rendition of the Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams.”

I think we all had more fun guessing who everyone had dressed up as, rather than guessing whether or not Marilyn Manson (the man AND the band) were going to finish the show.