Tuesday 16th December 2014 by Andrew Trendell | Photos by Emma Viola Lilja

Manic Street Preachers kick off residency at Roundhouse

Band play first of three London Holy Bible shows

Manic Street Preachers Roundhouse Holy Bible show - review and photos

Photo: Emma Viola Lilja

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Manic Street Preachers kicked off the first of their three night Holy Bible residency at The Roundhouse in London last night (Monday 16 December, 2014). See the setlist, photos and footage below.

- Read our review of the Manics' epic Roundhouse finale on Wednesday here

Taking to the stage, decked in camouflage and with the band in full iconic military attire, the trio followed a support slot from DJ and collaborator Erol Alkan. Stepping out to the Chemical Brothers Prodigy-esque remix of 'Faster', they quickly ripped into the opening notes of 'Yes' - drowning out the adoring howls of the sold out crowd.

Despite frontman James Dean Bradfield admitting that he'd caught 'the Christmas bug', the audience's vocal participation and the sheer ferocity of the band's performance and the power of the songs themselves more than compensated as the Manics united generations of fans in celebrating the Holy Bible's 20th anniversary by performing it in full. Admitting that they were delighting to be performing in the Roundhouse as it bore the closest resemblance to The Astoria where they played their last ever gigs with Edwards in December 1994, the setting only heightened the spirit of the evening.

Watch Manic Street Preachers perform 'Faster' below

Paying tribute to the 'genius' and 'beautiful eyes' of lost bandmate and Holy Bible's lyrical architect Richey Edwards, bassist Nicky Wire appeared visibly moved by London's feral response to their set - with a whirlwind reaction even saved for more downbeat numbers such as 'Mausoleum' - which Wire jokingly referred to as 'the sing-along hit of the winter'.

Following the Holy Bible set, the band promptly returned 10 minutes later in a change of clothes and kicked straight off with the Generation Terrorists anthem 'Motorcycle Emptiness'. The second part of the set drew largely on hits such as 'You Stole The Sun From My Heart', 'You Love Us', 'If You Tolerate This' and 'A Design For Life', but also threw in fan favourites and rarities such as the underrated elegiac gem '1985' from the often maligned Lifeblood and classic B-side 'Donkeys'.

Not only that, but the band naturally leaned towards their stunning recent album Futurology, with the futuristic Bowie Berlin Trilogy-esque instrumental 'Dreaming A City', the title track and the stomping urgency of the monumental 'Europa Geht Durch Mich' - featuring special guest, German actress Nina Hoss.

Bradfield seemed to be struggling with his voice - with Wire filling in for vocals on Rewind The Film's 'Divine Youth'. However, Bradfield overcame adversity to sound incredible on the closing of 'You Love Us' and 'A Design For Life' with a brief cover of 'Last Christmas' by Wham as an intro.

Manic Street Preachers played:

The Holy Bible:
Yes
Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayit'sworldwouldfallapart
Of Walking Abortion
She Is Suffering
Archives of Pain
Revol
4st 7lb Mausoleum
Faster
This Is Yesterday
Die in the Summertime
The Intense Humming of Evil
P.C.P.

Hits, Curios and Futurology:
Motorcycle Emptiness
Dreaming a City (Hugheskova)
You Stole the Sun From My Heart
1985
Europa Geht Durch Mich (With Nina Hoss)
If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next
Donkeys
Futurology
Divine Youth
You Love Us
A Design for Life (with Last Christmas Intro)

Read about why Futurology is one of the best albums of the year here.