Manic Street Preachers: Manchester Apollo March 27th 2001 by Lyns
Lyns: here's the review for you now min sorry it took so long to do. me: it's ok I know you have a life. But thanks very much and I can't wait for Woody's Glasgow reviews.
Myself and Gav arrived outside the Apollo at about 1pm (after getting a little teeny tad bit lost, we went down the wrong road!) and were greeted by about 40 other Manics fans who had been there from varying times, the first fans got to the Apollo at 6am! We had been hanging around for about 10 minutes when we decided to go to the local off licence for some supplies (as you do); we had just crossed over the road when we saw a huge tour bus arrive.
We ran in the direction of the bus just in time to see Sean and James running into the venue, Nicky stood outside and signed a few autographs. Gav took a pic of him (you know the hold camera in the air and hope for the best sort of photo) useless person that I am didn�t get her camera out fast enough (doh)
After getting over the shock of coming soo close to the Wire we reclaimed our places in the queue. At 2pm we got talking to a group of people who were in front of us which passed some time having a laugh with them! My new found friend Louise and I went to the pub around the corner from the Apollo to use the loo but we had to buy some drinks to use the loo! I nearly died at the price for a vodka and redbull �3.25!!!
At about 3pm Gav went off to find Gaz and I was left talking to Louise who then introduced me to the two people she was talking to. These were Mark and Neil (hello if you�re reading this) I found out that all three were from Parr and Mark knew Min (me: yes he does Fantastic Destruction zine)
Neil did a great impression of Johnny Vegas and kept us in stitches of laughter. He started to play the �let's wave to all the people on passing busses� game and we found that the 4 hrs passed very quickly!
7pm finally arrived and the front doors open and we finally get into the warm Apollo, there was much waiting around for the support act, I claimed my place on the barrier on Nicky�s side. At 8pm the support act come on a 3 piece called Elbow the crowd didn�t move an inch. It was the first time I'd seen the audience so still and silent the band was in my opinion rather lame they didn�t have a drummer for gods� sake! (me: oh god that's funny) After a mind-numbing hour of the music they announced that it was their final song - there was a standing ovation when they announced that!!
9.25pm Nicky�s mic is put on the stage with feather boa wrapped around it the crowd went mad! The original version of it's so easy started playing and when the song ended the lights went down and the manics arrive on stage. Found That Soul was announced the crowd went mad, and some nasty pasty tripped me up, somebody stopped me from falling by grabbing my bag and pulling me back onto my feet (thanx who ever you are)
I ended up in the middle of the crowd much to my annoyance and I couldn�t see Sean any more. I spent the rest of the night pogoing to stop myself from being squished. When the intro for Motorcycle Emptiness started the whole mosh pit was a mass of pogoers. There was no trumpet player for Kevin Carter but it didn�t stop the crowd from singing along. Faster was introduced by Nicky saying �this song is dedicated to those who use f--king air freshener in their cars why don�t you keep clean??�
During the first half Nicky didn�t say much. The acoustic part of the show consisted of Baby Elian and �my fave song from the Holy Bible� (James) This Is Yesterday the whole crowd sang along and swayed to the music. Sean and Nicky come back on stage. Nicky sporting a silver cape and hat, walks up to the mic and says �Do I f--king look like jimmy saville after doing the marathon or what?� he then says to James �now don�t forget that the main part of this song goes brain dead mother f--kers�
We realised that Miss Europa Disco Dancer was gonna start hence the crowd starting to disco dance I think the whole crowd joined in with Nicky shouting �brain dead mother f--kers at the end of this song. On introducing the next song Nicky said "if you wanna go to the bar go now coz you�ll only miss me singing Watsville Blues" the crowd went mad, his voice wasn�t that bad. About half way through the song he lost his guitar and spent the rest of the song prancing around the stage with his microphone looking pretty. I don�t think everybody enjoyed these two as much as the rest of the list coz as soon as the intro for Australia was announced everybody started to pogo again, was the best rendition of it that I�d ever heard it was mind blowing!
James made us laugh when he said that the band didn�t know the second verse of No Surface All Feeling and asked for our assistance� �blank faces� Nicky said �they only know this is my truth!!� hence lots of boos from the audience. I sang along as loud as I possibly could. During Tolerate the whole crowd started singing along and swaying to the music. Everybody in the audience knew this song.
As soon as the intro for You Love Us started there was a huge cheer and the whole mosh pit was an array of pogoers going wild I nearly tripped again and stood on many toes in the process sorreeee! Lol
The last song of the night as always was Design For Life and this was brilliant the whole atmosphere was amazing and I think the Wire felt it too coz when the song ended he trashed the drums and pranced round the stage finally holding a red boa in the air and grinning like a loon walks off the stage!
This was the best gig I�ve been to the crowd was great as was the band thanks for a great night lads and I'll see you soon.
Set List
1. Found That Soul
2. Motorcycle Emptiness
3. Masses Against the Classes
4. So Why So Sad
5. Kevin Carter
6. Ocean Spray
7. You Stole The Sun From My Heart
8. La Tristesse Durera
9. Faster
10. Let Robeson Sing
11. (Sweet Child Of Mine riff, into) Motown Junk
12. Freedom Of Speech Won't Feed My Children
13. Baby Elian (James Acoustic)
14. This Is Yesterday (James Acoustic)
15. Miss Europa Disco Dancer (Nicky on guitar, James on bass)
16. Wattsville Blues (James on double neck bass/guitar, Nicky on guitar/floor)
17. Australia
18. No Surface All Feeling
19. If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next
20. You Love Us
21. A Design For Life
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