"I make NO APOLOGIES whatsoever..."
08 · 12 · 2025
Garbage's lead singer, Shirley Manson, is clearly not in favor of beach balls being tossed onstage.
The rock legend brought her band to Australia, where Garbage performed at Melbourne’s Good Things Festival on Friday (December 5th). During the performance, a fan threw a beach ball onto the stage, prompting a memorable outburst from the Scottish singer.
“Big guy with your big fucking beach ball,” Manson expressed. “What a fucking douchebag. You’re a fucking middle-aged man in a fucking ridiculous hat, and you’re a fucking fuckface. I want to, quite literally, ask people to fucking punch you in the fucking face. But you know what? I’m a lady, so I won’t.”
She also referenced the band’s ongoing struggles in the live music scene: “We’re fed up of not getting fucking paid properly and tired of having to perform for douchebags like you.”
The incident was captured on video and quickly went viral. In response to fans’ reactions, Shirley Manson shared her thoughts and has made it clear she will not apologize.
“I make NO APOLOGIES whatsoever for getting annoyed at beach balls at shows,” she stated. “I joined a band because I HATED THE FUCKING BEACH. I joined a band because I wanted to listen to Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Cure and be dark and beautiful.”
“I cherish the musical community and want to honor their artistry. I’m exhausted from people taking music for free and treating us like circus performers.”
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Garbage will have a major performance at Edinburgh Castle next summer – so please leave the beach balls at home.
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Shirley Manson, the lead singer of Garbage, is certainly not a fan of beach balls being tossed onto the stage. The rock legend brought the band to Australia, where Garbage performed.