by Beau Goodwin

90s legends Suede and Manic Street Preachers were the latest bands to grace the Scenic Stage at Dreamland last night.

With a 17-song set each, the iconic British bands took the crowd through a nostalgia-filled joy ride.

The weather was perfect for the show which was part of the Margate Summer Series. With clear, blue skies and a 25-26 degree heat, the audience were treated to a special evening of back to back impressive sets.

Manic Street Preachers kicked off with energetic songs You Love Us and Everything Must Go, keeping the octane pace going as they then transitioned into Motorcycle Emptiness.

Calming down to a slower pace, something “from the Holy Bible era” according to lead singer and guitarist James Dean Bradfield.

This alternating pace was seen in the sets of both bands, ensuring that throughout the long, 17-song performances the audience remained captivated and engaged.

Margate was also treated to a surprise cover near the end of their set, with the band performing Suicide Is Painless, the famous Theme From M*A*S*H.

James Dean Bradfield had previous memories of the town, last night being their third time here he said. The first time he came was for a Radio 1 Roadshow and he ended up “losing a fortune on the fruit machines”. This led to a hilarious exchange with the crowd where he remarked: “Arcade and chippies - what more can you want?” Before then advising them to “gamble responsibly”.

Featuring help from The Anchoress, the Manics performed Little Baby Nothing and Your Love Alone Is Not Enough. The fans adored this and sang along loudly to Your Love Alone, rivalling the participation that was had on the final song If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next.

After a brief break, Suede took over the stage and were quick to dive into their hits.

The energy is infectious and their stage presence, much like the Street Preachers, is refined after decades in the industry.

Only three songs in, they performed one of their biggest hits Animal Nitrate, the crowd more energetic than ever as they sing the lyrics back, hypnotised by Brett Anderson’s presence as a frontman.

They also debuted two songs last night. She, from the album Coming Up, kicked the show off and Electricity, from Head Music, was an early addition to the set.

Giving one of the most passionate performances of the Summer Series, Brett showed why Britpop has its lasting power as he held the crowd in the palm of his hand, each song improving from the last and hits like Animal Nitrate and Beautiful Ones (which ended their set) encouraging the crowd to sing along as loudly as they could.

The highlight of the show was, undoubtedly, Suede’s performance of Trash. Only the second song of their night but the energy was at an all time high by that point, people jumping and shouting the lyrics along.

Encouraged to sing along with him, Brett took this further by making the night a memorable one. Throughout the chorus, he altered the lyrics slightly as he sang “Margate, you are trash”.

Suede and the Manic Street Preachers were definitely not trash, as they proved they deserve longevity with two energetic, and often eclectic, sets.