Garbage @ Edinburgh Castle, 11 Jul

There's been a serious haar covering the city all day, and being up at the Castle feels akin to being in a cloud, though with an underlying feeling of unease as the ancient architecture slips in and out view, mist and silhouettes combining to eerie effect.

It's ideal for the darker hues of Garbage, but ahead of the main act we're given a nostalgic love-in with Shirley Manson's former band, Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie. They've toured intermittently since reuniting in 2019, but tonight is purely an exercise in reminiscence. The band are clearly having a whale of a time and it's endearing to see them milking their moment for all its worth. Big John Duncan gets a star turn on the bluesy cover of The Way I Walk before The Rattler gets more than a few ageing rockers reliving their youth. 

Fittingly for what may be their final Scottish show (the messaging has been a bit ambiguous), there's a homecoming party atmosphere, kicked off in style by the Strathendrick Pipe Band's renditions of Scotland the Brave and Flower of Scotland. And though there is a lot of local love sent out by Shirley Manson throughout the night, Garbage have never really felt like a Scottish band and that's immediately apparent when you hear their electronic-tinged alt-rock that helped define the sound of guitar music in the post-grunge USA. Walking out to Laura Palmer's Theme from Twin Peaks feels much more appropriate.

Despite being billed as a send-off, the band are far from resting on laurels, kicking off with a string of newer songs from last year's Let All That We Imagine Be the Light. The sound is immaculate; precise, whipcracked drums and guitar with a heavy crunch. Manson's vocals are still excellent and her presence elevates the lesser-known material. I Think I'm Paranoid and Stupid Girl are early highlights that remind everyone there's plenty of melody behind the heavy, metallic sheen. 

Image: Garbage @ Edinburgh Castle, 11 Jul by Marilena Vlachopoulou

There are the expected, gushing monologues about love for Edinburgh/Scotland/the weather and a number of shoutouts to friends and family (we sing happy birthday to Manson's sister, and there's a touching tribute to Manson's father who died last year). Some of the most interesting banter gives a window into Manson's knotty thought processes, like the confusing tale of the cheating Spanish boyfriend, writing The Day That I Met God while on painkillers recovering from hip surgery, or the far too long rant about the band's label woes.

The closing run ups the ante after a serviceable cover of The Cure's Lovesong. Manson returns to the crowd for the punchy Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!) and keeps the energy high through When I Grow Up and Push It (despite the latter's lengthy preamble). Special opens the encore with the night's danciest moment before a slight drizzle appropriately sets us up for Only Happy When It Rains. Manson and her coven take the responsibility and the performance has all the power of ritual, her and the band expending what little energy they have left, so we'll give her that one.

I'm not sure how the band would top tonight for sheer spectacle; this would be a fitting goodbye to the city and country that have played a pivotal role in one of the biggest names in rock music.