Seeing the Dope Show

So I met this girl name Eleanor at the orientation barbecue a year ago, when she leaned back too far in her chair and fell all over the grass. Hilarity and friend-making ensued. I come to find out about two months ago that she's a big fan of Manson (Marilyn, not Charles). She proceeds to persuade me that seeing him live WOULD, in fact, kick ass, and in the middle of November, we show up to the Palacio de Deportes to see the uber-goth mega-artist superfreak scream his guts out. Which he did admirably.


I was surprised to see so many people wearing brightly colored shirts. I guess the Spaniards are a) more casual with their concert attire, b)cross their musical genres more often or c) just don't give a shit about things like that.


For Eleanor, Manson is a god. I've always admired his music, artistry and sense of style, but he never really converted me completely.


That is, of course, until after I saw him live. This concert was the consummation of a life dream for her, and the beginning of new dream-states for me.


During "Heart Shaped Glasses," this animatronic robot came out in a sort of French maid's outfit, but with a corset on (yes!), carrying a tray of stuff, and Marilyn started to sing while playing with her leg and being Mr. Sexy. At the crescendo of the song, he ripped its head off, started singing to it, and made out with it before putting the head back on the tray, at which point it walked back offstage.


Another very memorable moment was when the lights all went dim, and when they came back up for "Fight Song" (one which I was personally hoping he would play), he was wearing a boxing robe and gloves with the microphone suspended in midair, and the ropes all around him. Goofy stunt but still kinda cool.


At another point, he was lifted up on this hydraulic platform about 12 feet above the audience, as multicolored confetti sprayed from the guns on the sides of the stage.

Another time, he started a song with all the lights off; the only thing visible was his mask, which had giant spotlights mounted where the eyes should be, with wires trailing out behind him. Very cool effect.

For "Mobscene" he came out in a suit with the top hat deal. He pretty much changed costume after every song.


I forget what song this was for[edit: this was for Antichrist Superstar}. The lightning thing is his logo. There were a bunch of microphones on the podium but one of them fell down so he broke them all and threw them off. Then he pulled out a bible and held it up in midair and it spontaneously combusted.

I'm sure I'm leaving some stuff out but overall it was a thrilling experience. Oh, did I mention his microphone was a knife? Sweet.