Manic Street Preachers at Cambridge Corn Exchange 11th October 2021

3 years ago
Read Time:3minutes

Review and Photos by Mark Stimpson

Manic Street Preachers return with a UK tour and new album, The Ultra Vivid Lament after a gap of three years. I find it quite hard to believe that it’s also their first album to reach number one in 23 years.

Manics have been on my photography bucket list for some time so when I saw they were playing Cambridge I made sure I was free to go along.

The evening kicked off with a short set from Low Hummer, a six piece band from Hull. They performed a few tracks from their debut album Modern Tricks For Living. At one point lead singer Dan called Cambridge Bournemouth. This was made even more funny when he told the audience he had written Cambridge on the back of his guitar. I found their sound original and quite pleasing. They are definitely a band to watch for the future. I was slightly disappointed they didn’t have any CD’s for sale.

Around 9pm the lights dimmed and the audience cheered as Manics came on stage. Immediately as the intro of Motorcycle Emptiness started the audience were bouncing up and down. It was a real crowd pleaser and a great way to start the show. This was quickly followed up by the dystopian Orwellian from the new album, then Your Love Alone before returning to the new album with The Secret He Had Missed.

By the time they got to You Stole The Sun From My Heart the audience were singing their hearts out.

James Dean Bradfield is a true showman, bouncing around the stage with dizzying speed, it was exhausting just to watch. On the other hand Nicky Wire in his dark shades either bounced on the spot or wandered around giving the occasional high kick. Nicky reminded the audience that they first played Cambridge at the Junction in March 1991. He’s either got a very good memory or he’d googled that before the show.

There was a brief moment of reflection, when James tells the audience that they are a four piece and would always be a four piece. Obviously, a reference to Richey Edwards who went missing in 1995.

Old favourites such as If You Tolerate This Your Children will Be Next kept the audience singing along.

Before the start of the show, I’d grabbed a shot of the set list on my phone. Song 12 was ??? I wondered if this would be something a bit special. I was not disappointed, James Dean Bradfield announcing that it was audience participation time and at that point played a wonderful solo of La Tristesse Durera . Playing an acoustic guitar he challenged the audience to out sing him. Challenge was accepted.

A stand out moment for me was when James Dean Bradfield stood at the front of the stage and started playing a few riffs of Into the Valley before launching into a cover of Guns N Roses’ Sweet Child O’ Mine. The audience loved it.