Manics to play tiny Welsh venue

Rock act Manic Street Preachers are to play a tiny venue where they saw many of the heroes who inspired them, it was announced today.

The trio will play St David’s Hall in Cardiff in front of just 800 fans as part of the Carling Homecoming series of gigs, which takes bands back to their roots.

They play the venue - where as a schoolboy drummer Sean Moore was in a brass band - on November 18.

Tickets are not for sale but fans can win them from Carling’s music website (Carlinglive.com).

Each member of the band saw their first gigs at St David’s Hall, watching The Alarm, Gary Numan and Spear Of Destiny.

And as teenagers guitarist/singer James Dean Bradfield and bass player Nicky Wire would busk outside the venue.

It was as they played that a passer-by called Bradfield a "manic street preacher".

The show will be broadcast by Channel 4 at a later date. Other gigs in the series have included performances by Jamiroquai and The Charlatans.