Wales at EURO 2020 - Dare to Dream

(Photo: Evening Standard)

Like the majority across Wales on Thursday morning, I woke up with a sense of disbelief at the heroics of the night previous. After what was overall a disappointing display in Baku last Saturday vs Switzerland (Despite bagsman Kieffer Moore saving our skins), Cymru took to the stage in the Azerbaijani capital once again on Wednesday night – and what a night it was. 

Wales started the game positively, pressing high and working hard to break through the Turkish defensive line with intricate passing and smart attacking runs. Despite this, Aaron Ramsey failed to take clear-cut opportunities, with every fan around the country wondering whether we’d rue each missed chance. Thankfully, in the 42nd minute, Ramsey latched onto Gareth Bale’s 30-yard lofted pass, controlling the ball with his chest and slotting it past the keeper into the bottom left corner. The leadup right to the goal felt as if it were in slow-motion for Welsh fans, but the sheer sense of relief after Ramsey netted was a delight. 

 The game progressed and Turkey were looking far more threatening, but it was clear to see that they were finding little luck going forward. At 61 minutes, Bale cutted past Zeki Çelik and was tripped by the full-back inside the penalty area, winning a penalty. The much-needed pressure relief that Wales craved to ensure Round of 16 qualification was squandered when Bale stuck the ball high over the crossbar. 

 In the latter stages of the game, Wales began to sit back and absorb pressure from the Turkish forwards, but an aged Burak Yilmaz failed to truly threaten. Aaron Ramsey made a last gasp tackle to ensure that his performance would go down in history as one of Wales’ most impressive, and in the 87th minute, keeper Danny Ward pushed away Demiral’s thunderous header to keep Wales alive. After the superb Welsh defence survived wave after wave of Turkish attacks, Wales won a corner in Turkish territory to run down the clock. Instead of deciding to waste a few more seconds, Bale seized on a pocket of space and crossed the ball into the path of Connor Roberts, who hammered it home to all but secure Wales’ place in the Round of 16. 

 It was a night to remember for Wales and the hundreds of thousands watching back home. Although they found it difficult at times, Cymru produced another inspired performance in the EUROs, a real statement of intent. Despite the mountainous task facing Wales on Sunday in Rome vs Italy, this win alleviates pressure for Robert Page’s men, who wouldn’t have fancied their chances getting a result against the former World Champions – but with the pressure off, who knows?...

Credit - Rory Chapman

Wales at EURO 2020 - Preview

(Photo: Sky Sports)

 Wales at the Euros… again!

After what has seemed an eternity for football fans across the continent, the delayed 2020 European Championship is just around the corner, with Robert Page’s Wales squad beginning their campaign on the 12th July vs Switzerland in Baku, Azerbaijan. Following this, Cymru take on a highly rated Turkey squad in Baku again next Wednesday, with the group stage concluding in Rome next Sunday against 2006 World Champions Italy. On 30th May, after months of speculation and anticipation, Page submitted Wales’ final 26-man squad set to compete in EURO 2020, which has been at the forefront of conversation among The Red Wall and beyond this past week. Despite an impressive start to Page’s tenure as Cymru caretaker manager, the roster of outstanding teams on display in this year’s tournament will prove to be his toughest challenge yet. 

Cymru’s 26 

Many players who were integral to Wales’ 2016 success will once again have their chance to shine on the European stage. Cymru star man and Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale finished the season strong after enjoying 11 goals in 20 appearances on loan at Spurs. Alongside Bale, Juventus midfielder and arguably Wales’ most valuable asset Aaron Ramsey is selected, despite only playing one game for the nation since EURO qualification. Joe Allen and Ben Davies are among the other members of the class of 2016 who were selected by Page to take part in this year’s tournament, hoping they can replicate the strong performances that helped Wales reach the semi-finals in France, 5 years ago. 

New Boys 

Wales are going into this year’s tournament with the 3rd youngest squad on average, yet despite the lack of experience, the new boys have relished their opportunities, putting in impressive performances in their respective domestic leagues. Swansea’s Ben Cabango and Liverpool’s Neco Williams, who have both broken onto the scene this season, will likely feature at important points throughout the tournament to help Wales progress. Despite not being among the younger players in Cymru’s 26, Cardiff ace Kieffer Moore played a pivotal role in propelling Wales to EURO 2020 qualification, as well as scoring 20 goals for Cardiff this season; the first player to do so since the late Cardiff City legend Peter Whittingham in 2010. Moore will likely lead the line in a preferable 4-2-3-1 formation, unless Page decides to play with a false 9, which will cause controversy among fans. 

The selection that took us all by surprise was the shock call-up of Cardiff City starlet Rubin Colwill; the 19-year-old that only made his debut for the club in February. Despite his international inexperience, Colwill has blown away Welsh fans (and bluebirds!), who have been following his career progression, and with the world watching, he perhaps won’t get a better chance to impress. 

The Verdict 

Although fans will be tempted to compare this year’s campaign to 2016, a clean slate must be established. The fact of the matter is that Wales’s EURO 2020 campaign will only be the country’s 2nd in 62 years, and the excitement of returning to the competition for a second time running is incomparable. Cymru am Byth! 

Credit - Rory Chapman

The Filth & The Fury - The Sex Pistols (not) in Cardiff

14/12/1976 Top Rank, Cardiff – CANCELLED

It should have been at Cardiff's Top Rank Suite on 14 December 1976, but the month found the UK's most notorious band since the rabble rousing Rolling Stones, with the Sex Pistols British tour rapidly disintegrating around them.

There were councils in uproar following the band, plus hangers on, appeared on Bill Grundy's Tonight Show, a late replacement for Queen, turning the air blue, much of which prompted by a rather less-than-sober Grundy, causing a tabloid meltdown with newspapers calling for the venues to cancel following a tabloid storm unheralded since singer PJ Proby's black hipsters trousers split asunder and derailed his somewhat promising career.

Bizarrely the Pistols had already played three Welsh gigs earlier in the year mainly slipping in and out under the radar without any fuss but with the Anarchy tour almost in tatters and Cardiff a no go, The gig was moved to Caerphilly's Castle Cinema, Itself not without controversy as the local media pitched in to get it banned with angry readers firing off letters of protest. It even prompted a cartoon by great cartoonist Gren in the following morning's South Wales Echo.

But the gig went ahead and the locals prepared for hordes of violent punks to descend on the small valley town to cause mayhem, but nothing could be further from the truth. Band mates and a smallish crowd ran the gauntlet of carol singer protesters, the concert, that also featured The Clash and The Damned went ahead with hardly a word out of place and locals scratching their heads and wondering what all the fuss was about.

The video below goes some way to explaining what happened back in 1976.

RETRO REVIEW: THE FOALS CARDIFF UNIVERSITY 28/09/2008

WITHOUT doubt one of the more inventive and original bands around at this present time, Foals have had a meteoric rise in both popularity and critical acclaim since their debut release Antidotes hit the stores like a breath of fresh air earlier this year.The five-piece Oxford band, fronted by singer and accident-waiting-to happen Yannis Philippakis, have a certain cool about them that makes other skinny-jeaned, indie wannabes look average in sound and performance, when compared to this charismatic bunch.I’ve always been a sucker for their type of punk-funk laced with electronic blips and spiky rhythms and with a tight bass and drum combo driving away in the background they easily set the feet tapping and the more energetic jumping along to their highly danceable groove punctuated with their quirky and interesting guitar interplay. While their recordings are to be admired, it’s live that the band really excels and they didn’t disappoint their  energetic Cardiff following with an exciting and oddly amusing performance.You can certainly detect some of their influences with early Talking Heads and XTC, the most notable especially in songs like Hummer and Balloons with both receiving a rapturous response bettered only by the superb Cassius causing bedlam among the audience.Musically the band were in top form with  both Philippakis and Jimmy Smith on guitar trading syncopated, choppy rhythms complemented by keyboardist Edwin Congreave’s electro-techno decoration while Jack Bevan (drums) and Walter Gervers (bass) provided the glue that kept the band together with a driving backbeat.  Easily one of the bands to see at the moment and if you missed them, here’s hoping for a quick return for  Foals.

Tony Woolway

Chris Difford – The Some Fantastic Place Tour – with Boo Hewerdine

Acapela Studio - 15/04/2018

Acclaimed by many as the 'other half' of one of pop's most enduring and loved duos with Glenn Tilbrook, Chris Difford is noted for his kitchen-sink type lyrics that have been a feature of his band Squeeze's career that many have enjoyed since they hit the music scene back in the late 70s.

From fresh-faced lads to middle-aged spread their talent for wonderfully composed, catchy songs helped them become the public's go to band, a pick me up for the times and guaranteed to put smiles on the faces.

But behind the music, Difford dealt with some seriously bad times with addictions and stress, the fall out of being involved in a industry that doesn't look after their casualties too well.

Fortunately for Difford, the dark times documented in his book, Some Fantastic Place: My Life In and Out of Squeeze are in the past and he spares no punches when detailing his life, both the good and the bad times.

Whilst Squeeze the band continue to delight with regular tours, it's the intimate gigs like this one at the Acapela Studios that provides fans with a different insight into the songs and the stories behind them. Songs are broken down, dissected and given new life with the lyrics much more prominent in the acoustic mix.

With the equally talented Boo Hewerdine opening, and providing backing to Difford it was an evening to savour. Hewerdine's songs in his shortish set provided the perfect foil to Difford who followed and with his song American TV, a homage to the TV of his youth, it was one of the evening's stand out moments and would in most cases be hard to follow.

Yet Difford is a consummate professional and with a back catalogue to die for, what to leave out must have been a difficult yet the Squeeze songs he covered fitted effortlessly in with his solo material, another feature of the evening, with Battersea Boys and Sobriety showing Difford at his storytelling best.

As you would expect the Squeeze material produced a sing-a-long effect on the sold out crowd which included Take Me I'm Yours. Goodbye Girl, Tempted and Cool For Cats, to name but a few, interspersed with enthralling tales from his book.

I'd advise anyone with even the faintest of interest in Squeeze to next time. if near you, to get out and witness the genius of the man that is Chris Difford.

Retro Review: Tom Robinson Band

The Globe, Cardiff - 17/10/2017

1978 and a background of economic and political turmoil, a desperate time for teenagers looking for anything to express the anger and frustration, punk had fuelled the youthful angst of a generation. But although punk had started a movement with the exception perhaps of The Clash it lacked Articulate and musical songs to catch the imagination and political influence.

Then along came a band and an album to change that. Power in the Darkness The Tom Robinson Band brought a new intelligence and musicality blended with political comment and vision of a desolate future.

40 years on and the Tom Robinson Band appear at the Globe performing Power In The Darkness in its entirety to a vociferous crowd, not teenagers this time, but teenagers now in their 50’s and just as passionate about this album and it’s message as shown by the tremendous reception of Robinson and every song performed.
From the first chords of ‘Up Against The Wall’ to the brilliant passion of ‘Too Good To Be True’ and the title track every word spat out with passion.
It’s not the same line up but it’s the same message and same anger 40 years on, Robinson amazingly still keeping the venom in his vocals, still meaning every word, with guitarist Adam Phillips’s fierce and melodic sounds on his Les Paul proving fire to Robinson’s thunderous bass lines, and Andy Treacey playing the drums like a man possessed, Jim Simmons completes the driving and powerful sound on keyboards.
In between the frenetic, hard paced set, Robinson explains how the album had two sides as did all albums before the introduction of CDs and only lasted just over 40 minutes but the magic that was in those grooves still stands defiantly in tonight’s performance as it did in its original time.
Power in the Darkness was simply a great album of great songs reflecting a period of change and political movement. Robinson continued after the album performance with familiar favourites to fans ‘Martin’ and ‘Glad to be gay’ and of course the one everybody knows the his breakthrough hit 2-4-6-8 Motorway.

Tom sealed the mood of the night with ‘Don’t Take No For An Answer’ to finish Robinson standing with the band looking drained from a full on performance, a man in his sixties still giving every word and note true feeling.
As he commented 40 years on and what has really changed? Still politically the world in turmoil and socially people struggling, but his answer to his own question is ‘you still got to keep trying’ he is and the crowd are, the spirit of 78 , that lives on tonight.
I suggest digging out ‘Power In The Darkness’ and giving it a listen, it just might get those hairs on the neck standing.

Retro Review: Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons

The Globe, Cardiff - 22/11/2018

A packed venue on a cold autumn night indicates the popularity of Phil Campbell and the bastard sons making a return to home ground before venturing into Europe, with a Brand new critically acclaimed album.
Yes the Motörhead faithful are here but there are more than enough Bastard Sons t shirts on display here to show the band have a real following and on the performance it’s not at all surprising.

I must mention Leader of Down as well who were an excellent support band and really got the crowd going, well worth checking out their album Cascade into Chaos.

Phil steps onto the stage with sons Todd,Tyler and Dane and Neil Starr on vocals and it’s straight into Ringleader a Motörhead similar drive and power Style guitar anthem, there is also plenty of diversity in the set, the groovy riff of Freakshow, welcome to Hell Metallica style guitar chords and the catchy Riffed Big Mouth.

Dark days has a Southern Blues feel, and Step into the fire classic power chords and riffs with a modern flavour and killer solo.

There’s plenty of crowd participation encouraged by Starr who’s voice seems to have been inspired by classic rock and bodes well on the different styles performed by the band, Danes drumming is a power house that drives the set and compliments Tyler’s solid Bass and allows Todd and of course Phil to play the trademark Solos displayed in High Rule and Get on your Knees.

The classic Motörhead tunes are also here, Ace of Spades, Bomber, Just’cos you’ve got the power and Going to Brazil, and a fitting tribute of Silver Machine by Hawkwind to all Motörhead members not with us anymore all sounding excellent.
This is Rock music as it should be tightly performed and crowd pleasing but with the bands own originality stamped on it.
Phil Campbell and the Bastard sons are not just reliant on The popularity of Motörhead but have their own style complimented by a quality album and musicians, of course Phil is a legend and after over 30 years of being in Motörhead is the best man to be performing their songs, but the band really have much more to offer and deliver.

If you missed this sold out gig catch them next time you will not be disappointed.

Looking Back: Led Zep in Wales

Writer and broadcaster Nigel Crowle remembers back to a legendary concert in Wales – and a bizarre meeting at a petrol station.

THE odds were never in my favour – one million Led Zeppelin fans and only 20,000 tickets for this coming Monday’s much-anticipated reunion gig. I put in some hours in front of the computer, though. I kept clicking away in the hope of buying tickets, but no luck. I was left, Dazed And Confused, with just my fond memories of the World’s Greatest Rock Band.

Anyone who was at Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre on December 12, 1972, will remember that concert. It started in darkness with “Bonzo” Bonham’s relentless, thundering drum intro to Rock and Roll before the stage lit up. The Legend That Was (And Is) Jimmy Page slashed his majestic guitar riffs through the air, while the Quiet One (John Paul Jones) thumped his bass. All the while, frontman Robert Plant shook his shaggy mane like a lion on the pull, as he prowled the stage, cranking his voice effortlessly up to full-volume falsetto screech.

In 1972, the Zep were at the top of the rock game. Why were they so adored? Well, they ignored Top Of The Pops, refusing to release singles like every other group. They were bad boys, too – getting off with groupies and riding motorbikes up and down hotel corridors, probably at the same time. Page may have been a bit too keen on the mysteries of black magic, but that interest probably inspired the mystical Stairway To Heaven. It became a classic – a song the band eventually came to hate, but which wannabe guitarists have loved ever since. So why risk their awesome reputation on Monday by limbering up for their first full-length concert in 19 years?

It seems that the forthcoming concert is a one-off gig in memory of their Atlantic Records boss, Ahmet Ertegun. Jason Bonham is sitting in for his dad behind the drum kit, and let’s hope he’s not a chip off the old block when it comes to living life to excess. Let’s put it this way, Bonzo would’ve been a bit of a liability had he ever attended a vicar’s tea party.

I know it’s trendy for bands to re-form nowadays. You can’t move for Take That, Westlife, The Spice Girls or The Police putting aside their musical and personal differences and getting back together for a UK stadium tour.

I must confess, however, that I have a bit of an obsession with Led Zeppelin. Most days you can spot me striding around Cardiff with my cheese-cloth shirt flapping open to the wind and my jeans looking like they’ve been sprayed on. When Robert Plant dressed like that, he looked like a rock god. I’m simply wearing clothes much too small for me.

I have had my very own spooky brush with Led Zeppelin, though. It was one of those weird coincidences, too. It happened a few years after the Zep played their last full concert in 1980, in Berlin.

At the time, my wife and I were living in London, and on one of our trips back home to see friends and family we ran low on petrol. We’d stopped at a garage near Monmouth and I was halfway out of the car before I realised who was striding towards me, across the forecourt. “Look! It’s Robert Plant!” I gibbered at my wife. “Nothing spooky about that,” you might say, and you’d be right – were it not for the fact that at that exact moment, the all-time classic Zeppelin track Rock and Roll was blaring from my car cassette player.

So I scrambled out of the car and rushed over to him and, falling to my knees, gushingly said to him, “Robert, I’m a huge, huge fan of your work. Led Zeppelin were the finest rock band in the world. In 1972, I saw you at Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre. Tickets were £1 and it was the best concert I’ve ever seen. Thank you so much for all the happy musical memories you’ve given me.”

Only I didn’t say any of that. In fact, I didn’t say a thing. I just grinned inanely. I was so star-struck by my proximity to Robert “Lord Percy” Plant that all I could do was smile like a mentally deficient spaniel. Being temporarily deprived of the power of speech, I kept jerking my head towards the open car door, hoping that the great man would hear the tinny sounds of his musical masterpiece and recognise the coincidence. Needless to say, he didn’t.

To his credit, though, he also didn’t run away on being confronted by what must have seemed like a drooling, twitching simpleton on the other side of the pumps.

He smiled at me and cheerily said, “Tcchhh! Price of petrol nowadays, eh?” I nodded enthusiastically, but by the time I’d plucked up the courage to go into my fan’s spiel, Planty had driven off in a blur of denim.

All that lingered was a faint whiff of patchouli oil, mixing in the air with the petrol fumes. To quote the title of a track on Led Zep’s first LP, you might say I’d suffered a Communication Breakdown.