Concert review: Manson plus Slayer: A match made in hell?

"Raise your hand if you're a drug addict!" Marilyn Manson shouted Tuesday night at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, before launching into "Dope Show" from his 1998 album "Mechanical Animals." Hazelden officials would perhaps have seen opportunity in the response, as every one of 6,127 concertgoers shot their arms skyward. I'm pretty sure it was a false census.

Manson leads the kind of band that parents pray their children won't like. Which, in rock, is a formula for fame.

Manson's 75-minute set included five songs from his lovelorn new CD, "Eat Me, Drink Me," of which the standouts were "Just a Car Crash Away," with its almost soulful refrain, and the raging, radio-ready breakup song, "Putting Holes in Happiness."

Manson flared in such 1990s anthems as "Disposable Teens,"The Beautiful People" and "Rock Is Dead." Manson, who credits only Tim Skold on the new CD, is touring with a new band (he's being sued by former band member Madonna Wayne Gacy). This band can do the big sound and get off some mighty licks on drum and guitar, but the live mix seemed murky.

This performance paled a bit compared with those at Target Center (1999) and the Orpheum (2000), with fewer costume changes, less gender-bending shtick and scaled-back theatrics.

Now it's Mr. Manson.

Still, there were the skinny legs stuffed into Frankenstein boots, banks of candles (for the opening "If I Was Your Vampire"), a robotic woman pushing a birthday cake on a cart (for "Heart-Shaped Glasses"), a boxing ring, confetti guns, dripping-blood logos and a finale that shot the singer 15 feet into the air on a hydraulic lift obscured by a geyser of fog.

The T-shirt ratio at the X on Tuesday night indicated that most of the headbangers were there for Slayer. Frontman Tom Araya led the legendary thrash quartet through a 60-minute set of songs -- from the band's 25-year back catalog as well as last year's "Christ Illusion."

Despite all the volume and velocity, hearing Slayer live is an oddly arid experience. With no room for sweetness, variety or melody, it feels like an all-black fireworks show. And in fact, many songs begin with a big explosion, followed by action from the RSI School of Guitar Playing.

ONLINE EXTRA

To see Manson's set list, go to startribune.com/poplife.

Claude Peck • cpeck@startribune.com