Manic Street Preachers: Royal Holloway College, Egham

ONE OF the debates raging around selected corners of the NME office currently is: Are the Manic Street Preachers thrashing in the fizzy waters of disquieting updated punk, or are they merely languishing in a sad '77 timeloop, doomed to paddle eternally in revivalist deadwater in search of Joe Strummer's brain? On tonight's evidence I'd say that if they have undoubtedly painted themselves into a tight corner by adopting another era's colours, they at least have the energy and humour to fight their way out of it.