Manic Street Preachers, Arena Birmingham - review and pictures
I’ll be honest. This was the first time I had ever watched the Manics.
I knew most of classics, I’d researched the new album - which from a novice’s point of view is brilliant – and then headed straight to Arena Birmingham.
The Welsh rockers have just put out their 14th album, whilst celebrating 30 years making music.
Bassist Nicky Wire had questioned in interviews prior to last night’s gig whether the public still thought traditional rock ‘n’ roll was still relevant.
If the crowd at the arena last night was anything to go, it’s fair to say the answer was a resounding ‘yes’.
It’s easy to get carried away with all the rap, pop and dance music that tends to fill the charts – but the simple fact is there is nothing better than a rock gig.
The Manics strolled on stage behind a chorus of violins and then blasted out their latest smash-hit single, International Blue.
Their new album, Resistance Is Futile, which I’d been listening back-to-back for the last few days, ticks all the boxes.
How they manage to stay original after all these years is mystery, but I suppose their four-year hiatus probably helped.
As Wire put it himself, they knew they had some great songs for a new album, but it was International Blue that screamed ‘this is the Manics’ next single’.
One of the most impressive aspects of the whole gig was how clean, precise and in tune the band was from the opening chord to the last lyric – it sounded exactly the same as the CD.
To be fair, the crowd had been very-nicely warmed up by support act, The Coral, who seem to be going from strength to strength having roared back on to the music scene in recent years.
But back to the Manics, it wasn’t long before they belted out one their classics – And, If You Tolerate This, Then Your Children Will Be Next. And without hesitation, Your Love Alone Is Not Enough followed.
Whether or not you’ve got the Manics albums, the hits are hits – and that was rammed home when No Surface All Feeling was played.
As lead singer and guitarist James Bradfield explained, it was the 20th time he had played Birmingham – perhaps tongue in cheek, but he couldn’t have been far off – before breaking into Your Love Alone.
If you’re novice fan, like me, it would be easy to miss how good the Manics are live. The whole band just gelled from the opening riff. It’s good to support new bands but there is nothing better than seeing an established group playing at the top of their game. It’s just effortless.
And then we were given a breather...but only while we waited for 4 Ever Delayed to strike. It was another chance to simply sway, nod and appreciate the music, before more of that driving guitar came back to the fore.
Next up, it was arguably the highlight of the entire set. A sublime tribute to former band member Richey Edwards.
Bradfield was on point, whaling – and making me air guitar – as the band thrashed out another of their all-time greats.
Once the crowd had settled, they were treated to a slow, mellow, groovy and beautiful build up for Horses Under Stairlight.
If You Tolerate This was next, and it was impossible not to wave your arms in time to the beat – especially when a huge blast of streamers exploded from the ceiling. A nice touch.
Bradfield then got everyone to settle down, pulled out his acoustic and serenaded us, leaving just enough time for Wire to reappear dressed in an all-white suit – he was modest enough to admit he had nice legs, and put his slim physic down to drinking Ribena and eating Kit Kats.
But that was enough of the niceties – because it was time for the all-out rock track, You Love Us.
And just when you thought the Manic couldn’t rock any harder, the light shone on Wire as his driving bass made way for Walk Me to the Bridge.
Bored Out Of My Mind? Hardly, as there was no let up right up until encore, the song the Manics are best known for. It was obvious, for some of the hardcore fans it might have seemed a bit repetitive – but there is no denying A Design For Life is one of the best tracks ever recorded.
With more streamers, more cheers and more applause, the gig was over. And, if I wasn’t before, I’m now a fully-fledged Manics fan.
