Lithe singer Shirley Manson became an eyeball magnet while strutting across the Uptown Theatre stage, exuding a surprisingly upbeat demeanor for a rock diva so associated with moody, edgier themes.

Clad in a white tank top, white jeans and an uncharacteristically blonde hairstyle, Manson looked the very antithesis of goth. And her band’s hour and 45-minute set on Tuesday reflected the enthusiasm of an alternative-bred act who realized it could still pack concert halls without having to add rap or metal to its rm
Describing herself as a “blabbermouth,” Manson frequently addressed the crowd between songs, often apologizing for the occasional impenetrability of her Scottish brogue. (At one point she discussed how she either liked to “read books” or “raid boots.”) It was all very charming, especially when she reveled in the fact that guitarist Duke Erikson’s family had made the trek from Nebraska to watch this Midwest performance.

Manson slipped out of character only once when a disturbance near the front of the stage caused the group to stop playing mid-song. After a mohawk-topped gentleman was escorted out of the venue, Manson apologized to Erikson’s mom for her momentary profanities and went back into merriment mode.

Since Garbage was the brainchild of veteran music producers Erikson, Butch Vig and Steve Marker, the sonic qualities of the show were given much more importance than the visuals. The quintet (a bassist accompanied the band live) sounded as crisp as house music at a techno club, despite the occasional boominess in the low end. Yet they weren’t necessarily overly reliant on technology. Many of the quirkiest sounds came not from synths or loops but from the ensemble’s dual guitars – especially noticeable on the pulsating “Shut Your Mouth” from their latest release “Beautifulgarbage.”

The only time the band seemed to struggle was on the new-wave track “Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!),” which was simply irritating in its pure pop drivel. Additionally, the slower material seemed to contain less emotion than the uptempo numbers. Manson even attempted guitar for a ballad, strumming through a four-chord ditty that dragged a few minutes past its welcome.

Garbage saved most of its better-known material for the encores, including “#1 Crush” from the “Romeo + Juliet” soundtrack and the closer hit “Only Happy When It Rains.” The finale provided the sole part of the show where the group seemed to really let go, displaying the abandon of a great bar band more than a sequenced concert act.