Garbage drummer Butch Vig is the musical director for the benefit concert Freezing Man, taking place Friday and Saturday at The Sylvee in Madison, Wisconsin. The shows will raise money for the organization Joey’s Song in support of epilepsy research.
The cause is a personal one to Vig, who tells ABC Audio that one of his best friends has epilepsy.
“I’ve been with him when he’s had seizures and it is terrifying,” Vig says.
“My sister-in-law battles epilepsy,” he continues. “I think there’s a lot of people who, if you think about it, probably have someone on their sphere of life that is battling epilepsy.”
Freezing Man will feature an unplugged performance on Friday, followed by an electric set on Saturday, which will stream live via the Joey’s Song YouTube channel. The lineup includes Vig and his Garbage bandmate Duke Erikson, plus members of Silversun Pickups, Fountains of Wayne, Goo Goo Dolls, The Go-Go’s and The Bangles.
One performer Vig is particularly excited about is Curt Smith of Tears for Fears.
“Garbage toured with them a couple summers ago … and hung out with Curt a lot,” Vig says. “We’re going to be doing some Tears for Fears songs, which all the musicians are super psyched about, because we’re all huge fans.”
An event like Freezing Man demonstrates the power that music can have, something that Vig also experienced when Garbage concluded their 2025 tour in Sydney in December just hours after the mass shooting at Australia’s Bondi Beach took place.
“I think music brings people together and can help heal wounds, and also educate people and give them a sense of self,” Vig says. “That’s one of the reasons I do it, that’s one of the reasons I keep making music.”
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