On This Day 19/06/1974 Dave Edmunds

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On this day, 19 June 1974, Cardiff rock legend Dave Edmunds played Cardiff’s Top Rank. Also on the bill were Dr Feelgood and Brinsley Schwartz.

Edmunds had a UK Christmas Number 1 single in 1970 with "I Hear You Knocking", a Smiley Lewis cover, which he came across while producing Shakin' Stevens and the Sunsets' first album entitled A Legend. The recording was the first release on Edmunds' manager's MAM Records label. This single also reached No. 4 in the US, making it Edmunds' biggest hit by far on either side of Atlantic Ocean. It sold over three million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.

Edmunds had intended to record Wilbert Harrison's "Let's Work Together", but when he was beaten to that song by Canned Heat, he adapted the arrangement he intended to use for it to "I Hear You Knocking". The success of the single caused EMI's Regal Zonophone Records to use an option that it had to claim Edmunds' album, 1972's Rockpile, and the momentum from the single's success on a different label went away.

Edmunds' only acting role followed, as a band member in the David Essex movie Stardust. After learning the trade of producer, culminating in a couple of singles in the style of Phil Spector, "Baby I Love You" (No. 8 in the chart) and "Born to Be with You" (No. 5 in the chart), he became linked with the pub rock movement of the early 1970s, producing (among others) Brinsley Schwarz, Ducks Deluxe, Flamin' Groovies, and blues rock band Foghat, using a stripped down, grittier sound.

Edmunds had bought a house in Rockfield, Monmouth, a few miles away from Charles and Kingsley Ward's Rockfield Studios, where he became an almost permanent fixture for the next twenty years. His working regime involved arriving at the studio in the early evening and working through till well after dawn, usually locked in the building alone. Applying the layered Spector Wall of Sound to his own productions, it was not unusual for Edmunds to multilayer up to forty separately recorded guitar tracks into the mix.

On This Day 08/06/1989 Elvis Costello/Nick Lowe

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On this day, 8 June 1989, Singer/Songwriter legend Elvis Costello played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall with support provided by Nick Lowe. Costello had earlier in the released his 12th studio album Spike.

As his first album for a new label, Warner Bros, in his own words Costello had the budget of "a small independent movie", and having in mind the blueprint for five different albums, decided to make all of them.

He brought back his foil from King of America, T-Bone Burnett, to facilitate the sessions and produce the album. Studio time was booked in four different locations: Ocean Way in Hollywood; Southlake Studios in New Orleans; Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin; and AIR Studios in London. Four different groups of musicians were assembled in each location. Writing credits on the album are given to both Elvis Costello and Declan MacManus, Costello's birth name.

Review - South Wales Echo

The single "Veronica" peaked at No. 31 on the UK singles chart and at No. 19 in America, his best showing ever on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached No. 1 on the US Modern Rock chart. "This Town" was also released as a single but missed both of the main singles chart in both nations. An extended play single was also released for "Baby Plays Around", peaking at No. 65 in the UK.

The second track, "Let Him Dangle", is a protest song opposing capital punishment, recounting the 1953 conviction and execution of Derek Bentley.

Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe

The seventh track, "Tramp the Dirt Down", is a fiery lament, depicting Costello's anger at the Thatcher government and its effect on Britain's society. In the song, Costello expresses his desire to live long enough to see Margaret Thatcher die and vows, "I'll stand on your grave and tramp the dirt down."

"I wish I'd written 'Tramp the Dirt Down'," said singer Natalie Merchant.[14] The song reached No. 79 on the iTunes chart following Thatcher's death in April 2013. In addition, he played this song at Glastonbury 2013 having previously performed it there on the Pyramid Stage in 1987.

On This Day 08/06/1989 Elvis Costello

On this day, 8 June 1989, Singer/Songwriter Elvis Costello, played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall with support provided by Nick Lowe.

Costello had just released his 12th studio album Spike, his first since My Aim Is True without the Attractions. The album peaked at No. 5 on the UK Albums Chart. It also reached No. 32 on the Billboard 200 thanks to the single and his most notable American hit, "Veronica", which reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the US Modern Rock chart.

In 1987, Costello began writing with Paul McCartney for the latter's Flowers in the Dirt album. They composed a dozen songs together, which showed up on multiple albums by McCartney and Costello. Two of those songs appear on this album, "Pads, Paws and Claws" and the hit single "Veronica".

As his first album for a new label Warner Bros, in his own words Costello had the budget of "a small independent movie", and having in mind the blueprint for five different albums, decided to make all of them. He brought back his foil from King of America, T Bone Burnett, to facilitate the sessions and produce the album. Studio time was booked in four different locations: Ocean Way in Hollywood; Southlake Studios in New Orleans; Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin; and AIR Studios in London. Four different groups of musicians were assembled in each location. Writing credits on the album are given to both Elvis Costello and Declan MacManus, Costello's birth name.

Setlist

01. Accidents Will Happen

02. Brilliant Mistake

03. Deep Dark Truthful Mirror

04. Watching The Detectives

05. So Like Candy

06. Veronica

07. God's Comic - including Last Train To Clarksville and Love And Marriage

08. New Amsterdam / You've Got To Hide Your Love Away

09. American Without Tears

10. That Day Is Done - on piano

11. Pads, Paws And Claws

12. Leave My Kitten Alone

13. Radio Sweetheart / Jackie Wilson Said

14. Indoor Fireworks - with Nick Lowe

15. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding? - with Nick Lowe

Encore 1

16. Alison

17. Days

Encore 2

18. Let Him Dangle

19. Pump It Up - with beatbox - including I Feel Pretty instrumental

Encore 3

20. Shipbuilding - on piano

21. Pills And Soap - on piano

22. Tramp The Dirt Down

Reviews -

PEP/South Wales Echo

King of America (and Cardiff)

Mike Arnold

Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe

St David's Hall

This year's Elvis Costello is a completely new model.

Alone on stage the beloved entertainer shouted, screamed, spat and at times even sang his way through a collection of songs that represent the best in the last decade of pop music.

The one song he did not sing was "I'm Not Angry."

The scene was set at the St Davids Hall on Thursday night by Nick Lowe.

Playing like the superb busker he is, Lowe, strumming alone on a semi acoustic guitar, gave the impression that he had a five-piece backing band.

The man who Johnny Cash says taught him how to put rhythm into some of his songs disparagingly referred to himself as Elvis's "warm up act."

He was much more than that, and the capacity Cardiff audience knew it.

Costello took the stage, his face clenched, and gave a complete reworking of an encyclopaedia of songs.

Accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, this was Costello cut down to the bone.

The sparse essential versions would not be to everyone's taste. But a confident and lean Costello was preaching to the converted.

He was good in spite of that.

Proving himself to be a remarkably adept guitarist his set encompassed such oldies as "Watching the Detectives" and "Alison" and songs from his new LP Spike.

The versions displayed new venom and even at times despair.

He also achieved real melody — in particular with a running together of "New Amsterdam" with the Beatles' "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" and on to "American Without Tears."

In a Costello-meets-Loudon Wainwright version of "God's Comic" he gave his own vision of hell in which Esther Rantzen featured prominently.

By the time he sang Van Morrison's "Jackie Wilson Said" his roots were beginning to show.

The only fully electric song he played was a manic acid house version of "Pump It Up."

The audience loved it, and he was called back for encore after encore.

South Wales Echo, June 9, 1989

Sharp edge of Costello lost in his volume

Mick Tems

The capacity audience gave Elvis Costello a well-deserved standing ovation when he finally left the stage at St David's Hall in Cardiff last night, after his fourth set of encores.

He certainly earned every last ounce of their adulation for a packed set of songs old and new spiced even further by the appearance of the grand old fella of indie rock, Nick Lowe, as his support.

But I'd gone there hoping to convert someone to Costello — and failed completely. The reason? Costello's main strength, his biting, razor-sharp lyrics, were swallowed up and lost in his shouting, snarling delivery and the booming volume.

That's the way it was up in the tiers — and a few protesting shouts from downstairs indicated that not everyone down there was happy either.

Some say Costello's way of putting over a song is his trademark, but my companion left the hall completely unenlightened.

Still, Costello bestrode the stage like a mini-Colossus, aided only by guitar and electric piano. Classics and the latest songs blended in a set which started in fiery style with "Accidents Will Happen" and "Brilliant Mistake" — and even "Watching The Detectives" came up fresh and alert in its solo interpretation.

Songs from the new album, Spike, included the hilarious "God's Comic," which Costello built into the context of an interview between the Almighty and Esther Rantzen, and the bitter invective of "Let Him Dangle," about the hanging of Timothy Evans.

Lowe returned to share the stage for a delightful duet on "Indoor Fireworks," but Costello saved his strongest firepower for last.

Then we had the Falklands War song "Shipbuilding" with its sad, confused pictures of depressed people looking forward to the reopening of their shipyard.

And Costello also gave us "Tramp the Dirt Down," his personal contribution to the 10-year tenant of Number 10 — a song packed with anger and vitriol and yet so carefully crafted that it stands as one of the pinnacles of Costello's writing career.

On this day 26 October 1977 "Stiffs Greatest Stiffs Live Tour"

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On this day, 26 October 1977, "Stiffs Greatest Stiffs Live Tour," a package showcasing the best of Stiff Records played Cardiff’s Top Rank.

Describe in the NME Pre-tour, “a Stiff Records package tour, plays two dozen major dates around the country starting early next month. It's going out under the banner of "Stiffs Greatest Stiffs Live Tour," and the full line-up at all gigs is:

Elvis Costello, who will be appearing with the Attractions.

Ian Dury, on stage for the first time since leaving the Kilburns and performing with his new band which comprises Davey Payne (sax), Norman Watt-Roy (bass), Charley Charles (drums) and Chaz Jankel (guitar).

Nick Lowe, on the road for the first time as a soloist after finishing work as producer of the Feelgoods' new album Be Seeing You. He expects to be using a seven-piece backing band, including two drummers.

Wreckless Eric, who will be supported by Denise Roudette (bass), Ian Dury, (drums) and Davey Payne (sax).

Larry Wallis, ex-Pink Fairies and Motorhead, who is currently working on a solo album with the Hot Rods' rhythm section — though they won't be accompanying him on the tour.

The five acts will each play a 20-minute set in rotating order. The opening night at High Wycombe is been recorded and, thanks to a rush operation, the resulting live album will be available at all gigs from Bath onwards (October 7), priced £1.99.