Page 51 - Black Velvet Issue 97

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MANIC STREET PREACHERS / THE CORAL – BIRMINGHAM ARENA, 27.04.18
With their 13th album, ‘Resistance Is Futile’, released on April 13th, one thing that was not futile was a tour to support ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’
the release. So, with The Coral in tow as the sole opening band, the Manics headed out to eight glorious towns around sounds stunning and is
the UK to entertain the masses. worth the entrance fee
With The Coral kicking things off at 7.30pm, the stage was then free for the Manics to take over an hour later at alone, although it’s a shame
8.30pm. A quote lights up the background of the stage – ‘The reward is the act of struggle itself, not what you win. Even that Birmingham doesn’t get
though you can’t expect to defeat the absurdity of the world you must make that attempt’. It’s a quote to make you think ‘Little Baby Nothing’ – a
before the band arrive on stage. When they do, they open with ‘International Blue’ from the new release, and the band’s song we hear is played in
melodic musical gems start to blossom. It’s the more vibrant ‘You Stole The Sun From My Heart’ that really elates the Manchester the following
crowd though, while ‘No Surface All Feeling’ creates that wistful air of emotion. The set is one to please both old and night. ‘The Masses Against
new fans with a mixture of hits, classics and newer tunes. The quotes at the back of the stage change, highlighting band The Classes’ is the perfect
lyrics from the songs they play – there’s ‘cheap tarnished glitter’ from ‘From Despair To Where’ to ‘Monuments put from excuse for singing at the top
pen to paper turns me into a gutless wonder’ from ‘If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next’. of your lungs as well as
throwing a few shapes dur-
ing the solo. ‘Horses Under
Starlight’ has a loungey feel.
It allows the appearance of
a trumpet, although it’s a bit
of a filler and its place could
have been taken by the
aforementioned ‘Little Baby
Nothing’ or another notable
highpoint of the band’s ca-
reer. ‘Horses Under
Starlight’ does flow quite
nicely into ‘Kevin Carter’,
another of the Manics’
songs that includes trumpet,
though.
James Dean Bradfield
performs ‘Faster’ and ‘From
Despair To Where’ (which
includes a line of ‘Total
Eclipse Of The Heart’)
acoustically on his own. Al-
though we generally prefer
the electric version of these
two songs, the stripped
down acoustic versions re-
ally show James’ talent of
both guitar playing and
singing – his voice sounds
as good as it did 20 years
ago.
There are wolf whistles
when Nicky returns to the
stage dressed all in white. “I
know what you’re thinking:
‘How can a 49 year old man
have legs that fucking
good?’ Ribena and Kit Kats,
that’s what it is,” says the
outspoken bassist.
‘You Love Us’, ‘Tsunami’
and ‘Hold Me Like A
Heaven’ help steer the set to
its climax before early single
‘Slash ‘n’ Burn’ brings a bit
of the band’s old punk good-
ness back, letting old school
fans reminisce about the
early years as well as
Richey Edwards (who gets
a couple of mentions during
the show), while everyone’s
favourite anthem ‘A Design
For Life’ wraps the set up
like a prestigious present at
Christmas. The Manics al-
ways put on a good show –
whether it’s their old songs
or new, fast or slow, that you
have a penchant for, you’re
guaranteed a good time.
YYYY
Shari Black Velvet
Nicky Wire (Manic Street Preachers) Photo By Shari Black Velvet

CONCERTS