Your first Manics live experience

[Architect]

Come on then, what was it like? Did the earth move? Did you know what you were really letting yourself in for?

For me it was all a bit bizarre. I'd heard a couple of tracks and read a couple of articles in the music press, but wasn't all that familiar with the band. When I turned up to work that night (I was a student and earning a few quid working security at a couple of venues) I had no idea who was playing, but was pleased to find out that it was the Manics, I was curious as to what it would be like. As luck would have it the security role I had that night was dressing room/side stage, so got to see all 40 mins of the show from the wings and got to protect the band from the non-existent groupies! (it was January 1991 on a freezing night in Stoke after all!)

Have to admit the band blew me away with the start of the set, You Love Us straight into Democracy Coma, and it was blistering throughout. I realised straightaway that James was a genius on guitar, and this was a band worth following. So I did.

Backstage I got a chance to chat to the band briefly. James was very quiet, seemed a bit unhappy with the show. Sean was totally silent, didn't say a word. Nicky was being a bit of a gobshite to be honest, winding people up and having a couple of diva moments. The only one who was remotely engaging was Richey, who chatted freely about our respective university courses and how nobody could counteract a marxist interpretation of classical Greek history. There was quite a shine in his eye when talking about books and knowledge, so unusual and refreshing. Never did see him again to speak to.

[trademark]

glasgow,the mayfair(now called the garage)holy bible tour.the sound was incredible,bought a long sleeve green ,you love us t shirt outside.
seen them everytime since they have came to glasgow.also in edinburgh a few times,liverpool,wales,and Amsterdam.
greatest band on the planet,that means so much to me in so many ways.

[pineapple]

My first outing to see the Manics was 1997 - Feile Trip to Tipp in Semple Stadium.

I was there for the Manics so was happy to mind bags against the barrier of the mosh pit till they came on - then went forward. Up till that point it had been a glorious day. The skies opened while the Manics played and they had to go off early. They did get to play a decent enough set though and I remember the sheer joy of 'Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head' as we all got drenched to the bone.

But after they went off and the crowd dispersed I just remember being soaking wet and shivering, waiting for the Prodigy, who could not come on until the set dried out a bit.

So my memory of the Manics is really great followed by hours of wet shivering until I arrived back into Dublin sometime like 3 or 4 in the morning.

[DoodleBug]

Didn't learn about the Manics until I met my husband in 2003. He discovered them around '97 or so when he found a cassette of Generation Terrorists in the bargain bin at the record store and decided to check it out, but since we're in the US, he never got to see them when they toured back then. So our first show was in Detroit in 2009, at a small club called the Majestic Theater where tickets were something like $15 US. And it was amazing. We never thought we'd actually get to see them play live, and then there they were, just five or six rows of people in front of us.

After the show we went outside to hang around their tour bus, where they were greeting fans, taking photos and signing things. Got to talk to James, Nicky, and even Sean came off the tour bus for a bit. My husband's a drummer so they talked shop. I got to give James a kiss on the cheek, and we saw him offer to put someone else on the guest list when told James that he'd be at the Philadelphia show, too. James wrote the guy's name on his hand with the Sharpie so that he wouldn't forget. It really was just magical, one of the best concert going experiences of my life.

[scott_laconia]

cardiff millenium stadium, perfect. didnt book a hotel so had to sleep rough in the bus station, worth every frezzing moment.

[framedadolescence]

Bournemouth Arena in 1998. Them dressed in white, me bouncing about like mad. Huge spectacular screens...

I guess I was still getting into them at that point and there were probably two or three songs I didn't really know but from then on it was love. Plain and simple love.

[darkanddivine]

V99, Staffordshire. Since about 94 I'd had a growing interest in the band, heightened by the Faster incident. Then Design For Life was commercial enough for me to get truly into them and the following them. I literally destroyed my "Everything Live" VHS, after narrowly missing seeing them on the Everything Must Go tour, which I was really not happy about. So by the time Truth turned up, I was an all singing all dancing obsessive teenager type. Ahhh those were the days.

Anyway, so I trecked down to Staffordshire with a mate; and the day itself was alright. There were the typical bunch of V bands on, so a bit of the Cardigans, Travis just before they went mega, Shed 7 (yeah really!) and Kula Shaker (Britpop yeahhhh!) Faithless was also kinda fun. I can;t remember if I managed to see all of Supergrass but I always thought they deserved more attention than they got.

Meandered over to the Main Stage and caught the end of the Beautiful South set... When the Manics came on I was praying for a bit of Holy Bible stuff. I remember they had been relentlessly slagged off in the media for a "safe" set at Glastonbury, so when they went straight into Faster I went nuts. Looking back at the videos, the pits for them back then were utterly huge, and when they player YSTS it was genuinely like a tidal wave of people. Such a joyous moment. Those gigs were also where they debuted Masses Against The Classes, so that was cool. Overall I was just impressed by the raw energy and sound. The songs were pumped with enthusiasm, so I had a fucking blast, singing along to every word. A true sick puppy! Almost half a lifetime ago now which is vaguely scary; but great memories.

[Takk]

Reading 2001. I didn't have a clue what Motown Junk was .

[Grant]

Glasgow SECC on the Forever Delayed Greatest Hits tour in 2002.

I'm not sure what I was more impressed with, the Manics or what Manics fans were wearing.

It was certainly an eye opener for me.

[Mr.Selfdestruct]

Originally Posted by Takk

Reading 2001. I didn't have a clue what Motown Junk was .

I heard them soundcheck that earlier on in the day and was wondering what they hell they were doing.

That was number 2 for me. Archives was very memorable.


San Francisco September 1999.

I obviously was very aware of the manics as they were pretty big at the time, but didn't have a whole lot of interest in them until my buddy lent me the first 3 albums and that was that.

Only about a month after getting into them i happened to be on holiday with my family in San Francisco where they played a small cool little venue called Bimbos during the rescheduled US tour. I had to give the bouncers a bit of sob story about coming all the way over as i was only 17. They only let me in because my older sister was with me.
Incredible night. It was raw and immense, i jumped a lot, the crowd was great and i loved every second of it. I also managed to get a scarf Nicky was wearing during the gig, but ended up giving it away to girl i fancied when i got home.

[Beej]

I saw them on TV when they won the Godlike Genius award amd fell in love with Richey. Shortly after we got tickets to Leeds Fest 08 and I ditched The Killers to see them. As much as a hard decision it was at the time, I made the right choice. I met them before the gig, Nicky got emotional over my Richey shirt and James was lovely and I decided from that point that they were my favourite band and I screamed along to everything they played. They played Of Walking Abortion and I thought it would be the only time I heard rarer THB stuff live.. little did I know.

[sculptureofabloke]

My first Manics gig was the opening night of the Know Your Enemy tour at Manchester Apollo in 2001. Thought it was great at the time but had so much better since. Bit like losing your virginity I suppose, only more important.

[sculptureofabloke]

Originally Posted by scott_laconia

cardiff millenium stadium, perfect. didnt book a hotel so had to sleep rough in the bus station, worth every frezzing moment.

I know a few people who went to that and every one of them roughed it on a bench, how many benches were there?!

[Nobody]

Originally Posted by Takk

Reading 2001. I didn't have a clue what Motown Junk was .

Remember watching them play it at glastonbury 99 on TV thinking it was the new song (masses against the classes) that i heard about.

First concert was wembley 2002. So many memories. My glasses were almost knocked off by the moving crowd when they started ME.

[allisvanity]

Originally Posted by scott_laconia

cardiff millenium stadium, perfect.

Snap.