Manic Street Preachers - Monday 23rd Sept, Colston Hall

“Overweight and out of date” sings 44 year old Manics frontman James Dean Bradfield on a rare performance of ‘Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier’ as the Blackwood trio roll into town in support of 11^th album ‘Rewind The Film.’  Whilst the band may be carrying a few extra pounds from the heady Britpop days, they still have an adoring army of fans and positive reviews of the new release (an assured address to middle-age) seem to be pointing towards yet another resurgence.

The spectre of enigmatic guitarist Richey Edwards still looms large over every performance as the band fondly recount anecdotes of early gigs and the wild escapades of their disappeared/departed (you decide) former fourth member.  As the bands newer material is culpable of sliding into the Radio 2 friendly territory that bassist Nicky Wire lambasts of other bands weekly in NME one wonders what Edwards would make of the ‘no electric guitars’ policy on the latest record.  Thankfully it won’t be long though for fans of the early edgier albums to ride it out as the anticipation of next years rumoured ‘punk’ album sates the appetite for a more energetic approach.

Tonight’s gig begins with some real class and a ferocious ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’ showcases Bradfield’s sumptuous guitar licks that surprises everyone as an opening choice.  The offbeat, moody ‘Ready For Drowning’ follows and couldn’t be more of an antithesis, Bradfield’s glorious vocals shine in what now feels like an underrated album track.  Wire, looks typically garish in red trousers on the right but he ought to be wearing a striped black and white t-shirt and balaclava for his shameless theft of the Neighbours theme tune on latest hit ‘Show Me The Wonder.’  With honking gorgonzola trumpet buffoonery and sickly MoR chorus isn’t the groups finest hour and the crowd are largely inanimate, pining for the next Bradfield guitar solo.  Fortunately the understated melancholy of ‘4 Lonely Roads’ redeems well as silky-voiced welsh starlet Cate Le Bon joins them onstage.  There’s no Richard Hawley for the new album’s title-track and the frontman struggles with the Sheffield crooners depth on a track where clumsy lyrics threaten to spoil.  

‘You Love Us’ is humorously dedicated to the Bierkeller who made the band pay £100 to perform in their formative days.  With a heavily drenched brown jacket, Bradfield holds the stage unaccompanied for a mezmerising solo of ‘The Everlasting’ which follows dull as dishwater newbies ‘This Sullen Welsh Heart’ and ‘(I Miss The) Tokyo Skyline.’  Powerful political assault on the middle classes ’30-Year War’ is the pick of the new tracks showing that Wire hasn’t lost any of his biting lefty wit.  Finishing with glorious punk (‘Motown Punk’) and the colossal Design For Life’ we’re reminded of the true qualities of a band fighting the tides of time but still with the power to unite embracing strangers and fully wrench the guts.  It’s a hit packed set and for the most part one of impressive variety, above all though it’s one that proves the undying appeal of a band that will surely go down as one of the most important of the last 20 years.

Kindly published by Venue:
http://www.venue.co.uk/music-live-reviews-m/21139-manic-street-preachers

Best Track: Click on link below
Manic Street Preachers - 'Motown Junk'

Setlist:

1. Motorcycle Emptiness 
2. Ready for Drowning 
3. Your Love Alone Is Not Enough 
4. Show Me the Wonder 
5. Anthem for a Lost Cause 
6. (It's Not War) Just the End of Love 
7. You Stole the Sun From My Heart 
8. 4 Lonely Roads (with Cate Le Bon)
9. Rewind the Film 
10. You Love Us 
11. If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next 
12. This Sullen Welsh Heart 
13. (I Miss the) Tokyo Skyline 
14. The Everlasting 
15. Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier 
16. Revol 
17. Tsunami 
18. Sleepflower (Snippet)
19. 30-Year War 
20. Kevin Carter 
21. Motown Junk 
22. A Design for Life 

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