Photo: Andrew Trendell
Manic Street Preachers showcased new material from their upcoming Rewind The Film album at an intimate gig at the 100 Club in London tonight (Tuesday 10 September).
The show marked the Welsh icons' first headline UK date since their now legendary 2011 National Treasures greatest hits show at London's O2 Arena. In stark contrast, the Manics played a 16-song set to a select few competition winners for a special gig for Absolute Radio.
While relatively short, their set was impassioned and rapturously received by the dedicated few in the small venue. After walking on stage to new track 'Manorbier' and opening with 'Elvis Impersonator Blackpool Pier' from the classic Everything Must Go, the band rocked into a selection of hits and fan favourites before debuting new material.
Tracks from the upcoming Rewind The Film included 'Show Me The Wonder', 'Anthem For A Lost Cause', 'This Sullen Welsh Heart' and the album's title track - with frontman James Dean Bradfield singing all verses, as opposed to the duet with Richard Hawley from the recorded version. All new material was received very favourably by the crowd.
Other surprise inclusions in the set included a rare outing of Holy Bible favourite 'Revol', which was definitely a highlight of the evening.
Manic Street Preachers bassist Nicky Wire live at the 100 Club
While bassist and lyricist Nicky Wire remained uncharacteristically quiet throughout the show, Bradfield bantered regularly at the crowd to tell stories of how the newer tracks were recorded, and at one point paying homage to the 'fucking honour' of being able to play on the same stage where The Sex Pistols once performed.
The band played:
1. Elvis Impersonator Blackpool Pier
2. Motorcycle Emptiness
3. Ocean Spray
4. Show Me The Wonder
5. Anthem For A Lost Cause
6. You Stole The Sun From My Heart
7. No Surface All Feeling
8. Rewind The Film
9. Tsunami
10. If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next
11. This Sullen Welsh Heart
12. Your Love Alone
13. Revol
14. (It's Not War) Just The End Of Love
15. You Love Us
16. Design For Life
The show will be aired on Absolute Radio next week, after band performing a headline set at Festival No.6 on Sunday 15 September.
Read our full track-by-track review of Rewind The Film here. The album is due for release on Monday 16 September.
Below: The 13 must-see bands at the weekend's Festival No.6
