Marilyn Manson – Midland Theater – Kansas City KS – September 22nd 2025

By Kyle Hansen 4 weeks ago
Marilyn Manson live at The Midland Theater
Review by Tracy Hansen – Photos by Kyle Hansen
The last time I saw Marilyn Manson was in Madison last August.  It was an amazing show.  I didn’t think it could get better than that.  For those not in the know, he’s been sober for over four years now.  The difference is outstanding.  That being said, I was unable to make it to any of the shows this year, aside from the Kansas City one.  My schedule was just too busy.  So Kyle and I drove six hours to Kansas City for this show.  When you put in that much effort, you certainly want the show to be worth it.  It was worth it a thousand times over.
To begin with, the Midland Theater is a really cool spot.  We had never been there before and didn’t know what to expect.  It is right in the heart of downtown Kansas City.  It is this gorgeous, historic venue that’s been around since 1927. When you walk in, it feels like stepping back in time.  There’s all this ornate, old-school architecture with grand chandeliers, carved details, and that classic movie-palace vibe.  These days, it’s used mostly for concerts, comedy shows, and special events. The sound and lighting are modern, but they’ve kept all the original charm.  I’ve seen Manson in theaters like that before and it’s always such a cool way to see him.  It feels gothic, which he fits in with perfectly.
When we arrived at the theater, there was a line wrapped around the block.  It was pouring out and there were so many people dressed up in Goth clothing.  It was awesome.  I grew up in the whole 90’s Goth scene and it felt like the same thing.  When we got into the theater, the merch line went all the way up the staircase and down the hallway.  If you are wondering, yes, I managed to get a shirt.
The band, Seven Hours After Violet opened the show.  If you’ve never heard of them, they feature Shavo Odadjian from System of a Down.  They’re pretty intense and I thought they made for a good opener.
As I stated at the beginning, Manson has been sober for four years.  If you hadn’t seen him in the few years prior to that, it wasn’t good.  I have seen him since 1999 and am a huge fan.  Around roughly 2013, I stopped going to his concerts.  And I had the option to go, but would give my tickets to other people.  They just weren’t good.  Now?  You would think it was the 90’s again.  He can sing, move around on stage, and is clearly much happier.
The standout of this show was the inclusion of “Mechanical Animals”.  It was only the second time he had played it since 2009.  He replaced “Long Hard Road Out of Hell” with it, which bummed me out, but I also love “Mechanical Animals”.  He also did “One Assassination Under God” as his first encore.  That was amazing to hear live.  There is so much emotion behind it.
Everything about this concert was fantastic. It was the best I had ever seen him.  I was so happy I drove six hours to get there.