Freaks on Parade Hit The Xfinity Center

Freaks on Parade hit the Xfinity Center in Mansfield on August 27, bringing Orgy, The HU, Marilyn Manson, and Rob Zombie together for a night that was heavy, weird, theatrical, and just plain fun. Every band brought something completely different to the stage, and the show seemed to get bigger and stranger as the sun went down. Orgy brought the industrial nostalgia, The HU completely shifted the energy, Marilyn Manson brought the darkness, and Rob Zombie closed everything out with the massive horror-fueled production you'd expect from him.

Orgy kicked things off while the sun was still hanging over the amphitheater and people were making their way inside. Their set was short, loud, and packed with that late '90s and early 2000s industrial rock sound they're known for. “Stitches,” “Opticon,” and, of course, “Blue Monday” all made appearances, giving the early crowd plenty to latch onto. It was a solid way to start the night and set the tone for a lineup that was only going to get progressively heavier and weirder.

The HU came next and completely changed the vibe. Combining traditional Mongolian instruments and throat singing with metal already makes them stand out, but hearing it all booming through an amphitheater is an entirely different experience. Their sound is absolutely massive live, especially during songs like “Yuve Yuve Yu” and “Wolf Totem.” You didn't necessarily need to know the songs beforehand to get into their set either. The energy translated regardless, and I wouldn't be surprised if quite a few people walked into Xfinity Center unfamiliar with The HU and left as fans.

By the time Marilyn Manson took the stage, daylight was disappearing and the atmosphere shifted right along with it. His set was dark and dramatic without needing the level of production that would come later with Zombie. Between the lighting, his stage presence, and that instantly recognizable silhouette, there really didn't need to be a million other things happening. The set pulled from different points throughout his career, with newer material alongside songs like “Disposable Teens,” “The Nobodies,” “Tourniquet,” “The Dope Show,” and “The Beautiful People.”

Manson also sounded fucking good. There's really no more complicated way I need to say it. He sounded good, looked good, and still knows exactly how to command a crowd. Photographing him was also one of those slightly surreal moments where I had to remind myself for a second that yes, this is actually something I get to do. There are certain artists who are so recognizable that seeing them through your viewfinder hits a little differently, and Manson was definitely one of them.

Then Rob Zombie took over and subtlety immediately went out the window. His set was basically a horror movie, a rock show, and complete sensory overload smashed together in the best possible way. Giant visuals, monsters, platforms, lights, and Zombie running around the stage like someone forgot to tell him he's been doing this for decades. “Superbeast,” “More Human Than Human,” “Living Dead Girl,” “Thunder Kiss '65,” and plenty more kept the set moving before the inevitable “Dragula” finale.

I've photographed Rob Zombie before, and somehow his show still doesn't get boring. There is constantly something happening, whether it's Zombie flying across the stage, one of the giant creatures appearing behind him, or the ridiculous amount of production surrounding everything. It's chaotic, colorful, creepy, and very, very Rob Zombie. Even knowing what kind of show you're walking into doesn't make it any less fun when you're standing there watching it happen.

The coolest moment of the entire night, though, came toward the end of Zombie's set when Marilyn Manson walked back onto the stage to join him for “Helter Skelter.” Seeing either of them perform individually is cool, but seeing Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie standing side by side and performing together was something else entirely. The crowd obviously lost it, and for good reason. After spending the night photographing both of them separately, getting to watch them share the stage was easily the moment that stuck with me the most.

Zombie followed it up with “Dragula,” because really, how else could that night possibly end? From Orgy starting things off in the daylight to Manson and Zombie sharing the stage hours later, Freaks on Parade was just a genuinely fun show. Every set felt different, nobody felt like filler, and the entire night kept building until two of rock's most recognizable freaks were standing onstage together. It was weird, loud, over-the-top, and exactly what Freaks on Parade should be.