On This Day 24/06/2010 Foals

On this day, 24 June 2010, rock band Foals played Cardiff’s Clwb Ifor Bach. The band had just released their second album Total Life Forever

Formed in Oxford in 2005, the band's current line-up consists of Greek-born lead vocalist and guitarist Yannis Philippakis, drummer and percussionist Jack Bevan, rhythm guitarist Jimmy Smith and bassist Walter Gervers. They are currently signed to Warner Records, and have released seven studio albums to date.

Total Life Forever was very well received; many commented how the band's music has matured from their debut album. Review aggregator Metacritic gave the album a normalised rating of 78 out of 100, indicating "generally favourable reviews".

Q magazine's Rupert Howe was more reserved in his praise. Calling it "the schizophrenic second album", Howe opined that "while this album carries more instrumental and emotional heft than its predecessor, something remains off-balance".

Besides being shortlisted for the 2010 Mercury Prize, Total Life Forever brought the band several nominations for the 2011 NME awards, including best album, best track ("Spanish Sahara") and best album artwork

Setlist

Total Life Forever

Cassius

Olympic Airways

Miami

Blue Blood

Balloons

Black Gold

Spanish Sahara

Red Socks Pugie

Electric Bloom

Encore:

The French Open

Two Steps, Twice

On This Day 23/06/2008 Journey

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On this day, 23 June 2008, American rock band Journey played Cardiff International Arena. Support was provided by John Parr. The band had just released their thirteenth studio album Revelation. On December 18, 2008, the album was certified platinum by the RIAA, making it Journey's first such certification since their 1996 album Trial by Fire. According to Nielsen Soundscan, Revelation has sold more than 1,000,000 copies in the U.S. as of November 2009.

Formed in San Francisco in 1973 by former members of Santana, the Steve Miller Band, and Frumious Bandersnatch, The band as of 2024 consists of guitarist/vocalist Neal Schon (the last remaining original member), keyboardist/guitarist/vocalist Jonathan Cain, keyboardist/vocalist Jason Derlatka, drummer/vocalist Deen Castronovo, bassist Todd Jensen, and lead vocalist Arnel Pineda.

Journey had their biggest commercial success between 1978 and 1987, when Steve Perry was lead vocalist; they released a series of hit songs, including "Don't Stop Believin'" (1981), which in 2009 became the top-selling track in iTunes history among songs not released in the 21st century. Escape,

Journey's seventh and most successful album, reached number one on the Billboard 200 and yielded another of their most popular singles, "Open Arms". The 1983 follow-up album, Frontiers, was almost as successful in the United States, reaching number two and spawning several successful singles; it broadened the band's appeal in the United Kingdom, where it reached number six on the UK Albums Chart.

Journey enjoyed a successful reunion in the mid-1990s and have since regrouped twice; first with Steve Augeri from 1998 to 2006, then with Arnel Pineda from 2007 onward.

Setlist

"Never Walk Away"

"Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)"

"Only the Young"

"Stone in Love"

"Keep On Runnin'"

"Ask the Lonely"

"Who's Crying Now"

"Change for the Better"

Lights

"After All These Years"

"Mother

Father"

"Open Arms"

"Wheel in the Sky"

"Where Did I Lose Your Love"

"Chain Reaction"

"Wildest Dream"

"Edge of the Blade"

Faithfully

"Don't Stop Believin'"

Escape

"Any Way You Want It"

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 21/06/1984 Siouxsie and the Banshees

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On this day 21 June 1984 punk originals Siouxsie and the Banshees played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall on their Hyæna Tour.

Hyæna was the band’s sixth studio album released earlier the same month. Hyæna is the only studio album that guitarist Robert Smith of the Cure composed and recorded with Siouxsie and the Banshees.

Hyæna was namechecked by Brett Anderson, the singer of Suede.James Dean Bradfield of Manic Street Preachers hired producer Hedges because he loved the sound on lead single "Swimming Horses".

Bradfield stated: "Swimming Horses' by the Banshees – what a fucking record that is! I remember thinking 'You really care about that record. I'm gonna have to chase that record down." He also mentioned the importance of the drums: "I loved Banshees records, where everything starts with the drums".

Setlist

Dazzle

Cascade

Running Town

Feathers

Desert Kisses

Pointing Bone

Red Over White

Melt!

Red Light

Christine

Bring Me the Head of the Preacher Man

Painted Bird

Arabian Knights

Spellbound

Monitor

Encore:

Helter Skelter

(The Beatles cover)

On This Day 20/06/1989 Kitchens Of Distinction

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On this day, 20 June 1989, alternative rock band Kitchens of Distinction played Cardiff’s Square Club. The band had just released their debut album Love Is Hell.

Formed in Tooting, South London in 1986. The trio consist of lead singer and bassist Patrick Fitzgerald, guitarist Julian Swales and drummer Daniel Goodwin.

The band were considered part of the shoegaze subgenre and released four studio albums before disbanding in 1996. In September 2012, Patrick Fitzgerald announced Kitchens of Distinction's reunion, followed by the 2013 release of their fifth album, their first in 19 years.

Kitchens of Distinction did not attain the commercial success or widespread recognition of their other shoegaze contemporaries, as Fitzgerald was openly gay and touched upon the topic often in his lyrics. Much press coverage pigeonholed the band's image as a result of his sexuality even as Fitzgerald expressed his distaste for Kitchens of Distinction being labeled a "gay band".

Love Is Hell, was first released in April 1989 by One Little Indian Records in the UK and A&M Records in the US. While the album earned KOD comparisons to bands like Echo & the Bunnymen and The Chameleons, the guitar soundscapes created by Julian Swales and the passionate lyrics and vocal delivery from Patrick Fitzgerald gave Kitchens of Distinction their own signature sound.

The album also maintains a punkier sound than to be featured on the band's later albums. The 1993 CD edition of the album includes the band's 1989 Elephantine EP as 4 bonus tracks.

The album takes its title from the last line in "Hammer", a song about love gone wrong

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 18/06/2003 Future Kings Of Spain

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On this day, 18 June 2003, Irish rock band Future Kings Of Spain played Cardiff’s Barfly supporting the Cosmic Rough Riders. The band were just about to release their self-titled debut album in August.

Formed in Dublin 2000 by Joey Wilson, Anton Hegarty and Bryan McMahon. The three had played together with ex-Spudgun guitarist Dave Layde in Mediumwave between 1996 and 1999.

The band released two studio LPs Future Kings of Spain (2003) and Nervousystem (2007) and one EP Les Debemos (2004).

In September 2009 after a period of inactivity, a number of music media outlets reported on the statement on the band's website announcing how the band had "brought things to a close", though not giving a reason for this apparent break-up.

The idea to call the band Future Kings Of Spain came about when Wilson, "was reading two unrelated articles at once and lined up the words Future Kings on one side and of Spain on the other."

On This Day 17/06/1977 The Boomtown Rats

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On this day, 17 June 1977, Irish punks The Boomtown Rats played Cardiff University as support to headliner Tom Petty.

The band was formed in 1975 with five of the six members who came from Dún Laoghaire, while Pete Briquette was originally from Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan, Ireland. Geldof initially managed the band but took over the lead vocals from Garry Roberts. Initially known as The Nightlife Thugs, the group changed their name to The Boomtown Rats, which Geldof had taken from Woody Guthrie's autobiography Bound for Glory.

In the summer of 1976, the group played their first UK gig before moving to London where they signed with Ensign Records later that year.Their first single, "Lookin' After No. 1", released in August 1977 after a year of touring, including the support slot with Tom Petty. It reached the Top 40 of the UK Singles Chart at No. 11.

Their first album The Boomtown Rats was released the following month and included another single, "Mary of the 4th Form" reached No. 15 in December. Music journalist Martin C. Strong commented, "Geldof's moody charisma helped to give the band a distinct identity".

Comment left on a Rats website described the evening -

Anonymous said...

I live in Cardiff - and saw the Cardiff gig at the students union - actually it was the UWIST building which formed part of the university. Good as the rats were, I can catagorically assure you that they did "ANYTHING BUT" blow Petty off stage. In fact, there were a number of duff notes played and for some reason that night, Geldof couldn't hold a tune in a bucket.... sorry, but thats the truth....

EmJay said...

I was there too. Anon is right. If you watch the Tom Petty doc they say Cardiff was the gig where they first realised they were going to make it. I was part of the Ents crowd and went and saw Petty support Nils Lofgren at the Capitol a month before (didn't stay for Nils). I pushed the legendary Dave Scott who ran Ents to book Petty as a main band - he got them to play the Great Hall of the Union (it was joint UC and Uwist union) for a crate of beer and a couple of hundred quid cos no-one had heard of them and they hadn't headlined before. Petty played Top of the Pops on the Thursday night for the first time and sold out Cardiff on the Friday. We'd never heard of the Rats and they were arrogant, obnoxious and rough but full of energy and fired up crowd for amazing Petty gig. After helping hump out Petty and the Rats kit, the next morning I stuck out my thumb and still singing "American Girl" hitched down to the last Stonehenge Free Festival...