Manic Street Preachers @ Barrowlands

Ever the peerless breed, and being served harsh condemnation by their detractors for as long as they've existed, the Manics finally look to be riding something of a sea change following the lull induced by their last two LPs. Tonight, the trio simply knuckle down, crank the amps and let the setlist do the talking. Hard and heavy, Die In the Summertime makes a surprise appearance and the searing finesse of Faster is unleashed for what could be the first time in a decade before James Dean Bradfield hauls out the acoustic and succeeds in transforming Yes into an unlikely singalong. "He's a boy / You want a girl so tear off his cock!" the chorus rattles awkwardly off the walls. It's not all nostalgia though, as tracks like The Second Great Depression and the flamboyant Autumn Song find a crowd unconditionally sold on new material. Nicky Wire might still wear a frock when the fancy takes him, but shorn of all pretensions the Manics at last seem happy in their own skin.