I’ve seen a lot of concerts in my life, but nothing quite prepares you for a night with Garbage when they’re firing on all cylinders. Their September 2025 stop in Orlando felt like a career-spanning fever dream, the kind of show where the setlist itself reads like a manifesto. For nearly two hours, Shirley Manson and company turned a blank stage into a dark, glittering cathedral of noise, reminding everyone why this band has endured for three decades while never sounding like a nostalgia act.
The moment I walked into the venue, I could tell this would be different. No elaborate stage design, no flashy projections—just a stripped-down setup that placed all the attention squarely on the music. A super dressed-down band, black amps and cables snaking across the floor, and a faint mist hanging in the air. It was almost unsettling in its simplicity, but the emptiness made the music feel that much more vital.
Opening Salvo: A Statement of Intent
Garbage didn’t ease into the night. They detonated it. The show began with “There’s No Future in Optimism,” a relatively recent track that immediately set the tone. Its grinding guitars and ominous lyrics were like a mission statement, a defiant middle finger to anyone expecting a polite greatest-hits set. Shirley’s voice cut through the mix like a blade, cold and commanding, as the crowd surged forward in recognition that we were about to get something special.
Without missing a beat, they launched into “Hold,” which made history as a live debut. The song was tense and brooding, built around a slow-burn groove that felt tailor-made for the band’s industrial-pop aesthetic. Watching a band three decades deep in their career still debuting songs was thrilling—it was proof that Garbage refuses to coast. The audience caught on quickly, swaying to the beat as if it were already a classic.
Then came “Empty,” a modern fan favorite that has become a live staple for good reason. Its sleek, synthetic pulse and soaring chorus had the crowd shouting every word. From there, the first major singalong of the night arrived with “I Think I’m Paranoid.” That opening guitar lick still has the power to light a fire, and the floor practically shook as the audience chanted the chorus in unison. Shirley prowled the stage, eyes glittering, a master of tension and release.
Early Triumphs and Deep Cuts
The first real goosebump moment came with “Vow,” the band’s very first single. Hearing it live in 2025 is like watching a time capsule explode. The song’s mix of menace and melody still feels dangerous, and Butch Vig’s drumming gave it the same raw punch it had back in the mid-’90s. It’s one of those tracks that reminds you why Garbage were such an immediate revelation when they debuted.
Things only got better with “Run Baby Run,” which brought a sleek, motorik drive to the set. Shirley’s delivery was both sly and tender, proof of her ability to shift emotional gears without losing intensity. Then came “The Trick Is to Keep Breathing,” one of the night’s most haunting moments. The band slowed things down, allowing the song’s fragile beauty to wash over the room. You could hear a pin drop as Shirley’s vocals floated above the minimalist arrangement.
But the biggest shock of the early set was the resurrection of “Not My Idea,” performed for the first time since 2015. The crowd erupted when the opening riff kicked in, and it was clear the band knew they were giving us a gift. There’s a feral energy to this song that hasn’t dulled over the years, and the band attacked it with relish. Shirley sneered her way through the chorus, feeding off the audience’s disbelief and delight.
Darkness at Full Volume
If the first half of the show was about surprises, the middle stretch was pure catharsis. “Hammering in My Head” hit like a freight train, its relentless rhythm and distorted vocals creating a dizzying wall of sound. The crowd responded in kind, jumping and shouting as if the song were a battle cry.
Next came “Wolves,” a track that’s become a live favorite in recent years. Its creeping tension and explosive chorus made it one of the night’s highlights, with the band stretching it into a hypnotic jam that blurred the line between menace and euphoria.
Then Garbage unearthed “Parade,” another rarity not performed since 2019. It was a dreamlike detour, the shimmering guitars and lush arrangements creating a moment of pure sonic bliss. From there, they dove into “No Gods No Masters,” the title track from their 2021 album. It’s one of their most politically charged songs, and Shirley delivered it with righteous fury, pacing the stage like a preacher delivering a sermon of defiance.
The emotional centerpiece of the night, though, was “Even Though Our Love Is Doomed.” This song is a slow, aching meditation on love’s fragility, and it landed like a gut punch. The sparse arrangement left plenty of space for Shirley’s vocals to linger, every word hanging in the air like smoke. It was the kind of performance that reminds you why she’s one of the most compelling frontwomen of her generation.
The New and the Unexpected
Garbage has always been a band that embraces the unexpected, and the Orlando set was no exception. “Godhead” brought a dark, electronic edge, its pulsing beat and distorted synths turning the venue into a shadowy dancefloor. But the biggest left turn came with “Chinese Fire Horse,” another live debut. It was a jagged, unpredictable track, full of sharp edges and strange textures—a reminder that Garbage still likes to keep their fans on their toes.
After the experimental detours, the band rewarded the crowd with pure pop adrenaline. “Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)” lit up the room like a neon explosion. The audience danced and shouted every word, the energy in the venue spiking to a euphoric high. “Push It” kept the momentum going, its slinky groove and distorted guitars turning the floor into a sweaty, joyous mess. And then came “Why Do You Love Me,” a snarling rocker that had Shirley spitting lyrics like venom, daring the crowd to keep up.
Just when it seemed like the set might be winding down, Garbage dropped another bombshell: “The Day That I Met God,” performed live for the very first time. The song was a revelation, raw and immediate, and the audience reacted with the kind of awe usually reserved for classics. It was one of those rare moments where you could feel the room collectively holding its breath.
The Encore: Catharsis and Celebration
After a brief break, the band returned for a two-song encore that felt both inevitable and triumphant. “Only Happy When It Rains” is, of course, the Garbage anthem, and hearing an entire room sing it back to the band in 2025 was pure catharsis. The song’s wry, self-aware lyrics have only grown sharper with time, and Shirley delivered them with a sly grin that suggested she knows exactly how timeless it really is.
They closed the night with “When I Grow Up,” a song that remains as cheeky and infectious as ever. Its playful energy was the perfect way to send the crowd home buzzing. As the final notes rang out, the band gathered at center stage, exchanging glances that said everything: this is still their moment, and they know it.
Setlist
Here’s the complete setlist from Garbage’s unforgettable Orlando performance:
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There’s No Future in Optimism
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Hold (Live debut)
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Empty
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I Think I’m Paranoid
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Vow
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Run Baby Run
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The Trick Is to Keep Breathing
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Not My Idea (First performance since November 14, 2015)
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Hammering in My Head
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Wolves
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Parade (First performance since July 17, 2019)
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No Gods No Masters
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Even Though Our Love Is Doomed
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Godhead
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Chinese Fire Horse (Live debut)
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Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)
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Push It
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Why Do You Love Me
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The Day That I Met God (Live debut)
Encore:
20. Only Happy When It Rains
21. When I Grow Up
Final Thoughts
Walking out of the venue, I kept thinking about how rare it is for a band to pull off a show like this so deep into their career. Garbage could easily coast on their ‘90s hits and still pack venues, but instead they’re debuting new songs, resurrecting long-lost tracks, and performing with the urgency of a band half their age.
What struck me most was the balance: this wasn’t just a nostalgia trip, nor was it an indulgent set of deep cuts. It was a carefully constructed journey through Garbage’s past, present, and future—a reminder of their restless creativity and enduring relevance.
Shirley Manson remains a magnetic presence, equal parts rock star and raconteur, her voice as powerful and nuanced as ever. Butch Vig, Duke Erikson, and Steve Marker continue to craft a sound that’s unmistakably Garbage: a heady mix of industrial grit, pop hooks, and cinematic atmosphere. Together, they’ve built a legacy that refuses to calcify, and this show was proof that they’re still adding new chapters.
In a year filled with reunion tours and nostalgia acts, Garbage’s Orlando performance stood out as something far more exciting: a living, breathing band still evolving, still challenging themselves, and still absolutely capable of blowing the roof off a venue. If there’s no future in optimism, as their opening song warned, then Garbage has given us the next best thing—a present that feels thrillingly alive.