12/2 The Masquerade, Atlanta GA

Hands down, the most beautiful, elegant and clueless club of the tour. The Masquerade is a handsome stone building (coyote guesses an old mill) in three stories: downstairs is Hell, the dance club with DJ; Purgatory in the center; upstairs, where live bands play, is Heaven. Ceiling painted with blue sky and fluffy clouds, angelic choirs on the soundtrack. Yeah right great. Problem is that the place is clearly more used to Goth/alternative type bands than to a show this active and violent, and the bouncers just aren't up to it. Crowd gets completely out of control, and stagediving is even allowed, something I've not seen anywhere else. So it's not as much fun as it might've been. (I'm carrying around what's probably a greenstick fracture of the right hand thanks to these guys, so I don't feel too forgiving...

But the set was fine, strong and tight, with the newer songs again the highlights, plus a neat surprise - about half of the Stooges' "Dirt." Bit worried about the Rev when I realize that what he's been spitting onto the floor is neither saliva nor crushed lipstick but vomit; the carpet's splattered with it. Oh dear. He holds up fine, though, despite apparently having had to puke again between set and encore. --We'd been in breathless dread lest one of these damned stagedivers get onto the stage, as Manson's known to hate that; luckily none did till during the encore. He did it up big, though, floundering all over the front of the stage and even rolling over the cube before lurching off to the right. The Rev went completely ballistic, swinging one of their trussed mannequins in a huge helicopter circle in probable attempt to brain the intruder, then (having missed) slung the mannequin straight into Ginger's drumkit and followed it with the *other* one before storming off. (The imperturbable Fish just dodged both assaults and stood, or rather sat, his ground. --We saw him afterward in Purgatory =), drink in hand, cheerful as ever, looking not at all like a guy whose boss has just come within an inch of breaking his neck. What a gem he is.)

More dress notes: Daisy looked v.sharp this time in a new outfit, shiny dark brown/burgundy tailored pants and shirt with neckscarf. Doesn't sound nearly as cool as it looked, which was very. Becoming quite the fashion plate, our Dais...

==angelynx==