Shirley Manson uses apology for beach ball incident in Melbourne to speak up for Palestine
Shirley Manson addressed the beach balls thrown around Garbage’s crowd in Brisbane, Australia, after she previously hit out at a fan for the same thing and also spoke up for the Palestinian people.
The rock band’s recent performance in Melbourne, Australia, had been marred with tension on December 5th after the frontwoman had blasted a fan in the crowd for treating her like a “circus performer” for throwing a ball around during the set.
However, Garbage’s Australian fans decided to do one better at the next date on the tour in Brisbane on December 7th, bringing a barrage of beach balls to throw around the crowd instead.
Taking the jibe in good humour, Manson told the crowd (via Rolling Stone AU/NZ): “I just have to address your glorious beach balls — they’re very impressive.”
However, she also used the moment to highlight how the incident had been blown out of proportion compared to more pressing matters in the world.
“The only thing that kind of shocks me a little is there’s been more fuss made about me offending beach balls than there has about 20,000 Palestinian kids who are now fucking under the dirt,” she said.
Manson continued: “So whilst the Brits are busy cooking up some kind of crazy Antichrist rhetoric, I would just like to remind you all what’s actually important in this life. Maybe a beach ball brings you joy, and for that I apologise. If I upset you about your blessed beach balls, I humbly apologise. However, I would really like it if the governments of the day apologised for what the fuck is happening in Palestine.”
It comes as Garbage are currently undertaking the Australian and New Zealand leg of their final ever tour. They are set to return to the UK next summer for a run of six special dates.
On top of this, it was announced last week that they will play their final ever Scottish show within the iconic grounds of Edinburgh Castle. Manson said when the news was revealed that it will be one of the “greatest honours of my professional career.”
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