Watch Manic Street Preachers cover Madonna as they kick off BBC 6 Music Festival

The Manics treated their fans to live debuts and classics, and paid tribute to the late Mark Lanegan, at the intimate Cardiff show

Manic Street Preachers covered Madonna‘s ‘Borderline’ during their set at BBC 6 Music Festival last night (March 31) – watch below.

As announced last week, the band kicked off this year’s festival by playing an exclusive, intimate show at Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff. It marked their first-ever appearance at the famous Welsh venue, despite having been set to perform there back in 1990.

Towards the end of their career-spanning 16-track set, the Manics debuted a rendition of Madonna’s 1984 single ‘Borderline’, which appeared on her self-titled debut studio album (1983).

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James Dean Bradfield and co. also aired ‘His Last Painting’ from their 2001 album ‘Know Your Enemy’ for the very first time.

Elsewhere, the group were joined on-stage by Gwenno – whose mural adorns the side of the Clwb Ifor Bach – for a special version of ‘Spectators Of Suicide’, which features on the Manics’ 1992 debut ‘Generation Terrorists’.

They also dedicated ‘Blank Diary Entry’ to the late Mark Lanegan, who appears on the original track from last year’s ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’.

Manic Street Preachers opened the show with their classic single ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’ before treating the crowd to ‘You Stole The Sun from My Heart’, ‘Everything Must Go’, ‘If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next’ and set closer ‘A Design For Life’.

Speaking to Huw Stephens on 6 Music about the special gig, Manics bassist Nicky Wire said: “This is a first time experience for me, I’ve never been here before.

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“In Cardiff, I think we’re up to 12 different venues, from our first gig in Chapter, which is probably ‘88… 34, 35 years ago, right through to the Principality Stadium. But we never did this one – this is kind of sacred ground.”

You can see Manic Street Preachers’ setlist below.

‘Motorcycle Emptiness’
‘From Despair To Where’
‘His Last Painting’ – live debut
‘You Stole The Sun From My Heart’
‘Still Snowing in Sapporo’
‘Year Of Purification’
‘Your Love Alone Is Not Enough’
‘Everything Must Go’
‘Blank Diary Entry’ – live debut, dedicated to Mark Lanegan
‘If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next’
‘Methadone Pretty’
‘The Secret He Had Missed’
‘Spectators Of Suicide’ – featuring Gwenno
‘Borderline’ – live debut, Madonna cover
‘You Love Us’
‘A Design For Life’


BBC Radio 6 Music Festival 2022 will continue today (April 1) and throughout the weekend with performances from the likes of Little Simz, Khruangbin, Father John Misty, IDLES, Bloc Party and Johnny Marr.

Earlier this week, Manic Street Preachers played ‘If You Tolerate This…’ as part of ITV’s Concert For Ukraine benefit show.

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