From Despair to .....where?

Easter Monday 1995. For the first time in 16 months, the Manic Street Preachers will be playing a headline show, their first since Richey James' disappearance, and its broadcast live on the radio. The Town & Country Club in Leeds, a deserted church, is already packed to capacity by the time the Wannadies begin business, Of the 1800 people here, there are 1600 Manics T-shirts, one for Terrorvision, and about 10 for indie-also-rans Cast. cast set is offensively pleasant. The only real criticism is that like, Oasis and their ilk, they just stand there just tapping their feet. There's no passion, no sweat, no love.

A DESIGN FOR LIFE

Stakes are high and tonight will be the defining moment for the future of the Manic Street Preachers. With a nation listening, the trio walk on stage nervously. Gone are camouflage backdrops, and handwritten set lists. They are dressed in jeans, shirts, and trainers. Armed with one guitar and a Korg synthesisers they hesitantly commence "From Despair To Where". Brittle, defiant, sparse, the undoubtedly emotional blueprint guarantees that the Manics remain the most relevant, passionate, and disgusted band in the country. "A Design for Life" is beautiful -an anthemic call to arms to rise above.

Third song is "faster" exhumed from what many see as Richeys-last-will-and-testament "The Holy Bible". The sound of the band, stripped to a singular guitar, is emptier than ever but the defiant will to survive - always a Manics manifesto remains. Following this trio of established classic, the band begin premiering material from the crucial next album - "Everything Must Go". Enola/Alone is an instant classic. Followed by the "La Tristesse Durera", the intense "Everything Must Go" reveals the newer material to be just as vital as before.

"Y£$", Richeys confessional, gains a huge cheer. The bands refusal to compromise, surrender, to deny their past, ensures that this song - a lynchpin of their history - gains the biggest cheer of the past. The consistent, passionate energy of the Manics has remained. "yes", is a hateful, final letter to the world. It's a historical event. "Australia" precedes the outraged, prophetic, "You Love Us". We're back, we're better than ever, it seems to say, and we still hate the scum.

MOTORCYCLE EMPTINESS

They close with a beautiful reading of the cornerstone "Motorcycle Emptiness". Sounding thinner than ever, the songs beautiful poetry is strengthened by the bands resolve. When it could've been so much easier to give up, they gave all.

THIS IS YESTERDAY

"We're not on the radio anymore - we can be as shit as we like". And so the Manics play their only ever encore on UK soil. James trademark white guitar has been swapped for a black six string, and the band launch hesitantly into "This Is Yesterday" the mournful requiem from "The Holy Bible". it's a song of regret and this note-perfect chilling song is surprisingly the first time the band have performed this song anywhere. It's the most poignant song I've heard. And then it's the single finger hymn of "Motown Junk". And its all over. And we can't believe that they can still be this good, this vital. Stay Beautiful.

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