Three middle-aged American guys and one feisty Scottish girl equals one unlikely supergroup; yet the strange components of Garbage add up to a pretty formidable whole, and when the band played their first ever Dublin date on Thursday night they left an indelible impression on their Irish fans.
Opening with the predatory Temptation Waits, singer Shirley Manson leaves us in no doubt that she is out for blood. Stalking the stage in a feline feather boa, Manson's small, tank-girl frame carries a crushingly powerful vocal punch; Not My Idea pummels the message home while I Think I'm Paranoid lets guitarist Duke Erikson wring some electro-shock licks from his instrument.
Special pays musical tribute to Manson's idol, Chrissie Hynde, but boasts enough melodic invention of its own; Supernatural was a more direct tribute to Vic Chesnutt (he wrote the song), but Stupid Girl and Only Happy When It Rains wielded enough pop power to send the crowd into heaven.
