Garbage’s Shirley Manson has some thoughts about beach balls at concerts

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Garbage’s Shirley Manson on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ (Disney/Randy Holmes)

Whatever the opposite of a “#1 Crush” is, that’s what Garbage‘s Shirley Manson has on fans who bring beach balls to concerts.

Manson came across one such fan during Garbage’s current tour of Australia and, as seen in footage posted to the band’s Instagram Story, decided to share how she really felt.

“Guy with your big f****** beach ball, ooh, I’m so scared of you, so thrilled by you,” Manson mocked. “What a f****** d****bag.”

Manson then expanded upon her anti-beach ball opinions in a post to Threads.

“I make NO APOLOGIES whatsoever for getting annoyed at beachballs at shows,” Manson writes. “I joined a band because I HATED THE F****** BEACH. I joined a band because I wanted to listen to Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Cure and be dark and beautiful.”

“Continue listening to Spotify and toss your stupid beach balls around like you are ten years old,” Manson adds. “I love the musical community and I want to respect their artistry. I am so tired of folks taking music for free and treating us all like circus performers.”

Perhaps Manson’s distaste for beach balls shouldn’t be too surprising; after all, one of Garbage’s biggest hits is called “Only Happy When It Rains.”

Garbage released a new album, Let All That We Imagine Be the Light, in May. They wrapped up a U.S. tour in support of the record in November, which they said would mark their “last North American headline tour.”

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