2001/06/22 Denver, CO

From MansonWiki, the Marilyn Manson encyclopedia
Revision as of 22:22, 30 September 2013 by Sumer Schmetterling (Talk | contribs)

Jump to: navigation, search

The 2001/06/22 Denver, CO performance took place on June 22nd, 2001 at the Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado, USA. It is one of the most notable concerts during the Guns, God and Government tour and drew attention from national news media.[1][2]

Background

Director of Citizens for Peace and Respect, Pastor Jason Janz, speaking in front of Colorado's Capitol building to protest Manson's Denver performance at Ozzfest. Image courtesy of LIFE Magazine.

The date marked Marilyn Manson's first performance in Denver, Colorado since the Columbine tragedy in nearby Littleton, Colorado. After initially pulling out due to scheduling conflicts, the band altered their plans in order to accommodate the Denver date.[1] Predictably, the band met heavy resistance from conservative groups and the performer received numerous death threats and calls to skip the date.[3][4] A group of church leaders and families related to Columbine formed an organization specifically to oppose their show called 'Citizens for Peace and Respect', which drew the support of Colorado governor Bill Owens (R-Colo) and representative Tom Tancredo (R-Colo). The group held a rally outside the Mile High Stadium where organizer, youth pastor Jason Janz, delivered a speech stating, "If Marilyn Manson can walk into our town, promote hate, violence, suicide, death, drug use and Columbine-like behavior, I can say, 'Not without a fight you can't.'" Janz further said, "We don't think Manson caused Columbine, but he encourages and legitimizes Columbine-like behavior."[2][5][1] Marilyn Manson responded to the assertions of 'Citizens for Peace and Respect' by issuing a statement saying,

I am truly amazed that after all this time, religious groups still need to attack entertainment and use these tragedies as a pitiful excuse for their own self-serving publicity. In response to their protests, I will provide a show where I balance my songs with a wholesome Bible reading. This way, fans will not only hear my so-called, 'violent' point of view, but we can also examine the virtues of wonderful 'Christian' stories of disease, murder, adultery, suicide and child sacrifice. Now that seems like 'entertainment' to me.[5][6]
Marilyn Manson during his interview on Bowling for Columbine.

A group of Marilyn Manson supporters also responded to 'Citizens for Peace and Respect' by forming an organization called 'Citizens for the Protection of the Right to Free Speech'.[2] The group held a rally in front of the Colorado State Capitol where organizer Carrieanne Andrews, a mother of three, stated that "We just wanted to show that Jason Janz does not speak for our entire community" and that they resented "being told how to be good parents."[2] The Denver show would later provide the backdrop for Manson's landmark interview on America's climate of fear and culture of gun violence in Michael Moore's 2002 documentary Bowling for Columbine. When Moore asked what he would have said if he had the opportunity to speak to the students at Columbine, he replied, "I wouldn't say a single word. I would listen to what they have to say and that's what no one did."[7]

Several years later, in 2007, Manson gave his reaction to the events of that day in an interview on the Independent Film Channel's (IFC) "The Henry Rollins Show":


We had hundreds, hundreds of death threats. So I'm thinking, if I'm going to die it's going to be today because it's Mile High Stadium, they're not going to be able to stop it if someone wants to shoot so when I went onstage I just had to decide, I can't live without doing what I do so I have to accept the fact I'm going to die for it if its going to be today and…it was a great show. Obviously I didn't die. But when I did that interview, there wasn't a name for the documentary, it wasn't really there. I talked to him for about 2 1/2 hours and a lot of stuff that he went to say on the second half of the documentary was stuff I said to him but it opened a window that reintroduced me to the world in a way that people hadn't really understood me before.


If I got paid for every time someone came up to me in an airport or anywhere saying "I saw you in 'Bowling for Columbine'," the most common thing I get is, "I didn't know you're so intelligent." And I'm like, "I didn't know you're so fucking stupid but I don't know you, you know, so…" It's a backhanded compliment.


People ask me what I think about it (the movie) and I of course liked how I came across it but a lot of it (the movie) didn't really deliver. There was a lot of stuff in there I wanted that movie to answer and it didn't. Ultimately, I liked what the movie did but as far as the actual subject matter and the answers that I became obsessed with because I locked myself in an attic for three months and didn't want to talk to anybody because I was afraid I was going to get killed; so I wanted a lot of answers and I didn't get them from it; but that's a different thing.[8]

Lineup

Setlist

"God Bless America"
  1. "Irresponsible Hate Anthem"
  2. "The Reflecting God"
  3. "Disposable Teens"
  4. "The Fight Song"
  5. "The Nobodies"
  6. "Rock Is Dead"
  7. "The Dope Show"
  8. "Cruci-Fiction in Space"
  9. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" (With "Hell Outro")
  10. "The Love Song"
  11. "The Death Song" (With Bible Speech)
  12. "Antichrist Superstar"
  13. "The Beautiful People"

Trivia

  • Recordings of "The Nobodies" and "The Death Song", as well as Manson's reading from the Bible which preceded it, were featured on the band's 2001 single "The Nobodies".
  • Protests from religious rights groups before the show are featured in the 2002 documentary Bowling for Columbine.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Denver of Iniquity?". NME. 2001-05-08. http://www.nme.com/news/marilyn-manson/7680. Retrieved 2011-03-31. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Marilyn Manson Haters, Supporters Battle It Out In Denver". VH1. 2001-06-21. http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1444678/20010621/index.jhtml. Retrieved 2011-04-02. 
  3. "Marilyn Manson: 'I'm Always Going To Be Bad'". Blabbermouth.Net. 2007-06-02. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=73792. Retrieved 2010-11-20. 
  4. "Marilyn Manson: 'My Greatest Fear Has Always Been Not Being Able To Create'". Blabbermouth.Net. 2007-04-15. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=70581. Retrieved 2010-11-20. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 D'Angelo, Joe (2001-05-21). "Colorado Governor, Congressman Support Anti-Manson Group". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1443825/20010517/marilyn_manson.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-11-17. 
  6. "Manson To Lead Bible Studies Class". NME. 2001-05-13. http://www.nme.com/news/marilyn-manson/7743. Retrieved 2011-03-31. 
  7. "Marilyn Manson Interview on Bowling for Columbine". Bowling for Columbine Official Website. 2002-10-11. http://www.bowlingforcolumbine.com/media/clips/windowsmedia.php?Clip=manson1021LG. Retrieved 2010-11-15. 
  8. "Marilyn Manson: 'My Greatest Fear Has Always Been Not Being Able To Create'". Blabbermouth.Net. 2007-04-15. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=70581. Retrieved 2010-11-20. 

External Links