Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible Live
★★★★★
SONY
Twenty years after Richey Edwards’ final bow as a Manic Street Preacher, his bandmates honoured their departed friend by playing The Holy Bible in entirety for three nights at London’s Roundhouse. The trio summoned every shred of experience to re-engage with the cerebral causticity of a record defined by Edwards’ genius, their blistering performances laced with gallows humour. “It’s the feel-good singalong anthem of winter – take it a-fucking-way!” says Nicky Wire, introducing Mausoleum.
READ MORE: Every Manic Street Preachers Album Ranked
Whether booing Thatcher or chanting Of Walking Abortion’s chorus, the audience contributions are key, vividly so in Kieran Evans’ accompanying concert film – Wire: “Less a movie, more a migraine” – where a fan’s “God Bless Richey 4 The Holy Bible” placard is complemented by James Dean Bradfield smiling amid P.C.P.’s lyrical tripwires. The Blu-Ray has Steven Wilson’s Atmos mix of the original LP. Heroic work all round.
The Holy Bible Live is out October 23 on Sony.
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