On This Day 10/09/1976 Queen

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On this day 10 September 1976, legendary British rock band Queen played Cardiff Castle. Also on the bill was Cardiff’s Andy Fairweather-Low, Frankie Miller's Full House and Manfred Mann.

Richie Blackmore & Rainbow were originally part of the package but refused to play Cardiff Castle because they couldn't get onstage their 35-foot high artificial rainbow which they regarded as an "essential part of their act". Probably they weren't allowed to put it up due to upstaging Queen.

Roger Taylor wrote about the show in the autumn '76 fan club magazine, describing the weather as "virtually a monsoon." He adds, "The sight of the rain pouring down through the spotlights on everybody, and of Freddie splashing his way through pools of water at the front of the stage will remain indelibly printed on our memories forever. The fact that people stayed on and enjoyed themselves right to the end made it quite a moving occasion for us. In fact, I was so overcome I just had to wreck me drum kit at the end, which reduced 'Crystal' my roadie to floods of tears rivalling the rain (it was a brand new kit too!). Anyway if you were there thanks for being our bravest audience ever and I hope the pneumonia cleared up."

This is assumingly the final performance of Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon.

In his Queen Live book, Queen archivist Greg Brooks alleges there is a bootleg of this show called "Queen At The Castle," but no such release ever occurred. There are no known recordings of this show.

Setlist

A Day At the Races Intro

Bohemian Rhapsody

(Rock Section)

Ogre Battle

Sweet Lady

White Queen (As It Began)

Flick of the Wrist

You're My Best Friend

Bohemian Rhapsody

Killer Queen

The March of the Black Queen

Bohemian Rhapsody

(Reprise)

Bring Back That Leroy Brown

Brighton Rock

Son and Daughter

'39

You Take My Breath Away

The Prophet's Song

Stone Cold Crazy

Doing All Right

Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon

Tie Your Mother Down

Keep Yourself Alive

Liar

In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited

Encore:

Now I'm Here

Big Spender

(Cy Coleman cover)

Jailhouse Rock

(Elvis Presley cover)

God Save the Queen

([traditional] cover)

On This Day 28/07/2001 Tom Jones

On This day, 28 July 2001, Welsh singing superstar Tom Jones played Cardiff Castle, the first of three consecutive nights.

Jones had been enjoying somewhat of a resurgance with the release of his Reload album in September 1999, some of which featured in his Cardiff Castle set.

Reload became the highest seller of Jones' career, reaching number one on the British charts in 1999 and again in 2000. Its biggest single was the collaboration with Mousse T, "Sex Bomb", which reached number 3 on the UK Singles Chart, and was later used in a 2003 episode of The Simpsons (a show Jones had guest starred on in 1992). The album has sold more than four million copies worldwide.

In 2000, Jones garnered a number of honours for his work, including a BRIT Award for Best British Male.

Setlist

Ain't That a Lot of Love

(Homer Banks cover)

Hard to Handle

(Otis Redding cover)

Help Yourself

Never Tear Us Apart

(INXS cover)

I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone

.M<(Elvis Presley cover)

Burning Down the House

(Talking Heads cover)

Delilah

(Les Reed cover)

She's a Lady

(Paul Anka cover)

Without Love (There Is Nothing)

(Clyde McPhatter cover)

Sometimes We Cry

(Van Morrison cover)

Crapped Out Again

(Keb’ Mo’ cover)

Venus

(Shocking Blue cover)

If I Only Knew

You Need Love Like I Do

Mama Told Me Not to Come

(Randy Newman cover)

Give Me One Reason

(Tracy Chapman cover)

Am I Wrong

(Keb’ Mo’ cover)

A Boy From Nowhere

(Mike Leander cover)

I'll Never Fall in Love Again

(Lonnie Donegan cover)

Green, Green Grass of Home

(Johnny Darrell cover)

What's New Pussycat?

(Burt Bacharach cover)

You Can Leave Your Hat On

(Randy Newman cover)

Sex Bomb

It's Not Unusual

(Les Reed cover)

It's Your Thing

(The Isley Brothers cover)

Are You Gonna Go My Way

(Lenny Kravitz cover)

Kiss

(Prince cover)

On This Day 24/07/1999 Simply Red

On this day, 24 July 1999, soul/pop band Simply Red played a sell-out gig at Cardiff Castle.

Band leader, singer and songwriter Mick Hucknall was the only original member left by the time Simply Red initially disbanded in 2010. They have released thirteen studio albums, from Picture Book (1985) through Time (2023), all of which have peaked within the top ten on the UK Albums Chart; with the albums A New Flame (1989), Stars (1991), Life (1995) and Blue (1998), along with their Greatest Hits (1996) album, reaching number one. Their 1991 album Stars is one of the best-selling albums in the United Kingdom.

1998 saw the release of the cover-heavy Blue, which produced four UK top 40 singles, including the top 10 hits "Say You Love Me" and "The Air That I Breathe". The follow-up album, 1999's Love and the Russian Winter, was a relative disappointment, spawning two minor hits that failed to break the top 10.

Simply Red were dropped from their label, East West Records in April 2000. Mick Hucknall subsequently set up the website Simplyred.com to handle releases of new recordings; the new label/website venture proved to be quite successful, many of the band's Simplyred.com releases selling and charting almost as well as their earlier recordings.

Setlist

Mellow My Mind

(Neil Young cover)

Never Never Love

Man Made the Gun

It's Only Love Doing Its Thing

(Barry White cover)

A New Flame

Thrill Me

For Your Babies

If You Don't Know Me by Now

(Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes cover)

So Beautiful

Thank You

Look Into Your Eyes

Night Nurse

(Gregory Isaacs cover)

Stars

Come to My Aid

I Won't Feel Bad

Infidelity

The Right Thing

Money's Too Tight (To Mention)

(The Valentine Brothers cover)

Holding Back the Years

(The Frantic Elevators cover)

Something Got Me Started

Fairground

On This Day 24/07/1976 Status Quo

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On this day, 24 July 1976, rock band Status Quo played Cardiff Castle, headlining a package that included Strawbs, Curved Air, Hawkwind and Welsh rock band Budgie, compered by DJ John Peel.

The concert was part of the group’s Blue For You tour, promoting their Blue For You Album. The band had played two concerts at the City’s Capitol Theatre earlier in the year before returning for their prestigious Cardiff Castle gig.

Blue for You was their ninth studio album and was released in March 1976, and was the band’s last album until 1980's Just Supposin' that they produced themselves, which resulted in subsequent albums having a noticeably lighter, more pop oriented sound.

Rick Parfitt's "Rain", the first single from the album, reached No. 7 in the UK charts after its release in February 1976. Its B-side was the non-album track "You Lost the Love", written by Francis Rossi and Bob Young.

The album was released the following month. It entered the British album chart at No. 1 and stayed there for three weeks, making it one of their most successful long players.

On This Day 25/07/1999 Simply Red

On this day, 25 July 1999, British soul and pop band Simply Red played Cardiff Castle

Formed in Manchester in 1985 The band is led by singer and songwriter Mick Hucknall, who, by the time the band initially disbanded in 2010, was the only original member left.

Since the release of their debut studio album Picture Book (1985), they have had ten songs reach top 10 in the UK Singles Chart, including "Holding Back the Years" and "If You Don't Know Me by Now", both of which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. They have had five number one albums in the UK, with their 1991 album, Stars, being one of the best-selling albums in UK chart history.

Simply Red Review - Guardian

The first surprise is that Mick Hucknall's speaking voice is at the exact high pitch of his singing one. Finishing 'A New Flame' at the second of Simply Red's shows at Cardiff Castle, he says: 'That's the first time I've played that in a long time,' and it is as if the stage has been invaded by a castrated Mancunian choirboy, wearing his testicles as cuff links.

Not that the two women next to me seem to mind. Possibly inspired by Hucknall's past romance with 'Welsh lovely', Catherine Zeta Jones, they keep up a robust, drunken display of appreciation for his none-too-obvious physical charms. 'Get down off that stage, come over here, and fuck me!' hollers the first, slopping beer over her open-toe sandals. Her friend says little, merely lifting her top occasionally to solemnly flash her bra at the thankfully oblivious Hucknall. All of which goes to prove that there's someone for everyone. Even for Mick Hucknall, voted the Ugliest Man in Pop 240 years running by the Great British Public.

Why do we all hate Mick Hucknall so much? Could it be his Pomagne Socialism, that relentless schmoozing of New Labour in general, and Tony Blair in particular? It's all very well hearing that Blair plays Simply Red's music when travelling, but you suspect Hucknall listens, gooey-eyed, to Blair's speeches in his own car. (While it is accepted that politics and music occasionally get into bed together, Mick, dear boy, no one expects them to actually shag.)

All that apart, there are no serious grounds for disliking Hucknall. Even at his egomaniacal worst (the video for 1991's 'Stars', where Hucknall, carrot locks flowing majestically, runs through space dressed in one of God's old nighties), there were just enough tunes to see him through. Simply Red have made their share of deeply dull stadium music, but there was always the odd original gem ('Holding Back the Years', 'For Your Babies'), or well realised cover ('Money's Too Tight To Mention', 'If You Don't Know Me By Now'), to keep even the most cynical pop fan interested.

However, if Simply Red are surprisingly good at Cardiff, the crowd are better. As Hucknall is introducing his ridiculously huge band (I stopped counting after about 11), some wag shouts: 'What's the singer called then?' And, while I've seen people hold lighters in the air in silent homage, I have never seen a crowd hold their cigarettes in the air before.

As the set unfolds, it becomes clear that Hucknall intends to play it safe, sticking to old hits. And quite right too. At one point, he squeakily asks the crowd if they want to hear some new numbers, and it is a credit to their manners that no one shouts back: 'No, of course not.' In the end, Simply Red play quite a few new numbers, all of which send everyone racing off for a fortifying lager or Fab ice lolly.

This thirtysomething crowd, part noisy hen party, part lairy stag night, haven't paid a disgracefully inflated £27.50 a head to act as guinea pigs for completely fresh material, or even relatively recent material. They want to hear the stuff from Picture Book and Stars, songs which, for them, were first-date soundtracks or marriage-proposal anthems.

And they want to hear Hucknall's voice of course, which is better than any white guy's deserves to be. If it is true that, to be convincing, white male soul singers, should aim to sound like black female soul singers, then Hucknall is blessed indeed. At Cardiff, his voice soars into the high notes, dips seamlessly back down into the low ones, and goes for riffing little walks when it feels like it. All without him breaking into a sweat.

People are technically incorrect when they go on about Hucknall's great voice. He hasn't got a great voice, he's got seven great voices. Fashionable he will never be again, but, long after the snobbery and childish sneering have faded, Mick Hucknall's voice will probably be remembered as one of Britain's best.

Setlist

Mellow My Mind

(Neil Young cover)

Never Never Love

Man Made the Gun

It's Only Love Doing Its Thing

(Barry White cover)

A New Flame

Thrill Me

For Your Babies

If You Don't Know Me by Now

(Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes cover)

So Beautiful

Thank You

Look Into Your Eyes

Night Nurse

(Gregory Isaacs cover)

Stars

Come to My Aid

I Won't Feel Bad

Infidelity

The Right Thing

Money's Too Tight (To Mention)

(The Valentine Brothers cover)

Holding Back the Years

(The Frantic Elevators cover)

Something Got Me Started

Fairground

On This Day 24/07/1976 Status Quo

Images may be subject to copyright

On this day, 24 July 1976, rock band Status Quo played Cardiff Castle, headlining a package that included Strawbs, Curved Air, Hawkwind and Welsh rock band Budgie, compered by DJ John Peel.

The concert was part of the group’s Blue For You tour, promoting their Blue For You Album. The band had played two concerts at the City’s Capitol Theatre earlier in the year before returning for their prestigious Cardiff Castle gig.

Blue for You was their ninth studio album and was released in March 1976, and was the band’s last album until 1980's Just Supposin' that they produced themselves, which resulted in subsequent albums having a noticeably lighter, more pop oriented sound.

Rick Parfitt's "Rain", the first single from the album, reached No. 7 in the UK charts after its release in February 1976. Its B-side was the non-album track "You Lost the Love", written by Francis Rossi and Bob Young.

The album was released the following month. It entered the British album chart at No. 1 and stayed there for three weeks, making it one of their most successful long players.

Setlist

Junior's Wailing

(Steamhammer cover)

Backwater

Just Take Me

Is There a Better Way

In My Chair

Little Lady

Most of the Time

Rain

Forty-Five Hundred Times

Roll Over Lay Down

Big Fat Mama

Don't Waste My Time

Roadhouse Blues

(The Doors cover)

Mystery Song

Caroline

Bye Bye Johnny

(Chuck Berry cover)

On This Day 23/07/2000 Steps

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On this day, 23 July 2000, dance/pop group Steps played Cardiff Castle.

The Summer 2000 Arena Tour was Steps' third tour, complementing their 2000 album Steptacular. The tour also premiered some tracks from their next album Buzz. Following the success of the tour, five additional open-air concerts with the same set list were scheduled.

Steps were formed in May 1997 and achieved a series of charting singles between 1997 and 2001 including two number-one singles in the UK (one a double A-side), two number-one albums in the UK, 14 consecutive top 5 singles in the UK and a string of hits throughout Europe.

The group has sold over 22 million records worldwide in addition to acquiring a BRIT Award nomination in 1999 for Best Newcomer while supporting Britney Spears on tour the same year.

The group consisted of Lee Latchford-Evans, Claire Richards, Lisa Scott-Lee, Faye Tozer and Ian "H" Watkins.

Set list

Deeper Shade Of Blue [Sleazesisters Anthem Mix]

One For Sorrow [Tony Moran Remix]

Say You'll Be Mine

I Know Him So Well (Girls only)

Come On Get Together (Lee's solo)

After The Love Has Gone / Last Thing On My Mind

5, 6, 7, 8

R Dancing (Faye's solo)

Lay All Your Love On Me (Ian's solo)

Heartbeat

When I Said Goodbye

I Surrender (Claire's solo)

Things Can Only Get Better (Boys only)

Never Get Over You (Lisa's solo)

Better The Devil You Know

Summer Of Love

Love's Got A Hold On My Heart

Tragedy

On this day 10/09/1976 Queen

Images may be subject to copyright

On this day 10 September 1976, legendary British rock band Queen played Cardiff Castle. Also on the bill was Cardiff’s Andy Fairweather-Low, Frankie Miller's Full House and Manfred Mann.

Richie Blackmore & Rainbow were originally part of the package but refused to play Cardiff Castle because they couldn't get onstage their 35-foot high artificial rainbow which they regarded as an "essential part of their act". Probably they weren't allowed to put it up due to upstaging Queen.

Roger Taylor wrote about the show in the autumn '76 fan club magazine, describing the weather as "virtually a monsoon." He adds, "The sight of the rain pouring down through the spotlights on everybody, and of Freddie splashing his way through pools of water at the front of the stage will remain indelibly printed on our memories forever. The fact that people stayed on and enjoyed themselves right to the end made it quite a moving occasion for us. In fact, I was so overcome I just had to wreck me drum kit at the end, which reduced 'Crystal' my roadie to floods of tears rivalling the rain (it was a brand new kit too!). Anyway if you were there thanks for being our bravest audience ever and I hope the pneumonia cleared up."

This is assumingly the final performance of Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon.

In his Queen Live book, Queen archivist Greg Brooks alleges there is a bootleg of this show called "Queen At The Castle," but no such release ever occurred. There are no known recordings of this show.

Setlist

A Day At the Races Intro

Bohemian Rhapsody

(Rock Section)

Ogre Battle

Sweet Lady

White Queen (As It Began)

Flick of the Wrist

You're My Best Friend

Bohemian Rhapsody

Killer Queen

The March of the Black Queen

Bohemian Rhapsody

(Reprise)

Bring Back That Leroy Brown

Brighton Rock

Son and Daughter

'39

You Take My Breath Away

The Prophet's Song

Stone Cold Crazy

Doing All Right

Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon

Tie Your Mother Down

Keep Yourself Alive

Liar

In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited

Encore:

Now I'm Here

Big Spender

(Cy Coleman cover)

Jailhouse Rock

(Elvis Presley cover)

God Save the Queen

([traditional] cover)