Manic Street Preachers played their final show of 2021 at Wembley Arena last Friday (December 3), where they played a cover of The Cult’s classic “She Sells Sanctuary”.

With a setlist heavy on their 2021 14th studio album The Ultra Vivid Lament – which scored the band their first Number One album in 23 years back in September – the Welsh rock icons also took the time to air a rendition of The Cult’s iconic single from 1985.

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Introducing the track following a brief acoustic interlude in the set, frontman James Dean Bradfield dedicated their cover to the late, great record producer Steve Brown, who died back in January aged 65. Among his lauded work, he produced the band’s 1992 debut album Generation Terrorists.

“This next song is dedicated to a man who produced Wham!, he produced The Boomtown Rats, he produced [1992 single] ‘Motorcycle Empti-fucking-ness’,” said Bradfield. “He passed away this year – a dear, dear friend of ours and an amazing producer, Mr Steve Brown. He also produced this fucking song.”

Manics fans are now eagerly awaiting news of the band’s long-mooted 20th anniversary reissue of their divisive 2001 album Know Your Enemy, as well as bassist and lyricist Nicky Wire’s “jazz-meets-C86” solo album.

In terms of other activity in the Manic Street Preachers’ camp, Wire also revealed more about his new “modern, electronic, soothsaying” solo album.

Manic Street Preachers, 2021. Credit: Alex Lake
Manic Street Preachers, 2021. Image: Alex Lake

Earlier this week, they shared the digital album I Live Through These Moments Again And Again, collecting their long run of duets throughout their career.

The Manics will return to the road in 2022 with a run of festival shows, as well as supporting The Killers as select UK stadium dates.