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.... and photographer torture - second round this week... Not so much because of contract matters. Because those are mild, compared to the one's Rammstein had yesterday. It's more because of the local circumstances. First of all, we are only allowed to shoot the very fist song. And second - During that one, the whole stage is hidden behind heavy smog and fog. In fact it's that bad, that we more guess the photo objects on stage, as we can see them. To be honest, it is actually the very first time, that I don't find my way out of the pit anymore, as I'm completely blind and somebody has to help me with a lighter to get away. So please excuse the rather low quality of these images here. 

An there is some other thing, I wanna mention on the edge. And this makes us thinking. So this event has been moved from the big Zenith venue (6.000) to the quite a bit smaller Tonhalle (2.500) with very short notice - probably because of poor ticket sales. 
Wauw... I mean, I can remember times, when Marilyn Manson filled our Olympiahalle with 12.000 fans, which was in 2003. But as you can see, these times have gone, probably for good. The  new album 'The End Of Low' has also not hit it big at the fans. And so Manson's cultstatus has decreased to quite a low level. However.... let's wait and see, what our shockrocker has to offer uns live on stage in 2009.

Supportact is Esoterica. But I have to confess, that I didn't catch much of their set. so I can't tell you much about it. More infos about this outfit you find at: http://www.esoterica1.com/esoterica/



Marilyn Manson starts his  Show, like mentioned before, with a hell of a lot of fog in dark blue.,  Dunkelblau.

Only the laser pointer shooting off from his hands go well down as a special effect.
By the way on this tour we meet an old well known mate again - Twiggy Ramirez, who had been with Manson in 1993 - 2002. And now he's back again after a 6 year's break. I honestly almost did not recognice Mr. Jeordie, Osbourne-White, that's his real name. Let's put it that way... compared to his glamorous look in the past, the guitarist nowadays seems almsot conservative and normal. By the way, his artist name Twiggy Ramirez comes from Sixties Model Twiggy and mass murderer Richard Ramirez. 


Twiggy Ramirez

Apart from Twiggy and Manson himself, there is Ginger Fish a.k.a. Franklin Kenneth Robert Wilson on drums, who's been on and off with Manson since 1994. Musicproducer and soundengieneer Chris Vrenna handles the keyboard and Andy Gerold plays the bass. 
Manson  himself seems not to have become much older, But he definately has gone through some changes. So he's not wearing that much make up anymore, the contactlenses have gone, but most of all he does seek more comunication to the audiance. This is somehting he would never have done in the past. He doesn't seem so untouchable anymore or even scary. Thanks to the almost intimate atmosphere in here, his timbre has suffered a little. But on the other hand it suits him. And the recent seperation from 19year old girlfriend Rachel Evans has not left any traces on him either. 

However.... The show ain't boring but rather short with only 70 minutes. And what's up to the new album...! Despite the great title ‚Running To The Edge Of The World’, the rest of it can be neclected.  

Let's get it straight. The average enthusiasm arises first at 'Dope Show' and then of course the Eurythmics Cover 'Sweet Dreams'.
Inbetween Manson gets fed with imaginary dope by two helpful souls. The chapter tonight is closed by 'Beautiful People' and that's it - no more. 
Long talk short sense. Marilyn Manson 2009 ain't that brilliant, and he's lost much of his former sparkle. But it hasn't been bad either. Only, to repeat myself, - the smaller venues make me thinking. I hope not, that one day, he's gonna end where he started off once. (for instance back in 1997 at Munich's Stromclub with 150 fans. On the other hand, back then, Mr. Manso was truly shocking and provoking, and not only because of worms creeping out his mouth...  cheers!
http://www.marilynmanson.com/