Page 43 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 112

BV112 pg 42-43 Manics.qxp_BV112 pg43 22/06/2025 18:56 Page 2

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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 (fea-
turing Richey) on the backdrop. The memories that this hit con-
jures will last a lifetime. The whole audience erupts, singing
along, and jumping up and down with arms in the air. ‘Motorcy-
cle Emptiness’ will never get old; it has youth and spirit in abun-
dance.
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, mak-
ing 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, acousti-
cally. 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 en-
trancing 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 vo-
cals and playing guitar in ‘Hid-
ing 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 pho-
topit. 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 Tol-
erate This, Your Children Will
Be Next’, and, once again,
with everyone singing along,
it’s amazing to see how many
people are still profoundly af-
fected by the Manics’ cata-
logue 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 com-
ment authentically on impor-
tant subjects, have made a
lasting imprint. Long may they
continue.
YYYY
Shari Black Velvet

Manics Photos By Shari Black
Velvet

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