On This Day 04/01/1976 Procol Harum

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On this day, 4 Jan 1976, progressive rock band Procol Harum played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre, supported by Viv Stanshall's Vivarium.
Best-known for their recording "A Whiter Shade of Pale" is was the 1967 hit single and one of the few singles to have sold over 10 million copies.

Touring to support Procol's Ninth (their eighth studio album, ninth including Live) that was released in September 1975.

Procol's Ninth was the first release from the band to feature non-original songs: a remake of The Beatles' "Eight Days a Week" and Leiber & Stoller's own "I Keep Forgetting". "Eight Days a Week" was put on the album by the producers, initially against the band's wishes. The album also featured "Pandora's Box", a track that had been composed by Gary Brooker and Keith Reid early in the band's career.

Cash Box said of "Pandora's Box" that "we guarantee you’ll be humming this Procol heavy night and day by the time Halloween rears its head a few weeks from now." As included on Ninth, it differed substantially from the more psychedelic unfinished version of the song that was ultimately released as a bonus track on the 2009 reissue of the band's first album.

Produced by renowned songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Procol's Ninth featured a slightly different direction with a much more stark sound than previous more elaborate productions. According to an interview with guitarist Mick Grabham, conducted by Roland Clare for the 2009 reissue, Leiber and Stoller focused less on the production sound and more on "the structure of the songs".

On This Day 03/01/2011 JLS

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On this day, 3 January 2011, boy band JLS played Cardiff International Arena on their Outta This World Tour.

The tour was launched in support of their debut studio album, JLS. The group performed throughout 2010 and early 2011, completing over 70 shows in the United Kingdom. The tour initially began in theatres however as the groups popularity grew, they performed at music festivals and arenas.

JLS (initialism for Jack the Lad Swing) are an English boy band consisting of members Aston Merrygold, Oritsé Williams, Marvin Humes, and JB Gill; Williams formed the band.

They initially signed with Tracklacers production company New Track City and were the runners-up of the fifth series of the ITV reality talent show The X Factor in 2008, coming in second to Alexandra Burke.

After their appearance on The X Factor, JLS signed to Epic Records. Their first two singles "Beat Again" and "Everybody in Love" were both number one on the UK Singles Chart.

Setlist

Outta This World

That's My Girl

Eyes Wide Shut

One Shot

Heal This Heartbreak

Beat Again

Work

Umbrella

(Rihanna cover)

Other Side of the World

I Know What She Likes

Somebody to Love

(Justin Bieber cover)

Love You More

Everybody (Backstreet's Back)

(Backstreet Boys cover)

Girlfriend

(*NSYNC cover)

I Want It That Way

(Backstreet Boys cover)

Pop

(*NSYNC cover)

Better for You

Superhero

Encore:

The Club Is Alive

Everybody in Love

On This Day 02/01/1984 The Damned

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On this day,2 January 1984, punk pioneers The Damned played Cardiff’s New Ocean Club.

Formed in London in 1976 by lead vocalist Dave Vanian, guitarist Brian James, bassist (and later guitarist) Captain Sensible and drummer Rat Scabies. They were the first punk band from the United Kingdom to release a single, "New Rose" (1976),release a studio album, Damned Damned Damned (1977) and tour the United States. Nine of the band's singles charted on the UK Singles Chart Top 40.

In 1984, the Damned performed on the BBC Two sitcom The Young Ones with their song "Nasty", featuring new bassist Bryn Merrick (replacing Paul Gray) and both Roman Jugg and Sensible on guitar.[citation Sensible played his last concert with the band at Brockwell Park before leaving to pursue his solo career.

From the earliest days of the band, Vanian had adopted a vampire-like appearance onstage, with chalk-white makeup and formal dress. With Sensible gone, Vanian's image became more characteristic of the band as a whole.

The Damned on The Young Ones

The Damned signed a recording contract with major label MCA Records, and the Phantasmagoria album followed in July 1985, preceded by the UK No. 21 single "Grimly Fiendish". Other hits from the same album were "The Shadow of Love" with a gloomy gothic sound, and the lighter "Is It a Dream?"

The Damned at the New Ocean ClubPhotos: Anthony Tooze

Setlist

There Ain't No Sanity Clause

Disco Man

Ignite

Stranger on the Town

Wait for the Blackout

Do the Blitz

Melody Lee

Born to Kill

Love Song

Neat Neat Neat

Looking at You

(MC5 cover)

New Rose

Encore:

Smash It Up

Noise Noise Noise

Hippy Hippy Shake

(Chan Romero cover)

Encore 2:

We Love You

(The Rolling Stones cover)

1970

(The Stooges cover)

Encore 3:

Happy Talk

(Rodgers & Hammerstein cover)

Love Song

I Just Can't Be Happy Today

On This Day 22/12/2005 Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra

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On this day, 22 December 2005, Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra played Cardiff International Arena.

Jools Holland OBE DL was born Julian Miles Holland on 24th January 1958 in Blackheath, South East London.

At the age of eight, he could play the piano fluently by ear, and by the time he reached his early teens he was proficient and confident enough to be appearing regularly in many of the pubs in South East London and the East End Docks.

At the age of 15, Jools was introduced to Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford; he joined Squeeze, followed by Gilson Lavis shortly afterwards (Gilson had already played with, among others, B.B. King, Chuck Berry, and Max Wall) – who still drums with Jools.

Up The Junction and Cool For Cats gave Squeeze meteoric success and their popularity rapidly extended to America, where their tour included performances at New York's Madison Square Garden.

In 1987, Jools formed The Jools Holland Big Band – comprising himself and Gilson Lavis. This has gradually metamorphosed into the current 19-piece Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, which consists of pianist, organist, drummer, three female vocals, guitar, bass guitar, two tenor saxophones, two alto saxophones, baritone saxophone, three trumpets, and three trombones.

As well as formidable live performances, Jools has maintained a prolific recording career since signing to Warner Music in 1996, which includes the multimillion selling Jools Holland and Friends series. Notable 'friends' have included Sting, Chrissie Hynde, George Harrison, Norah Jones, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Bono, Joe Strummer, KT Tunstall, Robert Plant, Smokey Robinson, Kylie, Marc Almond, Ringo Starr, Peter Gabriel, Solomon Burke, and many more.

On This Day 21/12/1983 Tina Turner

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On this day, 21 December 1983, singing legend Tina Turner played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall.

In November 1983, Tina released her cover of Al Green's “Let’s Stay Together ", with Capitol. The record became a hit, reaching several European charts, including a top 10 placement in the United Kingdom. The song peaked at number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Turner's first solo entry into the U.S. charts. It also peaked at the top ten of the Hot Dance Club Songs and Hot Black Singles charts.

The success of the song forced Capitol to rethink its contract with Turner, offering the singer a three album deal, demanding an album on short notice, which had Turner staging what Ebony magazine later called an "amazing comeback." Recorded in two months in London, the album “Private Dancer” was released in June 1984.

Turner sold more than 100 million records worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling recording artists of all time. She received 12 Grammy Awards, which include eight competitive awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and three Grammy Hall of Fame inductions. She was the first black artist and first woman to be on the cover of Rolling Stone.

Rolling Stone ranked her among the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. Turner has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and on the St. Louis Walk of Fame. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: with Ike Turner in 1991 and as a solo artist in 2021. She was also a 2005 recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors and the Women of the Year award. During her lifetime, she earned an estimated $250 million.

Band
Annie Behringer - Singer and Dancer
Lejeune Richardson - Singer and Dancer
Jack Bruno - Drums
Bob Feit – Bass
Kenny Moore – Piano
Chuck O'Steen - Keyboard
James Ralston – Guitar

On This Day 20/12/1988 The Proclaimers

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On this day, 20 December 1988, Scottish duo The Proclaimers played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall. The band had just released their second album Sunshine on Leith.

Sunshine on Leith marked a departure from the minimalist acoustics of the group's 1987 debut This Is the Story, toward a rock-oriented full band sound, backed by members of the Fairport Convention and Dexys Midnight Runners.

Review - South Wales Echo

The album's sound draws heavily from American music, such as country and 1950s rock and roll, with homages to the duo's own Scottish culture. The album was a major worldwide hit, particularly in Australia where it was described as the band's "biggest success", reaching No. 2 in the ARIA Charts and being 1989's 12th highest-seller.

The album peaked at No. 3 and No. 6 in New Zealand and the United Kingdom respectively, while also charting in Canada and Sweden, ultimately selling over 2 million copies worldwide, including over 700,000 in the USA.

On This Day 19/12/1994 The Cult

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On this day, 19 December 1994, rock band The Cult played Cardiff’s Astoria on their Beauty is on the Streets tour.

The band had just released their sixlth studio album The Cult on Beggars Banquet Records and it is also the band's last album on Sire Records in the US. It is also commonly referred to as the "Black Sheep" record, due to the image of a Manx Loaghtan black sheep on the front cover.

The record also features one of the very rare times when Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy have shared songwriting credit with anyone: bassist Craig Adams is credited as co-author of "Universal You".

Vocalist Ian Astbury referred to the record as "very personal, and very revealing" songs about his life, with the subject matter ranging from sexual abuse at the age of 15, to the death of Nigel Preston (friend and former drummer for The Cult), to his directionless years spent in Glasgow in the late 1970s. But the record was barely noticed, only reaching US#69, and UK#21, and then quickly dropping out of sight.

Reportedly it reached number one on the charts in Portugal, but quickly dropped out of sight as well. The single "Coming Down (Drug Tongue)" (UK#51) was released with the band going on tour in support of the new album. Only one more single, "Star" (UK#65), was officially released. That song began life in 1986 as "Tom Petty" before being dropped by the band during rehearsals. In 1993 the song was resurrected once again as "Starchild", and was finally completed for the record in 1994 as, just simply, "Star".

On This Day 18/12/2014 Decade

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On this day, 18 December 2014, rock band Decade played Cardiff University on their All Signs Point to Britain tour.

Formed in 2009, the band consists of lead vocalist Alex Sears, guitarist Joe Marriner, guitarist and backing vocalist Connor Fathers and bassist Harry Norton. Encapsulated by the locution 'Loud quiet happy sad', Decade currently have two studio albums, Good Luck and Pleasantries, a self-titled EP as well as an EP they pretend does not exist.

Decade signed to Rude Records in late 2016. Their second studio album, Pleasantries, was released in 2017 to much acclaim across a number of independent publications.