After the Manic Street Preachers were forced to cancel their London shows in October late last year due to frontman James Dean Bradfield had a bought of acute laryngitis, the Welsh rockers returned with a fiery vengeance playing two shows at Brixton Academy on the 21st and 22nd of January 2011. The Manics have returned to the forefront of rock with recent 2010 release Postcards From a Young Man, and although the trio are nothing but young, the band who have spanned a career of over 20 years still thrive with the same energy, if not more, of many of today’s younger bands, putting on an outstanding live show worthy of their sold out status of this 5000 capacity venue.
The band opened with their 1992 debut release’s opener “Slash and Burn”, setting the tone for the night – rocking and full of old favourites. The Manics remain as one of ‘those’ bands, they may never be at the forefront of your mind – especially now that their heyday has allegedly passed – but shows like this bring back clear, vivid memories of when the biggest news was the tragedy of Richey Edwards disappearance, news which still taunts the band to this day and haunts their reputation, but likewise, days when anthems like “Motorcycle Emptiness”, and even tunes later from their back catalogue such as “If You Tolerate This Then Your Children will be next”, would resound in your head and on the radio for weeks on end.
Truly, you wouldn’t know any different, standing amidst the thousands of hardcore Manics fans, all dolled up in heavy eyeliner and feather boas, akin to Nicky Wire’s own attire. The show was reminiscent of entering a time warp in a manner of ways, with shaggy-haired-dudes who looked like they belonged in the nineties, but more so the unifying joy from songs which we all remember and loved – and clearly still love for many.
The biggest cheers of the night undoubtedly, as with most bands, came from their biggest tracks, which still remain popular with their hardcore fans, notably “Design for Life” – an unpredictable tearjerker for its weighty nostalgia and choice of closer. As they have developed and progressed as a band taking on from their previous strengths, the handful of tracks which they played off Postcards still received a tremendous reception, which can only put into perspective how revered some of their classics really are even only on the basis of nostalgia. These are songs which can fill stadiums – which they have done and remain to do so, namely in their home country of Wales, where they are still wildly popular. Likewise, the band still adorn their stage with the Welsh flag and champion their Welsh heritage, and complimentary to this, their show at Brixton has brought fans from Wales across border to attend this outstanding show.
Without question, it’s easy to see why Manics fans go to the extent that they do to see this band. They remain to marvel fans live, and Bradfield’s voice, even after 20 years and illness fails to falter. This band have indeed gone through their ups and downs, but there is one thing which the Manics do not fail to do – give it their 110 percent, even after all these years.
