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Welsh trio straddling political punk and stadium rock
If ever a band seemed unlikely to become respected elder statesmen of alt rock, it’s the Manics. When the Welsh quartet surfaced in the late ’80s, they seemed more likely to quickly implode, especially with their promise to split up after one album.
Born from the ashes of Betty Blue, James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Sean Moore and Richey James formed the Manics in 1988 and released their first single Suicide Alley that summer. Their loud, hard-edged sound, outsider image and political stance owed much to punk and set them apart from most of their late ’80s counterparts.
The ’90s started promisingly for the band, with the New Art Riot EP and singles Motown Junk and You Love Us earning rave reviews. However, the cracks that would later become fissures first showed during an NME interview, when Richey James responded to accusations of inauthenticity by carving “4 Real” into his arm.
The band signed to Sony for their debut album, Generation Terrorists, which arrived in 1992, followed by their first Top Ten hit in the shape of a cover of the M*A*S*H theme Suicide Is Painless. By this point, the band had become more famous for their outlandish and outspoken interviews than their music and their second album Gold Against The Soul failed to land with the same impact as its predecessor.
In the wake of Gold Against The Soul, James had started to unravel at an alarming rate. Plagued by depression, anorexia and alcoholism, he appeared on stage in Thailand with self-inflicted knife wounds on his chest. Following a spell in private hospitals, he returned to the band for their third album, 1994’s critically acclaimed but monumentally bleak The Holy Bible.
The following February, James left his hotel in London and drove home to Cardiff. He was never seen again. His credit cards and passport were left behind at home and his car was found by the Severn Bridge near Bristol, a spot long associated with suicides. The police eventually declared James dead in 2008, although many continue to claim his disappearance was staged.
The Manics elected to continue as a three-piece, using some of James’s final songs as the jumping off point for their fourth album, 1996’s Everything Must Go. Along with the No.2 single A Design For Life, the album was a huge success, turning the band from confrontational outsiders to major mainstream stars.
The Manic Street Preachers cemented their newfound status with This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours, serving up more hit singles with If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next and You Stole The Sun From My Heart. However, in the wake of Know Your Enemy and Lifeblood, the band seemed adrift and took time apart for Nicky Wire and James Dean Bradfield to embark on separate solo projects.
The time apart seemed to reinvigorate the Manics, who returned in 2007 with the more direct, streamlined album Send Away The Tigers. The trio opted to capitalise on this sense of rejuvenation and delved into a treasure trove of unused lyrics from Richey James to form the backbone of their next album, the critically acclaimed Journal For Plague Lovers.
It was an almost joyful Manics (two words which would have seemed horrendously incongruous 15 years earlier) on 2010’s anthemic Postcards From A Young Man, which also boasted cameos from Ian McCulloch (Echo & The Bunnymen) and Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses).
The band pulled things back for the gentler, folk-tinged Rewind The Film in 2013, featuring guest turns from Lucy Rose, Richard Hawley and Cate Le Bon, before moving in an altogether different direction on 2014’s krautrock and post punk-influenced Futurology. This was followed in 2018 by the band’s 14th album Resistance Is Futile.
In 2020, the band announced shows for NHS workers in Cardiff. They were also confirmed as support on selected dates of The Killers UK tour.
In 2021, Manic Street Preachers announced their 15th album The Ultra Vivid Lament would be released in September 2021, with a single Orwellian preceding it on 14 May. The group announced a massive co-headline tour for summer 2024 with Suede, including a stop at London's Alexandra Palace Park.
First time in Leeds for a concert, what a better, the Manics and Suede. On first the Manics, they played a storming set and were on great form. I did wonder about the Manics being on first but it was the right order as Suede were fantastic and got better as it got darker, Brett was brilliant...a fantastic evening in a great venue...
A master class from the Manics to their home crowd.
Great show. Only downside was the queues for the ladies toilets. Venues should have more ladies toilets than gents. Guys can use urinals ladies need cubicles. Given this was a show from bands at their peak in the nineties early 2thousands many ladies attending are at an age when they need frequent visits to the toilet facilities. Event planners should take this into consideration with the planning in future.
Great concert. Both bands exceeded my already high expectations…and didn't disappoint. Only negative, was not having more areas for exiting at the end of the concert. We all had to exit out of one corner.
Having received an update on Social Media saying that the Manics would be on at 7:30 and doors were at 6:00 we arrived at the venue at 6:55. The queues to get in were enormous and there was no control. We finally got in just after 7:30 just after the Manics had started. There were still huge lines behind us. Manics were fantastic. Dreadful venue - will avoid next year.
Saw Suede and Manic Street Preachers at Castlefield Bowl, Manchester on Friday 12th July, both were great. Energy levels from both bands are up there with the best. Sounded brilliant. Thanks for brightening up a damp Friday evening in Manchester 👏👏👏
Superb concert at a brilliant venue. Suede were excellent and manic street preachers even better
Ease of booking kept informed of any changes and updates always use ticketmaster very trustworthy
This wad amazing been a fan of Suede since I was in my teens never thought I'd get the chance to see them live plus manics were awesome too, playing all their top songs with a few I didnt know but the crowd did so made for a great night. Venue was top notch, bit over crowded tho prob need 10% less for it to feel comfortable and not squeezed in.
Suede were good but did a full hour which is unusual for a support band. Manics were great but only did an hour and 15 minutes and just walked off. They could have done so much more
Fantastic show by suede and manic street preachers! A special evening. My wife had her umbrella taken from her wen we entered the venue, it was only a small one and was going to be kept in her bag and yet later on in evening there were people with umbrellas !!! The price if drink at the bar was totally disgusting and criminal!!!!! The two bands though put on an amazing show and I really hope I get to see them again one day
The artists were brilliant but the venue not so great. It's in a great location but a long walk and very crowded to get in. The bar is very pricey and the toilets a long way from the stage and too busy. They need just men urinals like I have seen at other venues.
The rain could not dampen anyone's spirits at such a great venue to enjoy such a fantastic group! Suede too was brilliant! Staff on the gate were really helpful. Brilliant time and easy to use the e-ticket system for entry.
Fair play to the organisers of this event - the safety and security was exceptional. Good staff. Expensive bar but hey, it's a mini festival in a city. It was Manics-by-numbers - anthems played exactly like they were recorded and little enthusiasm or excitement from JDB at playing their home city (2nd day in a row, mind). But, perhaps they were still reeling from a magnificent Benjamin Button Suede frontman Brett Anderson just taking control of the stage, the crowd and the whole Castle and its grounds and whipping up a magnificent show. Suede should have headlined no matter what.
Suede and Manics… what a line up! Brett Anderson… what a showman, what a set! From the start it was electric. The passion and effort from suede was amazing. Engaging and uplifting. Just loved them! Manics…. Seen a lot of times as love them, but this was the slowest set I've seen and lacked passion and interaction with the crowd. Great venue, welcoming people and easy location for hotels , bars and restaurants. I love you MSP but Suede won the night!
Great bands - super performances - transported back to my youth. Suede looked like they were loving it and this came across. BUT loo facilitates and how long it took to get in - disaster
Fantastic gig I loved it , so many great songs could have played all night long
Great songs and band. Enjoyed every minute. Rain almost held off! The crowd still stayed and listened to the music. Great atmosphere!
Long time getting and closed off a area where the big group of toilets bar and food outlets were 20 minutes after the manics came on with no notice creating unhappy people and massive as for toilets which wasn't necessary at all unless a really big band play there and know where else wouldn't bother seeing bands here again sound was poor aswell not loud but this could be to do with the location but made the songs not great
The concert was great , security and assistance staff were brilliant. However the ramps for access were too steep for my partner to manage freely on her own , also umbrellas were not permitted but no shelter for people with accessibility issues this is the only thing that I feel could be improved.
