Manson Review Robert Perez, Jr.

On September 17, 1995, Halloween arrived early in Corpus Christi. Shock-rockers Marilyn Manson played Johnnyland to an estimated crowd of 300 people and left the crowd speechless and stunned.

The bill featured two other rock acts (Clutch and Sufferance), but no one seemed to care. Everyone in attendance was there to see Marilyn Manson on their Smells Like Children Tour.

Twiggy Ramirez and Madonna Wayne Gacy, Manson bass player and keyboard player, feel the band is not really Marilyn Manson anymore, but is now Satan's Fire. Manson's satanic references should not be taken seriously. The band is filled with many shocking images and props which are all part of a master plan to cause controversy. The plan goes as far as to include the band member's names consisting of a mix of female first names and serial killer last names to further their cause.

Their cause is simple. To anger conservative America and Corpus Christi this past Sunday.

Smoke filled the stage and started to spill into the crowd. Marilyn Manson's intro music was a mix of backward messages, Latin verses, and a very sinister organ that played over everything.

The crowd began to chant 'Manson, Manson, Manson' in unison. The small, but enthusiastic crowd was trying to summon the lead singer, Marilyn Manson, their chosen idol of the night.

From the stage left, Twiggy Ramirez and guitar player Daisy Berkowitz walked on stage and put on their instruments. The drums started playing on the song 'Wrapped in Plastic'. Slowly, Mr. Manson creeped on stage wearing a night gown and garter belts while walking on metal stilts. A ten foot Mr. Manson glared and sneered at the Corpus audience as he towered on stage.

The songs 'Snake Eyes and Sissies', 'Get Your Gunn', 'Dogma' and 'Cyclops' followed, but not without incident. At the start of 'Dogma' Mr. Manson removed his night gown, leaving him in panties and garters. In the middle of the song he grabbed a bottle and broke it over his head.

'Cake and Sodomy' proved to be equally outrageous as Mr. Manson decided to take off the condom he was wearing and throw it into the crowd. A small fight broke out over who was going to take it home. Yummy!

The show continued with a cover of 'Down in the Park' by Gary Numan, 'Dope Hat', 'My Monkey' and a new song, 'Smells Like Children'. 'Smells Like Children' is also the title of a new compact disc being released in early October.

Corpus's journey to hell continued with 'Organ Grinder', 'Lunchbox' and a cover of 'Rock On Roll Nigger' by Patti Smith. Mr. Manson, the self proclaimed 'All American Antichrist' proved just that. In the middle of 'Rock & Roll Nigger' an American flag was brought out and burned. The song continued like a train going off the tracks and the Pro-Manson crowd ate it up.

The band left the stage and returned for an encore which included a cover of 'Sweet Dreams' by The Eurythmic's and 'Misery Machine'. As the jumping chicken man danced around the front of the stage, the song 'Misery Machine' did not end nicely. Mr. Manson, upset with the drummer, picked up a microphone stand and threw it at him. In retaliation, the band trashed the stage and everyone left in anger. There would be no joy in Mansonville tonight.

After the show, Herman Pool described the show as being 'beyond words. It kicked ass. It was the best f**king show I've ever seen.' Marilyn Manson's visit will never be forgotten. Manson went all out and did not hold back. The small turnout did not seem to bother them and everyone in attendance went home feeling loved, the only way Manson could love them: he spat on the crowd all night long. Yummy!