Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible Live - Sat 13th Dec - Olympia Theatre

Birneybau

Well, that was AMAZING!

MetalDog

Well.

That was brilliant. Any reservations I had going in were swiftly dispelled as the opening riff of "Yes" rang out. They played the Holy Bible album as a three - piece, which to me was perfect.

It was always going to be a risk on their part to even attempt something like this, but the songs to me have lost none of their intensity. This wasn't a nostalgia trip.

Everyone seems to be doing the "play a classic album followed by the greatest hits" gig (Slayer, Metallica, Roger Waters, Morbid Angel, Rush et al). So it's not a new concept and it worked very well last night.

They had an extra guitarist and keyboardist for the 2nd set which worked great too.
Bradfield is definitely one of the most underrated guitarists out there, and still has the belting vocals.

My first time seeing them and all even though I've been a fan since the 90's. I'm there with fuckin bells on when they come back.

Rothko

That was really brilliant. Never thought I'd ever get to The Holy Bible played. Hope they do another gig like that here next year but I'm not sure how likely that is.

laros

Brilliant as always....my highlight was getting a handshake from Nicky Wire at the stage door around 8.30... :-)

bellinter

Really, really enjoyed it. However, there is one disadvantage of the format, for me... When you always know exactly what song is coming next, you lose a bit of the buzz. If they had come out for a normal gig, and opened unexpectedly with Yes... or if they threw in Archives of Pain in the middle of two Futurology songs... could you imagine the reaction?!

That said, it was still class. Good selection for the second part too. Really loved This Sullen Welsh Heart

thegreengoblin

Brilliant gig. Such a pleasure to hear a great album like The Holy Bible performed live in front of your eyes.

I also really enjoyed the songs from Futurology. Maybe it was just me but they seemed to get a fairly muted response. I couldn't believe it when I heard the intro to Dreaming A City (Hugheskova). I love a good instrumental...what a tune!
Also had a good laugh at Nicky saying he went to Tower Records and it wasn't there anymore!

Minor quibble: I could have lived without You Stole The Sun...especially as they played Your Love Alone Is Not Enough instead of it in Glasgow a few days earlier. But as I said...minor quibble!

Great to have them back and hopefully they'll tour more next year.

Rothko

thegreengoblin wrote: »

Minor quibble: I could have lived without You Stole The Sun...especially as they played Your Love Alone Is Not Enough instead of it in Glasgow a few days earlier. But as I said...minor quibble!

I'd much prefer You Stole The Sun From My Heart over Your Love Alone Is Not Enough tbh.

The Wild Bunch

It was good but I feel a lot of THB songs just don't work live - they're too personal, too voyeuristic.

I'd have happily taken a few b-sides, rarities and oscure album tracks over the likes of '....Suffering', 'Intense Humming.....' and '4st 7'

savemejebus

The Wild Bunch wrote: »

It was good but I feel a lot of THB songs just don't work live - they're too personal, too voyeuristic.

I'd have happily taken a few b-sides, rarities and oscure album tracks over the likes of '....Suffering', 'Intense Humming.....' and '4st 7'

I think you're in the minority there. I, and most people I talked to felt that the format worked really well. 4st 7lb was a highlight of the show.

Only criticism of the gig would be the second half. Would have preferred less manics by numbers and apart from Dreaming a City they could have done without the second guitarist. "Dreaming a City" and "donkeys" were highlights of the second set but I'd have been very happy to leave out "Motorcycle Emptiness", "Tolerate", "You stole the sun", "Postcards from a young man" (they should be slapped for including that in the set but at least it wasn't the steps song) and put in more rarities. Also, gods forgive me but they need to retire "A Design for Life" as a set closer. Gigs were so much better when they finished with "You Love Us".

Still all these are minor gripes, it was an amazing gig and the Holy Bible Set lived up to and exceeded expectations...even if James sailor suit looked a bit ill-fitting.:pac:

Ciaran_B

My only problem with some of the THB songs was that the sound was a bit thin with just the one guitar. When the second guitar joined for the second set the sound was considerably bigger and more 'full'. I totally understand why they played THB as just a three piece though.

I thought it was an amazing night and hearing THB live was something I never thought I'd witness.

savemejebus

Ciaran_B wrote: »

My only problem with some of the THB songs was that the sound was a bit thin with just the one guitar.

Some bits did sound thin alright, i was blaming it on him not using his trusty Les Paul, fender pickups can sound thinnner.

The Wild Bunch

Hopefully they'll be back next Summer - disappointed to only hear 2 Futuroly calls live

homerun_homer

They played 4 Futurology songs dude.

Dreaming of a City
Europa Geht Durch Mich
Walk Me to the Bridge
Divine Youth (I would like to have swapped this out of all the songs in the set. I'd loved them to do Sex, Power, Love & Money or Let's Go to War in it's place)

I hope they return in the Summer too.

The Wild Bunch

homerun_homer wrote: »

They played 4 Futurology songs dude.

Dreaming of a City
Europa Geht Durch Mich
Walk Me to the Bridge
Divine Youth (I would like to have swapped this out of all the songs in the set. I'd loved them to do Sex, Power, Love & Money or Let's Go to War in it's place)

I hope they return in the Summer too.

Jaysus I must've been pissed

Tempted to go see THB live in Cardiff Castle next summer - looks to be an all day event os might get some decent support bands

BPKS

Went there just to see The Holy Bible and really enjoyed it. Was poignant to see one side of the stage empty during it. JDB's exploits on guitar while belting out some of those lyrics was top notch stuff.

Other than the Generation Terrorists tracks the 2nd set didn't set my pulse racing but I expected that.

homerun_homer

The Wild Bunch wrote: »

Jaysus I must've been pissed

Tempted to go see THB live in Cardiff Castle next summer - looks to be an all day event os might get some decent support bands

Cardiff castle is sold out but I'm sure you'd manage a ticket if you look around or willing to buy off tout. I feel the same myself, would love to go.

acquiescefc

The Wild Bunch wrote: »

Jaysus I must've been pissed

Tempted to go see THB live in Cardiff Castle next summer - looks to be an all day event os might get some decent support bands

Good luck with getting a hotel, theyre all sold out as another popular boy band are in town the same day.

The Wild Bunch

acquiescefc wrote: »

Good luck with getting a hotel, theyre all sold out as another popular boy band are in town the same day.

Mates sofa

markmacken

homerun_homer wrote: »

They played 4 Futurology songs dude.

Dreaming of a City
Europa Geht Durch Mich
Walk Me to the Bridge
Divine Youth (I would like to have swapped this out of all the songs in the set. I'd loved them to do Sex, Power, Love & Money or Let's Go to War in it's place)

I hope they return in the Summer too.

I was gonna say I'd like to see them return, but I was thinking of the great performance they did of THB. I'm not sure I would enjoy a set that was based around Futurology...

Birneybau

markmacken wrote: »

I was gonna say I'd like to see them return, but I was thinking of the great performance they did of THB. I'm not sure I would enjoy a set that was based around Futurology...

I'll be honest, I'm not mad about most of their stuff post 'The Holy Bible'.

markmacken

Birneybau wrote: »

I'll be honest, I'm not mad about most of their stuff post 'The Holy Bible'.

Yeah, gotta call a spade a spade.

Birneybau

Birneybau wrote: »

I'll be honest, I'm not mad about most of their stuff post 'The Holy Bible'.

Rewind the Film is possibly the best thing they''ve recorded post HB.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Rewind the Film is possibly the best thing they''ve recorded post HB.

I absolutely love "Journal for Plague Lovers" too

The Wild Bunch

Can't agree with the post THB output comment

'EMG', 'TIMTTMY', 'SATT', 'JFPL', PFAYM', 'RTF' and the most decent Futotology are terrific in their own right

Really only Know Your Enemy and Lifeblood were below par

Rothko

Deleted User wrote: »

I absolutely love "Journal for Plague Lovers" too

I think it's one of the best albums of the last 10 years.

homerun_homer

It's a pity they don't play Plague Lovers songs much at gigs. Also, they have some cracking B-sides over the years since Richie disappeared. Prologue to History is one of their best and should have been on TIMTTMY.

The Wild Bunch

homerun_homer wrote: »

It's a pity they don't play Plague Lovers songs much at gigs. Also, they have some cracking B-sides over the years since Richie disappeared. Prologue to History is one of their best and should have been on TIMTTMY.

CHOOON

The Wild Bunch

The Wild Bunch wrote: »

Can't agree with the post THB output comment

'EMG', 'TIMTTMY', 'SATT', 'JFPL', PFAYM', 'RTF' and the most decent Futotology are terrific in their own right

Really only Know Your Enemy and Lifeblood were below par

You have to be kidding. Postcards!! Kye was far, far superior to Postcards. Can't name a track off Postcards I'd hear by choice.

The Wild Bunch

[Deleted User] wrote: »

You have to be kidding. Postcards!! Kye was far, far superior to Postcards. Can't name a track off Postcards I'd hear by choice.

Hazleton Avenue, Don't be Evil, A Million Balconies Facing the Sun, Some Kind of Nothingness......... Do you want me to go on?

Know Your Enemy was universally derided by music critics- NME, Q, Mojo destroyed it.

PFAYM was a solid 7/10 everywhere you read and it's songs get a better reception live than anything on KYE

MrStuffins

The Wild Bunch wrote: »

Hazleton Avenue, Don't be Evil, A Million Balconies Facing the Sun, Some Kind of Nothingness......... Do you want me to go on?

Know Your Enemy was universally derided by music critics- NME, Q, Mojo destroyed it.

PFAYM was a solid 7/10 everywhere you read and it's songs get a better reception live than anything on KYE

Know Your Enemy is severely under rated. Found That Soul, So Why So Sad, Baby Elian, Let Robeson Sing........ Intravenous Agnostic which is one of the Manics most under rated songs....... it has a lot of good moments. Had it's bad moments but still, I think it's under rated.