On This Day 26/06/1984 Kajagoogoo

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On this day, 26 June 1984, pop band Kajagoogoo played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall on their “Islands” - Tour ‘84.

The band had just released their first album without vocalist Limahl, who had been fired by the band in mid-1983 and went on to pursue a solo career.

Bassist Nick Beggs, already the group's main backing vocalist, took over lead vocal duties, and also wrote the lyrics. The album was co-produced by the band themselves, now a four-piece group, along with Colin Thurston, who had also produced their debut, White Feathers (1983). It is the final album to date to feature founding drummer Jez Strode.

The album did not sell as well as its predecessor, peaking at No. 35 in the UK Albums Chart. The album's first single, "Big Apple", reached No. 8 in the UK, but subsequent singles were less successful, with "The Lion's Mouth" peaking at No. 25 and "Turn Your Back on Me" reaching No. 47.

In the US, the band had renamed themselves Kaja and Islands was reconfigured and released as a mini-LP titled Extra Play. It contained only seven tracks (five from the album and two bonus remixes) and peaked at No. 185 on the Billboard 200. On the US edition, the version of "Turn Your Back on Me" was different from the original UK version, having been remixed by Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero. This remix was released as a single in the US and reached No. 2 on the dance charts.

Tour Setlist

Big Apple

Monochromatic

On a Plane

Islands

The Power to Forgive

Too Shy

Lies and Promises

Melting the Ice Away

The Lion's Mouth

White Feathers

Ooh to Be Ah

On This Day 25/06/1991 The Almighty

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On this day, 25 June 1991, Scottish hard rock band The Almighty played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall on their Little Lost Somewhere ‘91 tour.

Formed in Glasgow in 1988 the band were signed by Polydor in March 1989 and recorded their first album, Blood, Fire & Love which was released in October to generally positive reviews.

The band were also signed to a long-term songwriting agreement to Chrysalis Music, having been scouted by Dave Massey. In the same year they were voted in third place on the Kerrang! readers poll for Best New Act.

Recording of the Almighty's second studio album, Soul Destruction, began in December 1990 with Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor as producer. The album was released in March 1991 along with the lead single "Free'n'Easy". In February and March the band toured the UK supporting Motörhead and Megadeth.

In June 1991 they embarked on a headline UK tour. The concert at the Town and Country club in London was filmed and released later that year on VHS as Soul Destruction – Live. Later in the year they supported Alice Cooper on a European tour.

Tour Setlist

Intro

Destroyed

Full Force Lovin' Machine

Love Religion

What More Do You Want

Loaded

Praying to the Red Light

Power

Little Lost Sometimes

Bandaged Knees

Sin Against the Light

Devil's Toy

Crucify

Free 'n' Easy

Lay Down the Law

Wild & Wonderful

Encore:

Hell to Pay

You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

(Bachman–Turner Overdrive cover)

Encore 2:

You’ve Gone Wild

Bodies

(Sex Pistols cover)

On This Day 22/06/1992 Crowded House

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On this day, rock band Crowded House played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall on their 4 Seasons in 8 Weeks tour.

Formed in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in 1985 its founding members were New Zealander Neil Finn (vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter) and Australians Paul Hester (drums) and Nick Seymour (bass). Later band members included Finn's brother Tim who was in their former band together Split Enz, sons Liam and Elroy, as well as Americans Mark Hart and Matt Sherrod, with Neil Finn and Seymour being the sole constant members.

Originally active from 1985 to 1996, Crowded House had consistent commercial and critical success in Australia and New Zealand. They achieved success in the United States with their self-titled debut album, which provided the Top Ten hits "Don't Dream It's Over" and "Something So Strong".

Further international success came in the UK, Europe, and South Africa in the early 1990s with their third and fourth albums (Woodface and Together Alone) and the compilation album Recurring Dream, which included the hits "Fall at Your Feet", "Weather with You", "Distant Sun", "Locked Out", "Instinct", and "Not the Girl You Think You Are". Neil and Tim Finn were each awarded an OBE in June 1993 for their contributions to the music of New Zealand

Tour Setlist

There Goes God

How Will You Go

When You Come

Fall at Your Feet

Whispers and Moans

World Where You Live

Italian Plastic

Don't Dream It's Over

Love You 'til the Day I Die

The Mighty Quinn / Money's No Object

It's Only Natural

Mean to Me

Walking on the Spot

The Devil You Know

(Split Enz cover)

Into Temptation

On This Day 09/06/1988 David Sylvian

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On this day, 9 June 1988, Japan frontman David Sylvian played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall on his In Praise Of Shamans tour. His band Featured Robby Aceto, Richard Barbieri, Mark Isham, Steve Jansen, Ian Maidman, and David Torn.

Sylvian came to prominence in the late 1970s as frontman and principal songwriter of the band Japan. The band's androgynous look and increasingly electronic sound made them an important influence on the UK's early-1980s New Romantic scene.

Following their break-up, Sylvian embarked on a solo career with his debut album Brilliant Trees (1984). His solo work has been described by AllMusic as "far-ranging and esoteric", and has included collaborations with artists such as Ryuichi Sakamoto, Robert Fripp, Holger Czukay, Jon Hassell, Bill Nelson and Fennesz.

Composition of new material in early 1987 was followed by recording sessions at Chateau Miraval in the south of France, and by May 1987 Secrets of the Beehive was completed, finally being released in October 1987.

Secrets of the Beehive made greater use of acoustic instruments and was musically oriented towards sombre, emotive ballads laced with string arrangements by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Brian Gascoigne. It reached number 37 in the UK charts and remained for two weeks.

The album was followed by his first live outing as a solo artist, in an 80-day world tour called "In Praise of Shamans", from March to June 1988. Alongside Sylvian were Jansen, Barbieri, guitars and keyboards from Robbie Aceto, brass and sax from Mark Isham, bass from Ian Maidman and lead guitar from David Torn. There were no songs from Sylvian's former band Japan in the setlist.

"Beehive was the summation of all the solo material that went before it", Sylvian said. "I knew when I had finished I wouldn't be returning to quite the same waters again. The period following on from...Beehive was the hardest of my life. A descent into hell."

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 07/06/1987 Ben E King

On this day, 7 June 1987, soul legend Ben E King played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall.

Benjamin Earl King (né Nelson; September 28, 1938 – April 30, 2015) rose to prominence as one of the principal lead singers of the R&B vocal group the Drifters, notably singing the lead vocals on three of their biggest hit singles "There Goes My Baby", "This Magic Moment", and "Save the Last Dance for Me" (their only U.S. No. 1 hit).

As a soloist, King is best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me", which became a US Top 10 hit, both in 1961 and later in 1986 (when it was used as the theme to the film of the same name), and a number one hit in the United Kingdom in 1987. The single was also placed on the RIAA's list of Songs of the Century.

His 1975 single "Supernatural Thing" became a top five hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, King was the original recording artist of songs such as "Spanish Harlem", "I (Who Have Nothing)", "So Much Love", "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)", "Groovin'", and "Till I Can't Take It Anymore" all of which have been covered by multiple artists to varying degrees of success.

King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, as a member of the Drifters, and has been nominated as a solo artist. Along with the Drifter's "There Goes My Baby", King's songs "Stand by Me" and "Spanish Harlem" also appeared on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. Additionally, he was inducted alongside the Drifters into Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000, as well as the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012 with the Towering song award.

On This Day 01/06/1984 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

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On this day, 1 May 1984, electronic pop band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall n their Junk Culture tour. Support was provided by Fiction Factory.

Formed in the Wirral, Merseyside, in 1978. The group consists of founding duo and principal songwriters Andy McCluskey (vocals, bass guitar) and Paul Humphreys (keyboards, vocals), along with Martin Cooper (keyboards, saxophone) and Stuart Kershaw (drums).

Regarded as pioneers of electronic music, OMD combined an experimental, minimalist ethos with pop sensibilities, becoming key figures in the emergence of synth-pop; McCluskey and Humphreys also introduced the "synth duo" format to British popular music. In the United States, the band were an early presence in the MTV-driven Second British Invasion.

The band had just released their fifth studio album Junk Culture. After the commercial disappointment of the experimental album Dazzle Ships (1983), OMD and Virgin intended for the group to shift towards a more accessible sound on its follow-up release.

The band retained much of their early experimental approach but embraced a wider range of influences than previously, drawing inspiration from pop, dance, Latin and black music. Frontman Andy McCluskey characterised Junk Culture as "the catchiest, poppiest album we've ever made".

Despite alienating some listeners, the record met with a generally positive critical and commercial response. It became OMD's fourth consecutive Top 10 album in the UK, and has been named as one of the best releases of 1984. Junk Culture spawned four singles, including the UK Top 20 entries "Locomotion" and "Talking Loud and Clear", and the club hit "Tesla Girls". The album was remastered and re-released in 2015, with a bonus disc of B-sides and extended mixes.

Set list

Junk Culture

Tesla Girls

Messages

Love and Violence

Julia's Song

Motion and Heart

White Trash

Apollo

Never Turn Away

Joan of Arc

Maid of Orleans

Talking Loud and Clear

Hard Day

Souvenir

Telegraph

Bunker Soldiers

Enola Gay

Locomotion

She's Leaving

Electricity

Waiting for the Man

Locomotion

On This Day 02/05/1992 Everly Brothers

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On this day, 02/05/1992, legendary singing duo the Everly Brothers played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall.

They began writing and recording their own music in 1956, and their first hit song came in 1957, with "Bye Bye Love", written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant. The song hit No. 1 in the spring of 1957, and additional hits would follow through 1958, many of them written by the Bryants, including "Wake Up Little Susie", "All I Have to Do Is Dream", and "Problems".

In 1960, they signed with Warner Bros. Records and recorded "Cathy's Clown", written by the brothers themselves, which was their biggest selling single. The brothers enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 1961, and their output dropped off, though additional hit singles continued through 1962, with "That's Old Fashioned (That's the Way Love Should Be)" being their last top-10 hit.

The group was highly influential on the music of the generation that followed it. Many of the top acts of the 1960s were heavily influenced by the close-harmony singing and acoustic guitar playing of the Everly Brothers, including the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Bee Gees, and Simon & Garfunkel.

In 2015, Rolling Stone ranked the Everly Brothers No. 1 on its list of the 20 Greatest Duos of All Time. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class of 1986, and into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. Don was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2019, earning the organization's first Iconic Riff Award for his distinctive rhythm guitar intro to the Everlys' massive 1957 hit "Wake Up Little Susie".

Review - South Wales Echo - Dan O’Neill