Garbage were joined on stage by Skunk Anansie for a joint rendition of ‘Only Happy When It Rains’ recently, to mark the end of the two bands’ co-headline live tour. Watch the footage below.
The final show of the joint UK trek took place on Tuesday (June 23) as part of the Southampton Summer Sessions series in Guildhall Square. It followed dates in Halifax, Cardiff, Margate, Scarborough and Delamere Forest.
For the penultimate song of the night, Shirley Manson and co. brought on Skin‘s group to assist on their 1995 single ‘Only Happy When It Rains’ from Garbage’s self-titled debut album.
It is reported that frontwoman Manson had been feeling faint, so she sat down while Skunk Anansie came on to join in (via Setlist.FM). The two bands performed together amongst numerous multicoloured umbrellas, nodding to the track’s title and lyrics.
Skin had reflected on the “incredible” co-headline tour in a video message on Instagram earlier on. “It’s just mindblowing,” she continued. “I think it’s my favourite-ever tour, let’s just say that.”
She added: “Garbage and Skunk Anansie go together like two fine wines. It’s a beautiful thing to see. I mean, Shirley Manson as a frontperson […] the bitch just walks on stage, sings perfect every fucking note. Every note. Every night. I’m like, ‘What am I doing wrong?’ I need to be more like Shirley.”
Skin went on to call Garbage “wicked”, saying that the band sounded “phenomenal” live. She later said: “It’s just been such a wonderful, legendary tour.” The singer signed off by hailing the group as “caring, supportive, political people”.
In the comments section, Manson responded: “Love you Skin. Love you and your boys. So sad tonight is our last dance. At least for now.
“The tour has been such a gorgeous fever dream and I am so grateful for it. For you, for the camaraderie, for the thrills.”
She continued: “You are a remarkable force to be reckoned with. It has been an immense privilege to share stages with you. You seer the skin off my bones every night.
Long may you reign my Queen.”
Garbage shared a series of images from the tour as well as the ‘Only Happy When It Rains’ collab, writing: “This is what true sisterhood and fraternity looks like. Miss you already @skin_skunkanansie and your gorgeous band @officialskunkanansie.
“When you ran on stage last night with your incredible energies and your shots of gold, it felt biblical. Let’s do it all again sometime! Whaddya say? Best tour ever. Nothing but mutual love and respect always. 30 years strong.”
Garbage have a run of European dates coming up this week and into next month. On July 11, they’ll play a huge concert at Edinburgh Castle – which “most likely will be our last headline show in Scotland”.
They are also scheduled to make further stops in London, Belfast and Dublin on July 14, 17 and 18, respectively. Find any remaining tickets here.
Manson and co. will then perform at Olivia Rodrigo’s new all-female festival, Daisy Chain Fields, in the US this summer.
Skunk Anansie, meanwhile, are now out on the road with Alanis Morissette for her UK and Ireland tour. Both acts will perform at the inaugural State Fayre festival in Chelmsford this weekend.
Speaking to NME earlier this year, Manson said: “It’s a dream come true to share a stage with Skin. We’ve got so much shared history. I admire her so much. She’s a national treasure, remarkably humble and ridiculously talented, tenacious and with remarkable endurance.”
She continued: “Again, we have so much in common with Skunk Anansie. Skin and I basically had the same past, aside of course from it being 100 times more difficult to be Black and young in Britain rather than white and older.
“She’s got remarkable fortitude for her to have excelled the way she has. That can’t have been easy. I speak from experience because it wasn’t easy for me, and what she’s had to endure would have been at least 100 times harder.”
Manson concluded: “I have so much respect for her. There’s true sisterhood between us, it’s very sincere and real and I’m proud to know her.”