A Welsh Homecoming Manic Street Preachers Ignite Swansea
- Kieran Andrews
- 4 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Swansea Arena, 9th May 2025.
WORDS / IMAGES KIERAN ANDREWS
A Welsh Homecoming for the Ages:
Manic Street Preachers Ignite Swansea Arena
There are few things more sacred in Welsh music than a Manic Street Preachers homecoming—and Swansea Arena was ready for a spiritual revival. Headlining not one but two sold-out nights, the Manics closed out their two-month tour with the kind of thunderous, heart-swelling performance only they can deliver.
Kicking off the evening were Carmarthen’s own Adwaith, the all-female three-piece making waves far beyond the Welsh borders. Since forming in 2015, their hypnotic, atmospheric sound—and their decision to perform exclusively in Welsh—has made them a standout on any stage. Opening with quiet confidence, they moved seamlessly through their set, a blend of brooding basslines, shimmering guitar textures, and hauntingly beautiful vocals from frontwoman Hollie Singer. Their connection to Welsh culture runs deep, with the national women’s football team even using their music in recent fixtures. A proud and poetic start to the night.
Then, with the lights dimmed and the arena simmering with anticipation, the stage screen lit up and the unmistakable silhouettes of the Manic Street Preachers emerged. The roar was deafening. It’s often said that in Wales, the Manics are not just a band—they’re an institution.
James Dean Bradfield, ever the charismatic frontman, was flanked by the ever-stoic Sean Moore on drums and the irrepressible Nicky Wire on bass, strutting in his usual half-rocker, half-showman style. They wasted no time. Bursting into “Motorcycle Emptiness”, the arena was instantly on its feet—arms in the air, voices raised, bouncing as one.
It was a setlist that was both retrospective and rejuvenated. Classics like “You Stole the Sun from My Heart”, “La Tristesse Durera”, and “Design for Life” were delivered with spine-tingling precision. During “A Design for Life”, the crowd didn’t just sing—they soared, their voices echoing through the cavernous space like a gospel choir. As the song ended in a shower of confetti, the sheer volume of it caused a short break. James, always quick with a quip, joked about slipping into a backflip if it wasn’t cleaned up—filling the silence with a cheeky rendition of the Match of the Day theme on guitar, to roars of laughter.
The mood shifted slightly as James took the stage solo for a stripped-back moment of introspection with “This Sullen Welsh Heart”—a tender meditation on aging, loss, and perseverance that had the crowd holding its breath. It was a reminder that beneath the Manics’ political fire and anthemic choruses lies a deep emotional core.
Rejoined by the band, the final stretch of the set was nothing short of monumental. “If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next”—voted one of the greatest songs of all time—closed the night with a literal bang, as another burst of confetti rained down in time with the final chorus. The message, the music, and the moment coalesced into something unforgettable.
This wasn’t just a gig. It was a celebration. A homecoming. One of Wales’ finest bands playing on their home turf, surrounded by adoring fans
A night for the history books. And one that Swansea—and the Manics—won’t soon forget.
Setlist:
1/ Decline & Fall
2/ Enola/Alone
3/ La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)
4/ Brushstrokes of Reunion
5/ You Stole the Sun from My Heart
6/ She Is Suffering
7/ Peeled Apples
8/ Motorcycle Emptiness
9/ Let Robeson Sing
10/ Hiding in Plain Sight
11/ Autumnsong
12/ A Design for Life
13/ This Sullen Welsh Heart
14/ From Despair to Where
15/ (Small Black Flowers That Grow in the Sky)
16/ The Everlasting
17/ Dear Stephen
18/ Sleepflower
19/ Your Love Alone Is Not Enough
20/ International Blue
21/ People Ruin Paintings
Encore:
22. Motown Junk
23. If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next
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