Garbage returns to Ryman

When rock band Garbage first played the Ryman Auditorium in 2005, they were understandably nervous about playing the historic venue: "We were so overawed being on that stage...it was an intimidating atmosphere," said lead singer Shirley Manson. "The Ryman is bigger than all of us."

On Wednesday, the band will return to the Mother Church. Have their nerves disappeared? "Oh, I hope so," laughs Manson. "Please, please put out some good vibes for us."

Last month Garbage—known for mid-1990s hits "Only Happy When It Rains," "Stupid Girl" and "#1 Crush"— released their sixth studio album, "Strange Little Birds." It's the band's strongest record in several years; according to Manson, the foursome was "in full stride" when they entered the studio.

"We had a lot of confidence and a very clear idea about the kind of record we wanted to make," Manson explained. "We all felt we really wanted to make a dark record even though it was really out of step with what is currently played on the radio. We just decided that we felt it necessary to make a very melancholic, cinematic record that we felt was keeping with the times. We feel like we’re living in very strange, dark times, certainly the darkest we’ve ever experienced in our lifetime, and we wanted to make sure we addressed that on this new record."

If you go: Garbage with Kristin Kontrol, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Ryman Auditorium, $35-55