Cardiff was bracing itself. Threats of rail strikes, forty mile tailbacks heading back along the M4 and a city centre rammed full of two very disparate looks. The combat, eye-liner feather boas wearing adults mixing with a different form of army, thousands and thousands of ten year olds wearing ‘I Love Louis/Harry shirts being ushered by harassed parents. If there was anyone wearing an ‘I Love Hoovering’ shirt just to confuse people then you have my respect. The passers by not knowing what the heck was going on might have thought some kind of twisted apocalypse was occurring. The capital had never seen the like before.
There was a way to escape the teenage takeover and that’s by hiding in a pub. So that’s what we did. Myself and fellow forumers met at the Brewhouse and talked and laughed and started having way too many shots for that time of day. There was also a Manics tribute act providing us with a perfect soundtrack to our pre-gig giddiness. We even had the honour of meeting James Dean Bradfield himself.
We made our way to the Castle around 7ish. Good job we’d been drinking so much already as the queue’s were horrendous. After taking in the rather spectacular surroundings we made our way closer as the support band were playing. I’d never heard them before but nothing about them particularly grabbed me, though to be fair the swirling conditions didn’t help them. I wasn’t too bothered about whether the support was good or not. I was hear for the Manics.
The Holy Bible performed in the sunshine and in such a big open space was always going to be a different experience to the claustrophobic assault on the senses that was the December tour. As James unleashes himself full throttle into Yes it’s clear that us at the front are having the time of our lives and you could almost sense a little bewilderment from beyond our shoulders. IfWhiteAmerica’s guitar slays and we all shout the collective vitriol to Of Walking Abortion. James’ luck with guitars for the night start to go wrong during the furious solo of Archives Of Pain as a string snaps he looks up bemused and says “Guitar’s gone!” but they bluff their way too the end. “That’s his best solo as well!” Nicky mocks with his evil grin. Truth be told, until Revol charges in, the sound is a bit too quiet for my liking. However, as with the Roundhouse shows The Holy Bible live experience really truly starts shattering your soul from song number six. The middle section to Revol is pure guitar porn and by now the groups of drunken lads, who are the only real down point of the night are vying for space down the front.
4st 7ibs, for such a deeply personal song about anorexia really does seem to get universal appeal. Even the butch security guard (who I shall name Bob) in front of the stage is lost in his own world singing along. Good chap. What follows is mesmerising. Nicky continuing to pace the stage as Mausoleum rages and faster almost crumbles under its own intensity. As for This Is Yesterday, it felt truly magical as the sun setting further gave it a more beautiful ambience than its ever had before. Die In The Summertime never fails to slay live, it’s barbed chords and roar are fierce as hell.
Can we, for one moment talk about Mooro? His drumming right now is out of the realm, sounding harder and quicker than ever. His mean marching beat to The Intense Humming Of Evil is sensational. This song, an unexpected high point of The Holy Bible live experience. And so to P.C.P , another powerhouse effort from Sean as James just about keeps in control of the fast paced diatribe.
After a quick interval James is back donning his acoustic flagged by a string quartet and leading a stirring rendition of The Everlasting. Bob, once again singing along merrily. It’s wonderful. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, Bradfield needs to do a show with just him, an acoustic guitar and a string quartet. I’d be there in an instant and blubbing away through the whole damn thing. Motorcycle emptiness has a real power to it and an impressive Walk Me To The Bridge is received so much better than on previous outings.
There are some curve balls on offer. In recent times the band have started to enjoy varying their set up more and Condemned To Rock N’ Roll (or “one long guitar solo” as Nicky puts it) is staggering. To see James tear through the outro with no words to hinder or get in the way. It sounds so kick ass and heavy. Sex, Love, Power And Money is another surprise. It’s great fun but I do feel Futurology has been undersold and overlooked by the band considering how proud they seem to be of it. I fear I’ll never see Let’s Go To War or Black Square live. Removables was another pleasant surprise but the crowd strangely didn’t seem to take to it. Golden Platitudes was the final twist of the night. Dedicated to “anyone with post election blues” (me for sure) it sounded massive and better than on the Postcards tour where they never seemed to quite nail it.
I’m never against a rendition of You Stole The Sun From My Heart because it’s so great to bounce along to. Or would be if the people out of their heads were capable of doing anything other than flailing about and clattering into you. They are the reason my back is in total agony right now. As For Your Love Alone, yeah that can leave the set now please. Thanks.
You Love Us is proceeded by James doing a Hendrix of the Welsh national anthem as ten thousand mostly drunk people tried to remember the words loudly. It was quite a moment. And as James bids us goodbye (“be careful out there, I know what Cardiff can get like on a Friday night”) we are united further with an even more epic than it normally is version of A Design For Life. So pumped up on passion and stirred on to even greater things by the surroundings and sense of occasion. Amid the feedback Nicky vainly throws his bass about and his last attempt seems to land on James’ pedals. Probably with a mix of annoyance and “let me show you how it’s done” Bradfield picks it up and tries to smash it, each crash against the stage greeted with cheers. With a look on his face that says “I’ve committed to this now and thousands are watching” he finally breaks the thing in half and with relief states “toughest fucking guitar in the world”. It’s even funnier than the finale of the Manic Millennium.
And so they are gone, probably for a while as realistically it’ll be a couple or so years until new material surfaces and tours are announced. If they ever happen. After each era I always have a deep fear that it is their last. I’m glad The Holy Bible era is now over so they can start looking to the future again. Was tonight the best they’ve ever played? No, it’s not even the best they’ve played The Holy Bible but as a sense of occasion and importance this will always be a night to be remembered.I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
Afterwards we attended the Manic Street Mania aftershow, where my request for Prologue To History wasn’t played, and I, somewhat against my will got dressed in a camo turban. We then went to an “alternative rock” club here all the music sounded like nu metal played by boy bands. I honestly had no idea nu metal was still a thing. Thank God for alcohol. Then onto a club at 3:30am because it was the only one still open. We were offered pills by a very happy man but we decided to stick with the tequila. AT 5;30am, only two of us were left standing but got kicked out of the club (because it was closing not because we were being naughty). Leaving a club drunk and walking into warm, bright daylight is a very odd experience. We then had a discussion with a pigeon which we confused for a seagull. What a wonderful time to be alive.
Manic Street Preachers.
I love you one time.
I love you two time.
I love you three time.
Get pissed.
Destroy.
Tequila. I love you a bit less.
May your God go with with you.
DIGITAL OBSERVATIONS 
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