Manic Street Preachers Showcase New Album At Working Men's Club

Manic Street Preachers showcased tracks from their forthcoming new album during an intimate gig in London tonight (August 5).

The Welsh band performed a 16-song set to a crowd of just over 150 fans at the Hammersmith Working Men's Club.

The performance included a host of songs from new album ‘Postcards From A Young Man’, but was plagued by numerous technical problems from the outset.

After three false starts, the band finally began their set with new single, ‘(It's Not War) Just the End of Love’.

"Welcome to the ****-up Street Preachers," singer James Dean Bradfield said after ‘You’re Love Alone Is Not Enough’.

He continued: "Welcome to our pork scratching night," alluding the small venue and stage, which was only just big enough to contain the band.

The group were also accompanied onstage at various songs by the Vulcan String quartet from Cardiff, South Wales.

Manic Street Preachers' set also included the new songs 'The Descent' and 'Some Kind Of Nothingness'.

But while Bradfield appeared unsettled by his false starts, bassist Nicky Wire was on jovial form, poking fun at his bandmate's mistakes.

Before 'You Love Us', he also mocked Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn's current choice of stage attire.

"I've been wearing this hat for the last two years," he said, pointing to the sailors hat he wore throughout the show. "And then along comes Damon and buys a ****ing job lot for his entire band. You know, I'm always ahead of him."

He added later: "Why do I still get bothered about something as ****ing stupid as a hat? It was supposed to be all about ****ing love tonight, wasn't it?"

As well as their new material, the band also played a selection of tracks from their back catalogue, including ‘If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next’ and ‘Jackie Collins Existential Question Time’.

And leading into set closer and fan favourite 'Design For Life', Bradfield told the crowd: "This is the last one from us. You get a personal apology from me tonight for so many **** ups. I'm not going to speak for a month."

Manic Street Preachers release their new album 'Postcards From A Young Man' on September 27.

Manic Street Preachers setlist was:

1. (It's Not War) Just the End of Love
2. You’re Love Alone Is Not Enough
3. Everything Must Go
4. The Descent - (Pages 1&2)
5. Motorcycle Emptiness
6. Town Called Mallice (The Jam cover)
7. Motown Junk
8. Kevin Carter
9. You Love Us
10. If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next
11. Faster
12. Jackie Collins Existential Question Time
13. Postcards For A Young Man
14. Autumnsong
15. Some Kind Of Nothingness
16. Design For Life

(by Jason Gregory)

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