MANIC STREET PREACHERS - WOLVERHAMPTON CIVIC AT THE HALLS, 25 APRIL 2025

BY SHARI BLACK VELVET

Releasing their 15th studio album in February 2025, ‘Critical Thinking’, Manic Street Preachers have become an integral part of UK music history. Since their debut single in 1988, the Manics have been a shining light, using powerful, analytical, personal, social, political and literary-inspired lyrics that provoke thought in the midst of the joy of musical art.

A quote by Anthony Burgess on the screen at the back of the stage reads, ‘We can destroy what we have written, but we cannot unwrite it.’ This is something that can relate to our whole existence as humans, but also, more specifically, to a band like the Manics, whose set features singles from throughout their almost 40-year history as a band. Some musicians become tired of their old work, but, as fans of the band, we would definitely not want the Manics to destroy anything that they have written, or unwrite it, whether it be the fiery ‘Motown Junk’ from 1991, which is slotted in towards the end of the set, much to the delight of old fans, to any of the band’s more recent work.

An intro of ‘Critical Thinking’ announces the arrival of the band to the stage, with the sublimely melodic ‘Decline & Fall’, from ‘Critical Thinking’, being the opening number. While James Dean Bradfield sings about how ‘we blazed a trail and shone’, the Welsh band are still shining, as tonight’s show, wholeheartedly, evidences. It is a pleasure to hear the magical ‘Enola/Alone’ in full live glory, as well as ‘La Tristesse Durera (Scream To A Sigh)’, with the lyrics ‘I am a relic’ appearing in large letters on the backdrop.

‘Brushstrokes Of Reunion’, from the new album, a song with lyrics written by James, precedes the blissful, long-time favourite ‘You Stole The Sun From My Heart’. Before the vulnerable ‘She Is Suffering’, the audience is told, ‘When we were here in 1994, we were a four-piece. Give it up for Richey James Edwards’. The band have been mixing up the setlist during the tour, which has been split into weekend shows throughout April and May. We love the idea of weekend shows, as it doesn’t involve having to get up early for work the next day after a night out. Wolverhampton gets ‘Let Robeson Sing’ after the magnificent ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’, which features the band’s video (featuring Richey) on the backdrop. The memories that this hit conjures will last a lifetime. The whole audience erupts, singing along, and jumping up and down with arms in the air. ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’ will never get old; it has youth and spirit in abundance. Likewise, ‘A Design For Life’ is so life-affirming, everyone in the building sings along at the top of their lungs. Confetti falls from the roof over the crowd towards the end of the song, making it even more magical. “You’re a bunch of mighty fine singers,” James comments to the crowd, before he takes the spotlight for a couple of songs performed on his own, acoustically. It takes one to know one (or a bunch) - James’s voice is fantastic and pitch-perfect in ‘This Sullen Welsh Heart’ and throughout the whole set. You can tell he’s looked after it throughout the decades of touring.

‘The Everlasting’ starts off with just James on his own, before the band rejoin him on stage halfway through the entrancing song (aside from James, Sean and Nicky, Dave Eringa is on keys and Wayne Murray is on rhythm guitar). Sean Moore’s solid drumming stands out in the tougher-edged ‘Sleepflower’, while it makes a nice change to see Nicky Wire singing lead vocals and playing guitar in ‘Hiding In Plain Sight’, a song on the new ‘Critical Thinking’ album.

There's a moment when a girl passes out in the audience and is pulled out into the photopit. The band stop the show until she's taken out. James looks down, concerned, checking that she's okay.

Wrapping the show up with the anthemic ‘If You Tolerate This, Your Children Will Be Next’, and, once again, with everyone singing along, it’s amazing to see how many people are still profoundly affected by the Manics’ catalogue of music, and how their songs continue to stand the test of time. There are no airs and graces to this band, they’re just three close friends whose passion for creating music, and using their lyrics, voice and purpose to comment authentically on important subjects, have made a lasting imprint. Long may they continue.

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