manic street preachers

Concert Review: Suede, Manic Street Preachers, November 24, Massey Hall

Posted on by Paul in Concerts | Leave a comment

IMG-20221125-WA0001

I’m not sure if there was an official name given to the Manic Street Preachers/Suede co-headlining tour which just wrapped up with its final date last night at Massey Hall, but based on the night’s performance from Suede, might I suggest the Brett Anderson Tries His Best To Catch COVID tour?

I kid, of course, but it certainly seemed like the Suede frontman has moved well past the need for social distancing. He made that fairly clear as he ventured out into the crowd multiple times throughout the evening to get up close and personal, encouraging the audience to get out of their seats and move up to the front, hugging various audience members, and encouraging mass singalongs. I’m not sure if he went extra hard tonight because it was the last night of the tour (and possibly, he hinted, their last North American show for a good while, or maybe ever?) or if every night has been like this, but either way, Anderson is one of the most engaging rock frontmen around.

With the energy Suede brought to the table, some bands might have been daunted to follow that, but luckily, Manic Street Preachers are not just “some band.” While James Dean Bradfield may not be quite as animated as Anderson is on stage, he’s certainly no slouch himself and he and the rest of the band proved as much as they ran through a set full of classic songs from throughout their career alongside some well placed covers in the form of “Suicide Is Painless” and The Cult’s “She Sells Sanctuary.” Like Suede, The Manics also seemed inspired to make the last night of their tour a memorable one.

Bassist Nicky Wire noted that though they’ve played several Toronto venues over the years, including the Phoenix, the Danforth and “the Opera House of Toronto”, playing Massey Hall this time around was “the pinnacle.” Bradfield also noted earlier in the set that they were glad to be gracing the same stage that Neil Young, Rush and, yes, Suede, had played before them and later paid homage to Rush by playing a little snippet from the intro to “Closer To The Heart” at one point.

Closing things out with “A Design For Life”, Manic Street Preachers ended off a great night of music from two bands who’ve been at it for a while and have garnered dedicated fanbases over the years (I did notice a lot of grey hair in that crowd). And though the Manics noted that, unlike Anderson, they wouldn’t be giving out any group hugs, both they and Suede put on amazing performances that definitely had people going home happy. And hopefully didn’t have a certain Suede frontman going home sick.

Song of the Day: Manic Street Preachers – Rewind The Film (Featuring Richard Hawley)

Posted on by Ricky in Song of the Day | Leave a comment

It’s not every day one of your favorite bands comes out with a new track. It’s certainly not every day when one of your favorites comes out with a song featuring another one of your favorites. So today, is a good day.

Featuring strings and the contrasting voices of Richard Hawley and James Dean Bradfield (one is smooth, one is less… smooth, you figure out which), this seven minute track is the first song off a new Manics album of the same title (out in September). Let’s hope the trio gets off their asses and tour North America this time.

Cover Song of the Day: Manic Street Preachers – This is the Day (the the cover)

Posted on by Ricky in Covers, Everything, Song of the Day | Leave a comment

For the second time in ten years, Welsh rock band (and person fave) Manic Street Preachers will be releasing a best of/singles compilation. Obviously, this time around, the compilation will also consist of tracks from the four albums they have released since their last compilation Forever Delayed.

National Treasures will be released on October 31st aka Halloween and will contain a new track – This is the Day, a cover of a song by the band The The. Given The Manic’s penchant for playing covers, this should come as no surprise. The video for this song is quite amazing if you are a Manics fan as it contains many archival footage that spanned the groups career, including yes, footage of long lost member Richey Edwards, who some die-hards still believe is happily working away as a cashier at a Sainsbury in some small Welsh village.

The video makes me feel old, as the realization that I’ve been following some of my favorite bands for almost twenty years now. Watch as James Dean Bradfield go from skinny, sharp jawed military wearing anarchist to slightly chubby, happy with himself rock star. You’ll get what I mean.

Here is the track listing

Motown Junk, (Heavenly) 1990
Stay Beautiful, Generation Terrorists 1991
Love’s Sweet Exile, Generation Terrorists 1991
You Love Us, Generation Terrorists 1992
Slash ‘N’ Burn, Generation Terrorists 1992
Motorcycle Emptiness, Generation Terrorists 1992
Suicide Is Painless, Theme From M*A*S*H 1992
Little Baby Nothing, Generation Terrorists 1992
From Despair To Where, Gold Against The Soul 1993
La Tristesse Durera (Scream To A Sigh), Gold Against The Soul 1993
Roses In The Hospital, Gold Against The Soul 1993
Life Becoming A Landslide, Gold Against The Soul 1993
Faster, The Holy Bible 1994
Revol, The Holy Bible 1994
She Is Suffering, The Holy Bible 1994
A Design For Life, Everything Must Go 1996
Everything Must Go, Everything Must Go 1996
Kevin Carter, Everything Must Go 1996
Australia,Everything Must Go 1996
If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next, This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours 1998
The Everlasting, This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours 1998
You Stole The Sun From My Heart, This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours 1998
Tsunami, This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours 1998
The Masses Against The Classes 2000
So Why So Sad, Know Your Enemy 2001
Found That Soul, Know Your Enemy 2001
Ocean Spray, Know Your Enemy 2001
Let Robeson Sing, Know Your Enemy 2001
There By The Grace Of God, Forever Delayed 2002
The Love Of Richard Nixon, Lifeblood 2004
Empty Souls, Lifeblood 2004
Your Love Alone Is Not Enough, Send Away The Tigers 2007
Autumnsong, Send Away The Tigers 2007
Indian Summer, Send Away The Tigers 2007
(It’s Not War) Just The End Of Love, Postcards From A Young Man 2010
Some Kind Of Nothingness, Postcards From A Young Man 2010
Postcards From A Young Man, Postcards From A Young Man 2010
This is the Day, National Treasures 2011

Here is the video

Will a North America tour folow? let’s hope so.

Song of the Day: Manic Street Preachers – If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next

Posted on by Ricky in Song of the Day | Leave a comment

Toronto – I came into work and listened to a bunch of Manic Street Preachers. Lefty Canada appears to be in a bit of a turmoil right now with the election of a Conservative majority and while it appears to be dark days ahead, I am reminded of a time in England when the Conservative government was dominating and all hope there seemed to be lost. Some freaking good bands came out during that time and if you look into the past, you will find that when ever the government sucks, great music emerges. So I’m looking forward to some kickass Canadian music coming out in the next little while.

This Manic Street Preachers song has nothing to do with the election, but it arguably has the coolest song title ever. A single off their 1998 album This is My Truth Now Tell Me Yours and has the distinction of being the #1 hit with the longest title (without brackets). The song is about the Spanish Civil War.

If You Tolerate This Then Your Children Will Be Next-Manic Street Preachers by trico