Shirley Manson has doubled down on her anti-beach ball stance with an extended on-stage rant.
The Garbage frontwoman made her feelings about inflatable toys clear and expressed them in several ways during the band’s tour of Australia this week.
Shirley, 59, was resolute in her position after a video went viral of her calling out a male audience member on 5 December at their Melbourne gig with an expletive-laden rant.
“Big guy with your big f**king beach ball!” Shirley said, as the audience cheered. “Continue listening to Spotify and toss your stupid beach balls around like you’re ten years old!”
As the tour progressed, more beach balls appeared in audiences around the country – much to Shirley’s frustration. During a headline performance in Brisbane on 8 December, she was greeted by dozens of fans tossing beach balls amongst the crowd in a bid to attract her attention.
“The only thing that kind of shocks me a little is there’s been more fuss made about me offending beach balls than there has about 20,000 Palestinian kids who are now f**king under the dirt,” Shirley told the audience.
She went on to offer an apology for her anti-beach ball tirade.
“Maybe a beach ball brings you joy, and for that I apologise,” Shirley said. “If I upset you about your blessed beach balls, I humbly apologise.”
