Marilyn Manson Debuts Another New Backing Band at 2026 Tour Kickoff

Marilyn Manson has an old face back in a familiar place as he debuted a new backing band for 2026 earlier this week during his first U.S. dates since last fall's Aftershock Festival.

The shock rocker returned to the stage Wednesday night (April 22) for the first of two performances at the Yamava Theater in Highland, California that are serving as a warm-up for this Saturday's (April 25) appearance at the Sick New World festival in Las Vegas.

Who Is In Marilyn Manson's Backing Band?

Back in 2024, Marilyn Manson made his return to the concert stage after an extended period of inactivity while dealing with legal matters. At that time, he had a backing band of returning guitarist and drummer Tyler Bates and Gil Sharone with new additions Reba Meyers of Code Orange on guitar and former Rob Zombie bassist Piggy D.

But earlier this year, Tyler Bates issued a statement to reveal he was stepping away to focus on other professional endeavors. Prior to joining Manson's touring lineup, Bates was mostly known for his work in the film and television world and his exit allowed him more time to dig into new projects.

READ MORE: The Musicians + Celebrities Who Attended Marilyn Manson's 57th Birthday Party

"I’m stepping away, but I will be actively supporting the upcoming release of 'One Assassination Under God):Chapter Two, my fourth album with Manson, which I believe is our finest work together," Bates added. So that left the band with a touring void on guitars.

A month later, rumors started circulating that Manson had reunited with KMFDM's Tim Skold, who had previously worked with Manson. That proved out to be true as Skold was part of the backing band lineup when Manson returned to the stage.

The backing band as it currently stands features Skold handling bass duties, while Piggy D has moved over to guitar. Sharone is still manning the drumkit. But there is one more change as Meyers, who has also pursued a solo career in recent years, was absent from the touring lineup as she has conflicting tour dates. In her place, Nick Annis, who has played with Dorothy, is serving as the other guitarist.

What Did Marilyn Manson Play at His Recent Show?

The show continued with Manson playing a solid mix of newer material along with the classics. The tour's opening night saw him kick off the show with the One Assassination Under God — Chapter 1 song "Nod If You Understand." The album's lead single, "As Sick as the Secrets Within" also made an appearance later in the set.

Manson also pulled out a pair of live rarities during the opening night performance. ""Dried Up, Tied and Dead to the World" was performed for the first time since 2018. Before the five appearances the song made during Manson's 2018 tour, it had not been performed since 2009.

The other long absent song from Manson's setlist was "(s)AINT" from The Golden Age of Grotesque. The track returned to the setlist for the first time since 2005 when it was played three times over the course of that year.

Marilyn Manson, "(s)AINT)" (Live, 2026)

See what else Manson and his reconfigured backing band played on the first night of their 2026 U.S. touring below, courtesy of Setlist.fm.

Marilyn Manson Setlist - April 22, 2026 at Yamava Theater in Highland, Calif.

1. "Nod If You Understand"
2. "Disposable Teens"
3. "Angel With the Scabbed Wings"
4. "Great Big White World"
5. "This Is the New Shit"
6. "Dried Up, Tied and Dead to the World" (first time since 2018)
7. "The Fight Song"
8. "long Hard Road Out of Hell"
9. "Diary of a Dope Fiend"
10. "The Dope Show"
11. "As Sick as the Secrets Within"
12. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" (Eurythmics cover)
13. "(s)AINT" (first time since 2005)
14. "mOBSCENE"
15. "The Beautiful People"
16. "Tourniquet"
17. "Coma White"

Where Else Can I See Marilyn Manson?

The two Yamava Theater appearances and Sick New World date this weekend are isolated a bit on the itinerary, but it won't be long until Manson is touring on a more regular basis. The singer and his band pick up again on May 8 in Minneapolis with dates scheduled through the month.

There's also a big co-headline run with Rob Zombie and special guests The Hu coming later this year. For all Marilyn Manson ticketing, be sure to check his website.