On This Day 05/10/1981 Hazel O’Connor

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On this day, 5 October 1981, British singer/songwriter and actress Hazel O’Connor played Cardiff University.

She became famous in the early 1980s with hit singles "Eighth Day", "D-Days" and "Will You?" She also starred in the 1980 film Breaking Glass.

O’Connor had just released her second studio album Close Plus, produced by legendary producer Tony Visconti, which reached #32 in the UK album charts. The album spawned 3 singles, most notably a version of The Stranglers “Hanging Around”.

O'Connor was born in Coventry, England. She is the daughter of a soldier from Galway who settled in England after the Second World War to work in a car plant. Her brother Neil later fronted the punk band The Flys, best known for their single "Love and a Molotov Cocktail", which she later covered.

Her film debut was in Girls Come First in 1975, where she was credited as Hazel Glyn. She became prominent as an actress and singer five years later in 1980 when playing the role of Kate in the film Breaking Glass. She also performed on the accompanying soundtrack.

On This Day 28/05/1989 W.A.S.P

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On this day, 28 May 1989, American heavy metal band W.A.S.P played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall on their 89 & Headless tour.

Formed in 1982. They emerged from the early 1980s Los Angeles heavy metal scene.

The band's popularity peaked that decade, yet they continue to record and tour, making them one of the most enduring of the West Coast heavy metal bands.

W.A.S.P. gained notoriety for their shock rock-themed image, lyrics and live performances. They are estimated to have sold over twelve million records worldwide,

W.A.S.P.'s fourth studio album, The Headless Children, was released on April 15, 1989, and was their first album without any overtly sexually explicit songs.

it was W.A.S.P.'s most critically acclaimed work up to that point and it is now the highest-selling W.A.S.P. album to date.

The drumming duties for the album were handled by former Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali.

It features two of the band's most highly acclaimed songs, the power ballad "Forever Free" and a cover of The Who's "The Real Me".

Setlist

The Heretic (The Lost Child) 


The Real Me 
(The Who cover)


L.O.V.E. Machine 


Wild Child 


The Headless Children 


The Neutron Bomber


Forever Free 


I Don't Need No Doctor 
(Nickolas Ashford cover)


Thunderhead

I Wanna Be Somebody 


Animal (Fuck Like a Beast) 


Mean Man 


Blind in Texas

On This Day 27/05/1988 House Of Love

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On this day, 27 May 1988, alternative rock band House of Love played Cardiff University.

Formed in London in 1986 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Guy Chadwick and co-founder and lead guitarist Terry Bickers.

They rose to prominence in 1987 with their first single "Shine On", released on the independent label Creation.

The following year, the band released their critically acclaimed eponymous debut album and built their reputation over the next few years through subsequent releases, constant touring and the support of English press.

They signed with Fontana Records in 1989 and met commercial success in 1990 with their second self-titled album, which peaked at number 8 in the UK albums chart.

Their third album, Babe Rainbow, was favourably met by the critics in 1992 and also reached the top 40 in the UK.

LINE UP

Guy Chadwick, Terry Bickers, Pete Evans, Chris Groothuizen

SETLIST

SALOME

DESTROY THE HEART

FISHERMAN’S TALE

MAN TO CHILD

CHRISTINE

PLASTIC

SULPHUR

SHINE ON

NOTHING TO ME

REAL ANIMAL

I WANNA BE YOUR DOG

On This Day 05/05/1986 Echo And The Bunnymen

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On this day, 5 May 1986, rock band Echo And The Bunnymen played Cardiff’s Top Rank with support provided by the Blue Orchids

Formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bassist Les Pattinson. By 1980, Pete de Freitas joined as the band's drummer.

Their 1980 debut album Crocodiles went into the top 20 of the UK Albums Chart.

After releasing their second album Heaven Up Here in 1981, the band's cult status was followed by mainstream success in the UK in 1983 when they scored a UK Top 10 hit with "The Cutter", and the album which the song came from, Porcupine, hit number 2 in the UK.

Ocean Rain (1984), continued the band's UK chart success with its lead single "The Killing Moon" entering into the top 10.

After releasing a self-titled album in 1987, McCulloch left the band and was replaced by singer Noel Burke. In 1989, de Freitas was killed in a motorcycle accident.

On This Day 11/03/1988 The Fall

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On this day, 11 March 1988, Manchester post-punk band The Fall played Cardiff University.

Formed in 1976 in Prestwich, Greater Manchester. They underwent many line-up changes, with vocalist and founder Mark E. Smith as the only constant member.

The Fall's long-term musicians included drummers Paul Hanley, Simon Wolstencroft and Karl Burns; guitarists Marc Riley, Craig Scanlon and Brix Smith; and bassist Steve Hanley, whose melodic, circular bass lines are widely credited with shaping the band's sound from early 1980s albums such as Hex Enduction Hour to the late 1990s.

The band had just released their tenth studio album The Frenz Experiment released on 29 February 1988 through record label Beggars Banquet.

It reached number 19 in the UK album chart, making it the Fall's first Top 20 album.

Set list

Cab It Up / 2 x 4 / Get a Hotel / There's a Ghost in My House / Bremen Nacht / Frenz / Tuff Life Boogie / Carry Bag Man / Victoria / Oswald Defence Lawyer / Guest Informant / Mr. Pharmacist / In These Times

On This Day 23/02/1986 Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark

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On this day, 23 February 1986, electronic pop band Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall on the band’s Crush tour.

formed in Wirral, Merseyside, in 1978. The group consists of co-founders Andy McCluskey (vocals, bass guitar) and Paul Humphreys (keyboards, vocals), along with Martin Cooper (various instruments) and Stuart Kershaw (drums); McCluskey has been the only constant member.

Regarded as pioneers of electronic music, OMD combined an experimental, minimalist ethos with pop sensibilities, becoming central figures in the late-1970s/early-1980s emergence of synth-pop.

Crush is the sixth studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 17 June 1985 by Virgin Records. It is the first of two OMD albums to be produced by Stephen Hague.

Aimed primarily at the US market, Crush is notable for moving the group toward a more polished sound, although elements of earlier experimentation are present on the record.

Tour Setlist

Crush

The Native Daughters of the Golden West

Messages

Tesla Girls

Secret

Julia's Song

Motion and Heart

White Trash

Talking Loud and Clear

Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)

La Femme Accident

Souvenir

So in Love

Telegraph

Locomotion

Enola Gay

Encore:

Women III

Electricity

Encore 2:

She's Leaving

The Romance of the Telescope

On This Day 04/02/1984 Gary Moore

On this day 4 February 1984, guitar legend Gary Moore played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall on his Victims Of The Future Tour.

Influenced by Peter Green and Eric Clapton, Moore began his career in the late 1960s when he joined Skid Row, with whom he released two albums. After Moore left the group he joined Thin Lizzy, featuring his former Skid Row bandmate and frequent collaborator Phil Lynott.

Moore began his solo career in the 1970s and achieved major success with 1978's "Parisienne Walkways", which is considered his signature song. During the 1980s, Moore transitioned into playing hard rock and heavy metal with varying degrees of international success.

In 1983, Moore released the album Victims of the Future, which marked another musical change, this time towards hard rock and heavy metal.

The album also saw the addition of keyboardist Neil Carter, who would continue to push Moore in this new musical direction. For the supporting tour, they were joined by former Rainbow bassist Craig Gruber and drummer Bobby Chouinard, who were later replaced by Ozzy Osbourne bassist Bob Daisley and former Roxy Music drummer Paul Thompson, respectively.

SETLIST

Majestuoso E Virtuoso

Rockin' Every Night

Play Video

Wishing Well

(Free cover)

Murder in the Skies

Shapes of Things

(The Yardbirds cover)

Cold Hearted

Don't Take Me for a Loser

Victims of the Future

So Far Away

(Mo Foster cover)

Empty Rooms

Blinder

White Knuckles

(G-Force song)

End of the World

Back on the Streets

Encore:

Nuclear Attack

Rockin' and Rollin'

(G-Force song)

On this day 22/12/1983 Hot Chocolate

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On this day, 22 December 1983, soul/disco band Hot Chocolate played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall.

The band had just released their 8th album Love Shot.

Formed in 1968, the band initially consisted of vocalist Errol Brown, guitarist Franklyn De Allie, drummer Jim King (shortly thereafter replaced by the unrelated Ian King), percussionist Patrick Olive, and bassist Tony Wilson; with keyboardist Larry Ferguson joining the band in the following year.

The band was originally named "Hot Chocolate Band" by Mavis Smith, who worked for the Apple Corps press office. This was quickly shortened first to "The Hot Chocolate" and then to "Hot Chocolate" by Mickie Most.

Hot Chocolate started their recording career making a reggae version of John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance", but frontman Errol Brown was told he needed permission. He was contacted by Apple Records, discovered that Lennon liked his version, and the group was subsequently signed to Apple Records.

The link was short-lived as the Beatles were starting to break up, and the Apple connection soon ended.

The band became the only group, and one of just three acts, that had a hit in every year of the 1970s in the UK charts (the other two being Elvis Presley and Diana Ross).

The band eventually had at least one hit, every year, between 1970 and 1984.

The band continued well into the 1980s, and clocked up another big hit record: "It Started with a Kiss", in 1982, which reached Number 5 in the UK. In all, the group charted 25 UK Top 40 hit singles. Their single "You Sexy Thing" became the only track that made British Top Ten status in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s