Manic Street Preachers add huge UK outdoor gig with The Charlatans and Ash to summer 2025 tour plans

Manic Street Preachers have announced a huge outdoor UK show for this summer, with support coming from The Charlatans and Ash. Find all the details below.

• READ MORE: Manic Street Preachers on their song about Morrissey and new album ‘Critical Thinking’: “The only thing I attack on this record is myself”

The Welsh band will head out on the road this spring in support of their 15th album ‘Critical Thinking’, which was released last Friday (February 14) and is currently vying for this week’s UK Number One.

This morning (February 21), the Manics confirmed that they’ll be taking to the stage at Audley End in Saffron Walden, Essex on Saturday August 2. Both The Charlatans and Ash are scheduled to appear as special guests.

Tickets go on general sale at 9am GMT next Friday (February 28) – you’ll be able to buy yours here. Fans can also sign up to access a pre-sale at the same time on Wednesday (26).

Check out the announcement post here:

the Manics are pleased to announce a huge summer show at @EHAudleyEnd, Saffron Walden on Sat 2nd Aug, with special guests @thecharlatans & @ashofficial.

Presale 9am Wed 26 Feb. Pre-register to access: https://t.co/g6RY3zqkJz

General sale 9am Fri 28 Feb: https://t.co/AGNsXsG71o pic.twitter.com/YeRHaqdw7c

— Manic Street Preachers (@Manics) February 21, 2025

Additionally, the Manics will headline Bearded Theory 2025 in May alongside Iggy Pop. They’ll then appear as “very special guests” at this year’s edition of Live At Leeds: In The Park.

Manic Street Preachers’ 2025 UK tour dates are:

APRIL
11 – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow
12 – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow
18 – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London 
19 – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London 
25 – The Civic At The Halls, Wolverhampton 
26 – Bristol Beacon, Bristol

MAY
02 – O2 Apollo, Manchester
03 – O2 Apollo, Manchester
09 – Swansea Arena, Swansea
10 – Swansea Arena, Swansea
21 – Bearded Theory Festival, Derbyshire
24 – Live At Leeds: In The Park, Leeds

AUGUST
02 – Audley End, Saffron Walden (new date)

In a four-star review of Manic Street Preachers’ new album, NME wrote: “Sonically, ‘Critical Thinking’ has touches of the European modernist propulsion of 2014 renaissance record ‘Futurology’ and the graceful ABBA pop flourishes of 2021 predecessor ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’.

“But its uplifting warmth met with provocative spikiness feels like an album written staring up at the posters of their teenage art-pop and indie heroes – meant for the crackle of a record or the buzz of a cassette.”

Speaking to NME recently, bassist and lyricist Nicky Wire described the LP as “a different kind of record” to what fans may have heard from the band in the past.

“Albums are a reflection of where your mind is at – certainly in the Manics’ world,” he explained. “Sometimes you have to let that honesty out.”

Wire continued: “I just went off myself a bit, but I always find myself to be my most dependable source of inspiration. I’m starting to lose that – but that’s different to the lyrics from James [Dean Bradfield, frontman] on the album; his three songs have more of a sense of optimism to them.”

The musician also told NME that the Manics were already “talking about what we could do next”, adding: “I haven’t written many words for a while because it’s good to take a break from the album you’ve just done and not repeat yourself.

“This one is meant for the dark night of the soul and I’m sure the next one will be different from that. Whether it’s broader, whether it’s more macro in outlook. We’ll see.”

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