Garbage played the Sydney Opera House on Dec. 14, hours after a mass shooting at Bondi Beach that reportedly killed at least 15 people and injured about 40. Lead singer Shirley Manson used the show to condemn intolerance and urge unity, calling the violence “f---ing stupid.” Police say two gunmen, described as a father and son, opened fire during a Hanukkah event; victims ranged in age from 10 to 87. The band said six close associates had been at the beach and asked Sydneysiders to consider donating blood.
Shirley Manson Condemns 'Intolerance' as Garbage Performs in Sydney Hours After Bondi Beach Mass Shooting
Earl Gibson III/Deadline via GettyShirley Manson of Garbage in September 2025
Garbage performed at the Sydney Opera House on Dec. 14, just hours after a deadly mass shooting at Bondi Beach that authorities and multiple outlets reported left at least 15 people dead and about 40 injured.
Onstage Appeal for Unity
During the concert, lead singer Shirley Manson, 49, addressed the audience and spoke directly about the horror that had unfolded earlier in the day. Videos circulating from the show capture Manson urging compassion and denouncing hate.
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagicDuke Erikson, Shirley Manson, Butch Vig and Steve Marker of Garbage in January 2025
“This has become an astoundingly frightening, violent, hateful, intolerant world. And I think the only thing we can do really, as people who do not believe in all this separation and all this intolerance, all we can really do is really try and profess our love for one another.”
She reiterated Garbage’s belief in solidarity: “We have been a band that have always believed that we are one people under one sun.” Manson listed differences — faith, skin color, gender, sexual orientation, personal style — and said such divisions are meaningless in the face of shared humanity. She concluded bluntly, saying the violence and division are “f---ing stupid.”
What Happened At Bondi Beach
Police say two gunmen — reported by authorities to be a father and son — opened fire on a crowd gathered in Archer Park at Bondi Beach for a Hanukkah event called Hanukkah by the Sea. Reports from the BBC, Sky News and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) placed the death toll at a minimum of 15 and noted roughly 40 people were wounded, with victims’ ages spanning from 10 to 87.
Saeed KHAN / AFP via GettyMourners gathering at Bondi Beach on Dec. 15, 2025
Band Statement And Appeal
On Instagram, Garbage said that six of their “very own, beloved and close family members” had been at Bondi Beach just hours before the attack. The band expressed deep sympathy for victims and their families: “Our hearts go out to the victims and their surviving families who are now dealing with unfathomable loss and heartbreak. We love you so much Sydney.”
The group also issued a forceful condemnation of bigotry: “F--- all this vile antisemitism. F--- Islamophobia. The killing has to stop. It is insane and wildly cruel. We have to find a way forward.” Garbage urged Sydney residents to consider donating blood to help hospitals treating the injured.
Context And Reaction
Manson’s onstage remarks and the band’s social posts combined a plea for compassion with a public denunciation of hatred in the wake of one of the deadliest mass shootings in recent Australian memory. The concert remarks were met with applause and emotional response from the audience, reflecting the shock and grief felt across Sydney and beyond.
Sources: BBC, Sky News, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), and the band’s Instagram statement.
