WORDS AND IMAGES DESH KAPUR
Tonight was my 2nd night of the incredible Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod , Simple Minds were brilliant as were Del Amitri and Paloma Faith blew me away and tonight, well was going to be even more special, two of the biggest bands from the 90s and onwards will be taking to the stage in the big top, Suede and legendary Welsh heroes Manic Street Preachers
Suede was formed in London in 1989 by singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Justine Frischmann, and bass player Mat Osman. Drawing inspiration from glam rock and post-punk, Suede were dubbed “The Best New Band in Britain” by Melody Maker in 1992. Their debut album Suede went to the top of the UK Albums Chart, becoming the fastest-selling debut album in almost ten years. It won the Mercury Music Prize. Suede would become a component of the Britpop “big four”, along with Oasis, Blur and Pulp.
Suede reformed in 2010. Three years on from their reunion gigs, Suede released their sixth album, Bloodsports. Their seventh album, Night Thoughts, followed in 2016 and became an even bigger critical and commercial success than its predecessor. Their eighth studio album, The Blue Hour, was released in September 2018. It became the group’s first top-five record since Head Music. Their ninth and most recent studio album, Autofiction, was released in September 2022.
The current lineup is Brett Anderson, Matt Osman, Simon Gilbert, Richard Oaks and Neil Coding.
Manic Street Preachers are. Formed in Blackwood, Wales in 1986, they rose to massive fame and had their halcyon years in the 1990s. The band were originally a four-piece consisting of James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Sean Moore and rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards who mysteriously vanished on 1 February 1995, leaving the band as a three-piece from there on in. The Manics released their debut album Generation Terrorists in 1992, and since then have released 19 albums, including the most recent release ‘Ultra Vivid Lament’. They have had 3 UK number-one albums and fourteen UK top-ten albums. Also two UK number one singles and fifteen top ten UK singles. Their accolades include the Best British Album and Best British Group at the BRIT Awards in 1997 and 1999 and they were lauded by the NME for their lifetime achievements in 2008.
Suede were up first tonight and I don’t want to say one band was a headliner and the other was the support as both bands are headliners in their own right,
From the moment the lights dimmed and the opening chords of “Turn Off Your Brain and Yell” rang out, it was clear that the audience was in for an unforgettable night. Anderson’s unmistakable voice, raw and powerful, sliced through the air, instantly taking you back to the band’s 90s heyday. He was oozing energy, striding from one side of the stage to the other, standing on the foldbacks turning back the years.
The setlist was a blend of old favourites and newer material. Tracks like “Trash” and “Animal Nitrate” fired up the crowd, who sang along with every word, their voices blending with Anderson’s in harmony. Guitarist Richard Oakes delivers his electrifying riffs, Bassist Mat Osman and drummer Simon Gilbert such a solid rhythmic foundation. Keyboardist Neil Codling added atmospheric textures, everything sounding so lush, and layered.
The stage design was simple. The use of video projections added visual depth, As the concert drew to a close with the club-rocking “Metal Mickey” the guitars were loud and tough, followed by the massive song that is the sleazy pop/rock of “Beautiful Ones” and the noise was deafening.
In a world where musical trends come and go, Suede showed tonight that they can still hold their own not only that, but they seem to be getting better with time.
Set List:
1. Turn Off Your Brain and Yell
2. Trash
3. Animal Nitrate
4. The Drowners
5. We Are the Pigs
6. Pale Snow
7. I Don’t Know How to Reach You
8. Killing of a Flashboy
9. Filmstar
10. Antidepressants
11. Life Is Golden
12. She Still Leads Me On
13. Shadow Self
14. The 2 of Us
15. So Young
16. Metal Mickey
17. Beautiful Ones
Then it was time for Welsh heroes Manic Street Preachers and as the stage went black The noise level in the crowd started to rise in anticipation. The screen at the back of the stage started playing a procession of semi-political and life slogans. Then the Welsh indie punk rockers walked on, and the crowd erupted in mass applause.
The band looked happy and relaxed. Nicky Wire looked resplendent in what looked like a white suit ensemble and the obligatory big black shades; this man still oozes cool. As the first chords were struck, the screen at the back of the stage flashed quotes from the likes of James Baldwin, plus images of the band from their younger days and the band launched into “Motorcycle Emptiness” from their 1992 debut album “Generation Terrorists”. Then it was into “From Despair to Where ” from their second studio album, Gold Against the Soul “Everything Must Go” from the album of the same name was next. The setlist tonight was a brilliant mixture from across all their albums but the classics were all there, “A Design For Life”, “If You Tolerate This”, “You Stole The Sun From My Heart”
In truth, The Manics are a very different band from the one that started so many years ago. The punkiness has gone, the songs are straighter, but the knack for writing great songs with big choruses has never changed. Mixed in with songs of love and heartbreak, The Manics have always had something to say with intellect and perception.
So as the band left the stage with much adoration, and the crowd left the venue happy after an electrifying performance, it felt to me that tonight was not about the new or the old, it felt to me like tonight was a celebration. Not just about celebrating an iconic Welsh band but about celebrating an iconic British band. 37 years and 14 studio albums don’t lie. They have earned their stripes.
DIOLCH YN FAWER IAWN
Set List:
1. Motorcycle Emptiness
2. From Despair to Where
3. Everything Must Go
4. Slash ‘n’ Burn
5. You Stole The Sun From My Heart
6. To Repel Ghosts
7. Little Baby Nothing (with The Anchoress)
8. Your Love Alone Is Not Enough (with The Anchoress)
9. Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier
10. A Design For Life
11. La tristesse durera (Scream to a Sigh)
12. Walk Me To The Bridge
13. Tsunami
14. Orwellian
15. You Love Us
16. No Surface All Feeling
17. If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next
FOLLOW MANIC STREET PREACHERS
FOLLOW SUEDE
My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago
