A lover and amateur performer of regional Mexican music, Ricardo Gallardo Cardona, the governor of the Mexican state of San Luis Potosi, booked Marilyn Manson for a free show at the annual state fair that gathered 205,000 people on Sunday (August 10), according to organizers. The move earned protests from religious and conservative groups, who deemed the controversial rocker’s performance “inappropriate” for a family-friendly festival.
Gallardo Cardona tells Billboard Español that he booked Manson as a “defense of freedom of expression,” and with the intent of helping the central Mexican state overcome the “cultural lag” that has kept the state out of major concerts for decades — largely due to, in his opinion, “conservative mindsets” that have demonized hard rock for years.
In 1989, Black Sabbath, which at the time had Tony Martin as its vocalist, faced opposition from debuting in the state. The band’s concert was blocked, with the argument that it “promoted satanism and anti-values,” leading to the closure of the Plan de San Luis Stadium by municipal authorities and leaving thousands of fans outside.
“There will always be opposing voices, and Marilyn Manson has faced them not just in Mexico but in other parts of the world too. But if he’s already performed in Rome, the cradle of Catholicism, why couldn’t he perform in San Luis Potosi?” the governor told Billboard ahead of Sunday’s concert. “This isn’t about religion; it’s about cultural justice, about creating unity, and we must do it through music.”
Unlike what happened with Black Sabbath 36 years ago, nothing blocked Manson’s performance at the Feria Nacional Potosina (FENAPO). Kilometric lines of young people dressed in black, some wearing makeup like the singer’s, crowded the entrances to the Teatro del Pueblo hours before the show. By nightfall, the frenzied crowd of local attendees and hundreds coming from across Mexico and Latin America cheered for hits like “The Beautiful People,” “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” “Disposable Teens” and “Tourniquet.”
A cow’s head was placed in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Luis Potosí hours before the concert in response to protests by a group of Catholics who demanded its cancellation. Meanwhile, a conservative association collected about 6,000 signatures in support of suspending the event.
Manson has faced several lawsuits alleging sexual abuse and domestic violence, allegations he has repeatedly denied, arguing that his intimate relationships “have always been entirely consensual with like-minded partners.” The concert in San Luis Potosí was the second stop on the One Assassination Under God Tour, which began on August 7 in South Dakota and will bring Manson back to Mexico City in December to headline the Knotfest festival.
“I think we need to be a bit more plural today; it’s not all about regional Mexican music,” says the 44-year-old Cardona, who is known for his charismatic personality and refers to the residents of his state as “godchildren.” “Last year, we held talks with Metallica’s and Scorpions’ management teams. It was hard to finalize because of their tours, but we managed to start a dialogue with Marilyn Manson’s management and made it happen.”
In addition, this year’s FENAPO lineup included a varied musical offering with artists such as DJ Tiësto, Don Omar, Enrique Iglesias, Grupo Frontera, Banda MS, Los Ángeles Azules, and Belinda. All concerts at the fair, which runs from August 8 to 31, are free.
Marilyn Manson has a long history in Mexico: the 56-year-old artist debuted with his band at Mexico City’s Palacio de los Deportes in 1997 during the Antichrist Superstar Tour. Just like now, “The Reverend” sparked protests among Catholic groups and ignited conversations about censorship and artistic freedom in Mexico.
In 2003, he returned for a festival at Foro Sol (now Estadio GNP Seguros), and that same year he made his debut in the border city of Monterrey, triggering protests from religious groups. In 2007, he came back to Mexico City for a more intimate show in the Polanco neighborhood, causing a frenzy among fans when one caught the spit Manson launched into the air in their mouth.
In 2011, Manson chose Mexico City as the first stop for his art exhibition The Path of Misery, featuring watercolors he painted between 1999 and 2008. During that visit, Manson spoke about his friendship with French-Chilean artist Alejandro Jodorowsky, who lived in Mexico during the 1970s and 1980s and officiated Manson’s wedding to burlesque performer Dita Von Teese in Ireland in 2005.
He also confessed his excitement about being in Mexico during the Day of the Dead celebration, a tradition he found fascinating. “It’s something very different because in this celebration, people see things from my perspective. Death is not a negative thing; on the contrary, it’s something natural,” Manson said to reporters at the time.
This Sunday, as the euphoric crowd cheered, Manson, visibly pleased, repeatedly said the name of the state and a few phrases in English that many tried to understand. “San Luis Potosi, thank you!” he said. “It’s great to be here.”