Who
Manic Street Preachers
Support
The Coral
Where
Arena Birmingham
When
27th April 2018
Price
£36.50
Who with
No-one
Position
In the middle
Comments
I just seem to keep coming back for more despite never intending to, and here I was returning for the 8th viewing of the Manic Street Preachers, this time on a Friday night in Birmingham. Bizarrely I've travelled to London, Lincoln, Manchester, Cardiff and Swansea to see them play in the past, yet didn't make the effort to watch them perform the awesome Journal For Plague Lovers album in Wolverhampton. In this case I figured that the show was quite cheap and I was enticed by the presence of The Coral in support, and I presumably was in a good mood when I got tickets! Looking back it's very strange to think there'd been such a gap between my seeing the guys between 2001 and 2010, and this was my fifth time watching them in the latter period. As the show approached I did start to wonder why I bothered, but for one reason or another I just keep returning! A week before the gig I invested in the deluxe version of the Resistance Is Futile album, stomaching the higher price and also purchasing the Twin Peaks season 3 Blu-Ray box set at the same time. I foolishly said yes to paying for a HMV card too, meaning I have the added hassle of trying to remember I have it each time I go back. I transferred the LP to my iPod sharpish but only heard through it once or twice, noting that the demos on disc two sounded rather polished in some cases! I then didn't get round to a repeat listen until travelling to the show, also cramming in some of the finer moments by The Coral. I'd enjoyed a fabulous meal at Tipton's Pie Factory the night before too, which was a mixed grill served on a shovel washed down with a glorious pint of Weihenstephaner, which made a good change from the usual so-so beers I expected to endure. I was also nearing the end of watching Babylon 5 after a couple of months of intense viewing, so was generally enjoying good times.

As it was a dress down day at work I debuted my lovely new Twin Peaks/Peanuts crossover t-shirt, which was far too nice to take to a concert, and it was rather frustrating that it didn't receive the compliments it deserved. After my day at work I left my car and headed into Wolves, having a pub tea to pass the time waiting for the super off peak trains, and also switching from my original plan of McDonald's as I'd already enjoyed that for lunch. It felt like the weather was getting colder again after some nice days we'd been having, and my notes suggest it was raining as I left, although as I'm writing this up two weeks later with an intervening large weekend in London I really can't remember for sure! I did stop at Wetherspoons though and enjoyed the economical chicken tandoori wrap with chips and a beer. I started to grow a little concerned that I'd arrive too late and be stuck in a queue on the door, but after getting the train in and making some initial notes, I was surprised to be ushered to a side door with seemingly no queue, then was let in after a hassle-free search and presented with a wristband. I did forget to buy a drink though to hydrate myself, and with the new sugar tax on top of the standard rip-off venue prices, I wasn't in the mood to buy inside the arena. I passed the journey and wait for the music by exchanging some messages - after trying to force myself back onto social media and to make more effort in general - and my Canadian friend hadn't heard of the Manics at all, although I'm surprised to count that MSP and The Coral had amassed eighteen top ten singles between them in the UK. Doors had opened at 6pm and I really thought everyone would have rushed to arrive just before The Coral, so I was shocked and disappointed by how empty the arena was, although it was good to know that my late arrival had cost me nothing!

I first popped to the loo, and in the cubicle was greeted by the same kind of joke sign that they have on Virgin Trains warning you what not to flush down the loo, with the list including support bands. Luckily that wasn't going to be an issue tonight! I had a good 20 minutes in which to sit down before The Coral showed up promptly at 7:30pm, and I was impressed to hear Ice Hockey Hair played over the speakers, even though the crowd were too sparse to react as you may expect. On the two side screens was projected a very dull and corporate-looking image of the Manics which I think was sponsoring Apple Music, although once the show commenced I was slightly too far forward to notice what was going on on the side screens. My phone started to play up as it had suddenly decided that it was running low on memory, although as the concert was now upon me I think that may have been for the best! I applauded The Coral onstage, feeling happy that there'd been no need for me to rearrange my shifts at work or to catch a more expensive train to have arrived earlier. I'd also witnessed the guys supporting The Stone Roses in Manchester back in 2016, although by comparison this crowd were incredibly sedate. This could have been annoying but I really didn't fancy a moshpit and there was just about enough fan appreciation that I didn't get too frustrated. This was in stark contrast to the first time I saw MSP in 1998, when the crowd had enthusiastically moshed to the mid-tempo If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next! The Coral opened with Chasing The Tail Of A Dream, and delivered a no fuss minimalist set with zero production design beyond a changing light scheme, which started off as red. After a few tunes I knew less I got to enjoy Jacqueline, shooting my first video of the night. I captured the introduction and some blue lights, but the sound was a little loud and distorted. Heads were very gently bobbing and I zoomed in on James Skelly to try and cut out the massive heads that had naturally congregated directly in front of me.

I loved how The Coral were so chilled out and willing to play the hits, thanking us for our (so-so) attentions rather than being dicks and pushing for a better reaction. They did a bit that sounded teasingly like L.S.F. by Kasabian, and the guy on the left was even wearing a Serge hat! James was sporting unnecessary indoor sunglasses and a hat also, and the hits resumed with the ever-lovely Pass It On. I shot the introduction with some green lights and quiet sound, and by now was rather surprised by how little the crowd were getting into it. The Coral really kept up the momentum with the equally awesome In The Morning, with the fifth member on keyboards allowing the band to perfectly recreate their studio sound. I shot another video, this time with red lights and indications that the crowd were finally starting to liven up. It was a little blurred and jerky, and after such crowd-pleasing no-one could resent them for declaring that a few tunes from the new album were to follow. I did recognise some though from a radio session I'd recorded of theirs back in 2016, such as Miss Fortune and Million Eyes. The set ended with the final monster hit in the shape of Dreaming Of You, as I captured a final shorter video. The guys had pulled off a deliciously pleasing balance between my four favourite hits and also a good few newbies, with no self-indulgent wankery whatsoever. Around this point the arena filled up, and I really do have to question who the actual fuck would buy tickets for this concert and not bother to watch such a stellar support act? Shameful! I never did check if the show sold out but it did appear that the arena had been configured for a smaller crowd, and it didn't seem to be at capacity. Before the main event, Ashes To Ashes by David Bowie was played, which I was disappointingly slow to recognise, and I was really surprised to hear the instrumental (original) version of Holy Man by Dennis Wilson too just before the guys came onstage. I presume that the Manics were curating the music, and I wondered if they'd got into Dennis via the Super Furry Animals?

By this point the lovely album sleeve art of the Samurai warrior was projected onto the side screens and a quote was displayed on the large screen in the middle of the stage - "The reward is the act of struggle itself, not what you win. Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt." Unlike how it usually works for the Manics, the source of the quotation was not cited! This rather wordy thought was replaced as the lights went down promptly at 8:45pm, with the second quote declaring that "life is all memory. Except for the one present moment that goes by you so quickly you hardly catch it going." The Manics then bounced onstage to an energetic rendition of International Blue. My mate had declared his dislike for this number but I think I kind of like it, and the back screen and blue lighting dominated the stage and I was impressed that the Manics would kick off with such a feisty rendition of their new material. I shot my first video which was short and distorted, capturing a recurring theme of the evening as the words were projected onto the screen throughout. Any concern that we'd be bombarded with just new tunes was quickly set to rest as MSP followed the newbie with You Stole The Sun From My Heart, although for me this was a little too crowd-pleasing and generic. Onscreen was the phrase "I paint the things I want to see", and the inevitable small bouts of moshing commenced in front. Much more interesting was No Surface All Feeling, which was very emotional and a lovely retainer from the previous Everything Must Go show in Swansea. The crowd loved it too and I shot a video of much of that great rocking introduction. There was a simple double image of James and Sean on the screen but with some distortions, and this was definitely one of the strongest moments of the night. This was followed by newbie Distant Colours, which was accompanied by a full Japanese-styled video featuring a girl with an umbrella I think.

James commented on their unwanted achievement of having now enjoyed five #2 albums, after being kept off the top by The Greatest Showman soundtrack despite being ahead in the midweek charts. James joked about having short man syndrome and mentioned now being 49-years old, and couldn't resist a dig at musicals in general too, although thanks to my love of Spamalot and The Book Of Mormon I certainly wouldn't agree that all musicals are bad! James again had the lonely experience of dueting with himself on Your Love Alone Is Not Enough, while the quote in the background was "through all the pain your eyes stayed blue." I do enjoy the moment at the end when Nicky joins in the singing though! The setlist then really took a leap into the interesting and unknown with a shockingly unexpected performance of 4 Ever Delayed. The guys declared that they'd wanted it to be a single, and it was about this time when James cast off his smart jacket, as well as regularly swapping his guitars around throughout the gig. Forever Delayed first became famous of course as the refrain from Roses In The Hospital and was then banked as the title of their greatest hits album, and I shot a video which eventually came into focus, capturing white strobes and a huge head blocking my view. I kept recording until it hit the chorus, and although I accept this was a fairly deep dive into their back catalogue, the crowd standing still like statues was still a little disappointing! Next up was Dylan & Caitlin, and the quote onscreen was "together the tenderness cries." I think that the back-up guitarist was impersonating a girl here on vocals, and the guys had now acquired a further guitarist too, in addition to Nick Nasmyth on keys. The performers were gradually introduced throughout the show, and it is unexpected that the Manics are now up to a six-piece when performing live.

Motorcycle Emptiness was preceded with the inevitable big shout-out to Richie, but tarnished a little by the twat to my left bawling at people around him to mosh along, before doubling his twat score by leaving the crowd immediately afterwards, much to our relief. The sound throughout the show was loud and admittedly a bit muggy, and I shot a minute of footage from the song, including some others moshing and plenty of filming. The guitar sounded great and it's no wonder that the guys struggled to play this in their early days! James was in crowd-pleasing mode and let us sing some of the lines, and I can't believe that I was here enjoying this tune after 22 years of knowing it, reminding me of that brief period when the Manics had been my favourite band, knocking Oasis off their perch before Super Furry Animals took over that mantle for all eternity. MSP reverted to unusual choices with There By The Grace Of God, saying that they never play it but of course it had been a part of the singles night show in London. The crowd seemed unmoved but not offended by its presence, and for me it was just about worthwhile by virtue of its obscurity. It was good that the guys were pulling an intriguing setlist out of the bag to justify my attendance! After its intro tape followed The Masses Against The Classes, as I shot an unusual video of caterpillars or suchlike onscreen. The quote projected behind the band was "hello it's us again, we're still so in love with you", and I recorded a lovely bit with some flashing lights too. James talked of it being their 10th time in Birmingham and thanked the crowd, although I'm not sure if he was being polite as the fans seemed rather boring to me! He then declared that this was our chance to go to the bar, and James wasn't joking either. As the band then launched into the instrumental b-side Horses Under Starlight from 1996! For those with a limited awareness it certainly was a good time for a break, but for me and other knowledgeable fans this was a highlight, and a really lovely relaxing tune.

Next up was Kevin Carter with a featured trumpet player, although if we were going for singles from Everything Must Go I'd have plumped for Australia! The second and final number one hit of the evening was delivered in the shape of If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next, and shockingly some string confetti was launched into the air at the end, as I risked strangulation by tying part of a very long stream around my neck, which was also extending onto the floor. The video screen featured footage of the fans and the onscreen quote was "monuments put from pen to paper turns me into a gutless wonder." I shot a video of the introduction and the first few lines, and now that we're under threat from right wing fuckwittery the line about shooting fascists is more pertinent than ever. There were red lights and James encouraged us to handclap, and I must say that the guys were really pulling out all the stops to make this an entertaining and involving show. The rest of the group left the stage, leaving James alone for the inevitable acoustic segment. Someone shouted out for Small Black Flowers but I'm grateful that he was ignored and that we got to enjoy fascinating takes on smash hits instead of unwanted ballads. First up was Faster, which shockingly was the only offering from The Holy Bible tonight. James cheekily pretended to cut it short before launching into the finale, which was fitting as the quote behind him on the minimalist dark screen was "man kills everything!" This was then trumped by From Despair To Where, with James even cheekily launching into a snippet of Total Eclipse Of The Heart by Bonnie Tyler toward the end.

I shot another video and the quote in the background this time was "cheap tarnished glitter." My camera could handle the acoustic sound far better, and it was particularly pleasing when the fans sang along to the little guitar flourishes that make the song so good. After this the rest of the band came back, with Nicky Wire particularly dashing in a white suit costume change, still sporting the same Resistance Is Futile guitar strap. Nicky cheekily said that he knows that we're all musing as to how (another) 49-year old man can have legs so good, and that if James has short man syndrome then he must surely suffer from the opposite! After this banter was old favourite You Love Us featuring the original video, before Walk Me To The Bridge was performed for my third Manics concert in a row. I'd had much preferred Europa Geht Durch Mich and must say I'm perplexed as to why this one keeps making the set, although it is starting to grow on me slightly. The video screen featured a German-themed backdrop, and next up was newbie Hold Me Like A Heaven. Tsunami reminded me of the tsunami benefit concert where the Manics perhaps wisely chose not to perform that number, and it's lucky that in the over-representation of This Is My Truth that The Everlasting was omitted! Much more welcome was the lovely Let Robeson Sing, reminding me of the version with Gruff in London, and being supported by red lights and the onscreen quote of "a voice so pure, a vision so clear." It was really touching, even if it seemed like the speech kicked in a second or two off time. I shot a video of the introduction, and although it felt like MSP were covering all bases in their back catalogue, I'm surprised to note that Journal For Plague Lovers, Lifeblood, Postcards From A Young Man and Rewind The Film weren't represented at all tonight. After newbie People Give In was the fabulous Slash 'N' Burn, which had sounded fantastic when they'd played all the singles and was very welcome back in the set. I shot my ninth Manics video of the night so far, with footage of that glorious introduction only slightly marred by an annoying massive head in my way. The onscreen quote was "24 hour boredom I'm convicted instantly."

By this point I'd forgotten that the Manics never do encores, so I didn't quite appreciate that A Design For Life heralded the end of our night. I shot a frustratingly blurred video of the first verse which just wouldn't focus, before capturing over a minute of better footage, including James letting us sing one of the verses, and some moshing. The original video was utilised on screen and I was caught off guard when the guys left the stage, the lights went up and they didn't come back! The text Resistance Is Futile was projected onscreen and we'd also enjoyed another bout of confetti being unleashed before the end. The show was all over by 10:30pm, although the guys had crammed in quite a lot of numbers and had also started early, so I can't complain I guess. I made my way out, stepping over the ludicrous amount of confetti on the ground and ensuring that the sample around my neck was of a manageable size to take back home with me. The dodgy t-shirts outside were an outrageous £10, so I quickly made my way back to the station. For some reason the train went the slow route via Aston and Perry Barr, and I wished I'd stopped off for a drink first, but the journey gave me some time to write up the notes that have allowed me to do this review two weeks after the concert. My train ticket was checked too - which it hadn't been on the way in - so at least I'd purchased it for a reason! I then drove back from Wolves with my ears whistling, going to bed and quickly pushing this concert out of my mind. With such a hefty back catalogue it's a bit silly to talk omissions, but it's a surprise that the excellent Vivian wasn't played! And this was the first time in a long while when I had no future concerts booked up, although I did have the Aladdin and Matilda musicals, along with Bill Bailey in Birmingham plus Harry Potter And The Cursed Child in the pipeline, so things weren't all bad!
Setlist (The Coral)
Chasing The Tail Of A Dream
Something Inside Of Me
Secret Kiss
Jacqueline
Bill McCai
Pass It On
In The Morning
Holy Revelation
Miss Fortune
Million Eyes
Sweet Release
Dreaming Of You
Setlist (Manic Street Preachers)
International Blue
You Stole The Sun From My Heart
No Surface All Feeling
Distant Colours
Your Love Alone Is Not Enough
4 Ever Delayed
Dylan & Caitlin
Motorcycle Emptiness
There By The Grace Of God
The Masses Against The Classes
Horses Under Starlight
Kevin Carter
If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next
Faster
From Despair To Where
You Love Us
Walk Me To The Bridge
Hold Me Like A Heaven
Tsunami
Let Robeson Sing
People Give In
Slash 'N' Burn
A Design For Life

Mark: 8.0/10