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On this day, 3 April 1970, Welsh rock band Badfinger played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre as part of a package that included Gene Pitney, Clodagh Rogers, Satisfaction and Johnny Hackett.
The band had visited the same venue the year previously on a bill again with Gene Pitney but under their original name The Iveys. Also playing that night were Joe Cocker and Marmalade.
The Iveys, formed in 1961, which became the first group signed by the Beatles' Apple label in 1968. The band renamed themselves Badfinger, after the working title for the Beatles' 1967 song "With a Little Help from My Friends" ("Bad Finger Boogie").
From 1968 to 1973, Badfinger recorded five albums for Apple and toured extensively, before they became embroiled in the chaos of Apple Records' dissolution.
Badfinger had four consecutive worldwide hits from 1970 to 1972: "Come and Get It" (written and produced by Paul McCartney, 1970), "No Matter What" (produced by Mal Evans, 1970), "Day After Day" (produced by George Harrison, 1971), and "Baby Blue" (produced by Todd Rundgren, 1972).
Their song "Without You" (1970) has been recorded many times, and became a US and UK number-one hit for Harry Nilsson and, decades later, a UK number-one for Mariah Carey.
