KICKING off with 1993 hit La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh), the Manic Street Preachers had the crowd in the palm of their hand from the off.

The o2 Academy was packed to the rafters - with the obligatory mosh-pitting lunatics thrashing around at the front, mild foot-tappers in the middle and the sleepier ageing Britpop connoisseurs bobbing their heads up in the balcony.

Last night there was something to keep them all happy. The group skilfully setting up their playlist so as not to linger on one era or style for too long.

James Dean Bradfield dominated the stage, jumping up and down during a snarling rendition of You Love Us and the thumping Motorcycle Emptiness.

His vocals as perfect as ever. As smooth as if gleaned straight from the original recording.

Anthems If You Tolerate This, Tsunami and Masses Against the Classes kept the crowd singing along before the Welshmen unveiled a couple of their new numbers.

It was a poignant acoustic version of From Despair to Where which stole the show though, with the band demonstrating their ability to move the emotions of their audience in a flick of the guitar string.

Finishing with crowd-pleasing classic A Design for Life, the gig was a feel good winner for the nostalgic and a master class in performance from one of the finest acts of a generation.