The long and the short of it...
The short: best show of tour (excepting Dayton 2/14, of course)
The long:
Their (Oklahomans for Children and Families aka OCAF) decision to keep their troops away from the show site was, in retrospect, very fortunate. We nevertheless had a band of renegades to minister at us as we waited in line (luckily, we were separated by a large iron barricade), so we weren't lacking for entertainment. They were perfectly obnoxious...getting their rocks off - they took one casualty...a bottle thrown from the concert line hit one of them in the head. Good aim but still uncalled-for. Kid on ground surrounded by cameras from local media outlets - gave them something to lead the 10:00 news with. My experiment with the "proper" Christian response to MM show (i.e., give out some fresh cookies because it was cold outside) was well received.
God works in weird ways: there was just enough room to erect the full stage rig (the clearance from the ceiling was less than two feet). That meant we would get the full treatment. Venue is big rectangular room...no seats. Walls and roof covered in asbestos looking stuff...sound absorbing, made for wonderful acoustics (zero echo). Our vantage was the rail even with the soundboard (by the way, the MM sound engineer - great guy, say "hi" to him in Dayton). Show is 30 minutes late starting due to heavy security gauntlet at door. Ominous moment: the crowd begins to mosh and a shoe is hurled at supersonic speed towards the stage. Soundboard guys exchange worried glances. Looking around, can't help noticing how many people are not costumed, no make-up...football types...lots of virgins here.
L7 kicks major butt tonight...great comments: "Jesus, save me from your followers" "You want to know what's obscene? Bombing abortion clinics...censoring artists..the religious right" and into "Shitlist". For finale, two Adonis males who had been standing at attention on either side of stage for entire show take their shirts off (male strippers, from the looks of it) displaying L7 on their chest and give the girls piggy-back rides around stage while guitars feedback. Something is up tonight! MTV sets up BetaCam on tripod to capture show. Bowie gives way to Latin chant(if it's in Latin, it must be Satanic, right?)...into first part of show (Angel with Scabbed Wings / Get Your Gunn / Dogma / Tied Up / Tourniquet / Lunchbox / Sweet Dreams / Cake & Sodomy). Manson is in rare form...more talkative than I've seen...complimenting the crowd between nearly every song. "we will no longer be oppressed by fascist morality etc. by your fascist governor. Your parents say you should be in church - you ARE in church)...and into Little Horn. Great Cryptorchid (Manson is totally backlit (ie, the light is coming from behind him ) so that you see only silhouette in midst of snow/soap flakes...way cool. He takes hit in the side from shoe tossed from crowd (is this some kind of fucking tradition??). Oh no, here we go again...but tonight, it doesn't even phase him, never loses a beat.
And then, sound of jaws hitting the floor...nobody told them that the "sweet dreamer" was also the antichrist. Banners unfurl: Manson is, well, inspired tonight. More than usual number of pages are ripped from Bible and off it goes. Lots of raised eyebrows...rock theatre at its best.
Beautiful People (they've heard that one)...insult our dim witted governor by name (that's FRANK Keating), and into Reflecting God. At this point is the same Midwest crowd reaction: no fists or raised hands, just dazed...bulldozed). Feedback gives way to darkness. New backdrop: giant American flag with ACS shock symbol replacing the stars...we've seen that, but Manson appears wrapped in American flag for costume...(straight) people around me with raised eyebrows at "we hate love etc." Another break, 1996.
Another break, Man that You Fear (dripping in blood). Lights come up: whew! I tell soundboard guy "That was a HELL of a show". He agrees, says Marilyn is in very good mood today. On the way out, only disturbance of the night inside venue (a lone, loony Bible-armed fool is surrounded by mob of demonic energized Mansonites...police arrest him and haul him off, covered in spit - he must have got in when doors were opened). Surprisingly, no-one in the crowd is turned to Jeezus by his crazed ranting.
The powers that be assembled at back of hall have to admit it: the crowd was great, the show went off without a hitch...just possibly, the OCAF is full of it. Certainly, any protest they make when ACS tour returns for summer/fall outing must be taken with large grain of salt. Outside, I'm accosted by FM radio guy with microphone (he says we don't fit the demographic)...we inform him of fact that this is America, not Iran...the little thing called the Constitution, Bill of Rights, 1st amendment (didn't you pay attention in school?? and by the way, play Dope Hat). Enough.
So, it's 4:00 am and still...so I guess Marilyn and the boys are welcome back in this town anytime. So Dayton, top this!
Thomas ...X (his mark)