Marilyn Manson, MN Arena

THE streets around the arena looked more like a scene from Gotham City than Manchester, as fans dressed in outrageous costumes queued to see their anti-hero, Marilyn Manson.

Supported by nu-metal bands acts Godhead and Disturbed, the night was neither easy on the eye or the ear.

Both early bands followed the same formula of punk/metal styled songs made up of shed loads of obscene, hard hitting lyrics which came served on a bed of noise.

But although Godhead seemed to charm the audience the most, amongst the chaos of the night, Disturbed's appalling cover of Tears for Fears' Shout, was so bad it became hilarious.

Yet despite the violent approach of their stage shows, both frontmen came into the photographers' pit, taking time out to chat quietly and sign autographs for fans who had endured the squash of the the front row.

When the finally dimmed a silhouette of a giant vampire was cast onto a massive white canvas. The dark ugly presence of Marilyn Manson had arrived. But for all the anger, angst, sweat and toil of his work much of his material sounded the same.

On the road promoting his latest album, Holy Wood (In The Valley of the Shadow of Death) his performance seemed like nothing more than a freak show.

Without the image there was little else of note, despite being articulate off stage his vulgar appearance did little impress. And as he spat between songs onto his adoring fans it was difficult to what all the fuss was about.

CLIVE LAWRENCE