Garbage Bring Their Final North American Tour to Nashville For an Unforgettable Night

90’s grunge-pop superstars Garbage have set out on their final North American headline tour together after over three decades of music. Formed in 1993 by Shirley Manson (vocals), Duke Erikson (guitar, bass, keyboards), Steve Marker (guitar, keyboards), and Butch Vig (drums, percussion), Garbage have become icons for their time. Out in support of their eighth studio album, 2025’s Let All That We Imagine Be The Light, Garbage seems to be putting a bow on their domestic ventures. It remains unclear whether this will be the last we see from the band, but in the meantime, the “Happy Endings” tour seems aptly named.

“I Think I’m Paranoid” immediately jumps off of the setlist with its industrial-infused trip-hop. Jumping from melodic, jangly verses into a hard rock, grunge chorus surrounded by crushing guitars, this track really highlights the range in Garbage’s catalog. It is hard to sit still during this song, simultaneously feeling the need to dance and bang your head. This gave way to the dramatic, rapid build of “Vow,” a similarly industrial bit of alt-rock with a singalong chorus. Despite the band’s heavy and left-of-center influences, Garbage remains unexpectedly pop-forward, with many tracks maintaining some sense of catchiness that you’d expect from the radio.

I usually don’t speak to the encore as to not give anything away, but it really is hard to top an encore like Garbage’s. The band saved the one-two combo of “Stupid Girl” and “Only Happy When It Rains” to end the night, their two biggest singles from their debut album. The former kicked it off with its instantly recognizable intro. Low, like she’s on the prowl, Shirley methodically builds to the chorus with a cascade of increasing synthesizer samples and humming bass guitar. The band jumps into gear with at this moment, its subtly chaotic natural juxtaposing Shirley’s calm demeaner. A similar dichotomy can be found on “Only Happy When It Rains,” as the calm, though alarmingly on edge, vocals break through the scuzzy guitars. This track feels like quintessential 90’s grunge, an icon of its time. By this time the room had fully lit up, as the audience, already high from over ninety minutes of excellent show beforehand, have fully given in. The encore was simply popping the balloon. You’d be hard pressed to find someone not engaged in the show in this moment, a difficult feat for any act in such a large room.

You can check out the rest of Garbage’s setlist below:

Setlist

1. There’s No Future in Optimism

2. Hold

3. Empty

4. I Think I’m Paranoid

5. Vow

6. Run Baby Run

7. The Trick Is to Keep Breathing

8. Not My Idea

9. Hammering in My Head

10. Wolves

11. Parade

12. No Gods No Masters

13. Even Though Our Love Is Doomed

14. Godhead

15. Chinese Fire Horse

16. Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)

17. Push It

18. Why Do You Love Me

19. The Day That I Met God

-

20. Stupid Girl

21. Only Happy When It Rains

This tour is a must see for any music fan, whether or not you’re familiar with Garbage. It feels dismissive to label this a ‘legacy’ show, as the band still has so much gas in the tank, but with three decades under their belt, eight studio albums, and so many iconic performances, its hard not to view this final tour as a victory lap. I don’t care if you’re a fan of grunge, industrial, or any of the other subgenres Garbage pulls on, they helped shape these sounds. Top to bottom this was an incredible performance and should not be missed.

There are still plenty of chances to catch Garbage on this final tour, but time is running out. You can find tickets to the bands upcoming tour dates here.

September 16 – Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall

September 17 – Washington, DC – The Anthem

September 18 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner

September 20 – New York, NY – Brooklyn Paramount

September 21 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall

September 23 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE

September 24 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY

September 26 – Dana Point, CA – Ohana Festival

September 29 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed

September 30 – Newport, KY – MegaCorp Pavilion

October 1 – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live!

October 3 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee

October 4 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue

October 6 – Kansas City, MO – The Midland Theatre

October 7 – Dallas, TX – The Factory in Deep Ellum

October 8 – Austin, TX – ACL Live at The Moody Theater

October 10 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Criterion

October 12 – Denver, CO – The Mission Ballroom

October 15 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre

October 17 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory

October 18 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory

October 20 – Vancouver, BC – Orpheum Theatre

October 21 – Portland, OR – McMenamins Crystal Ballroom

October 23 – Saratoga, CA – The Mountain Winery

October 24 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield

October 26 – Reno, NV – Silver Legacy Resort Casino

October 29 – Salt Lake City, UT – Rockwell at The Complex

October 31 – Las Vegas, NV – The Cosmopolitan

November 2 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren

November 5 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium

November 14 – Mexico City, MX – Corona Capital