On This Day 28/04/2004 Duran Duran

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On this day, 28 April 2004, 80’s pop band Duran Duran played Cardiff International Arena on their Reunion tour.

Duran Duran celebrated their homecoming to the UK on their Reunion tour with fourteen stadium dates in April 2004, including five sold-out nights at Wembley Arena. The British press, traditionally hostile to the band, accorded the shows some very warm reviews. Duran Duran brought along band Goldfrapp and the Scissor Sisters as alternating opening acts for this tour. The last two shows were filmed, resulting in the concert DVD Duran Duran: Live from London which was released in November.

Formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor. With the addition of bassist Simon Colley and drummer Roger Taylor the following year, the band went through numerous personnel changes before May 1980, when they settled on their most famous line-up by adding guitarist Andy Taylor and lead vocalist Simon Le Bon.

According to Billboard, Duran Duran have sold over 100 million records. They achieved 30 top 40 singles in the UK Singles Chart (14 of them top 10) and 21 top 40 singles in the US Billboard Hot 100. The band have won numerous awards throughout their career: two Brit Awards including the 2004 award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, two Grammy Awards, an MTV Video Music Award for Lifetime Achievement and a Video Visionary Award from the MTV Europe Music Awards. They were also awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The band were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.

Setlist

(Reach Up for the) Sunrise

Hungry Like the Wolf

Is There Something I Should Know?

Union of the Snake

Come Undone

A View to a Kill

What Happens Tomorrow

The Chauffeur

Planet Earth

I Don't Want Your Love

Tiger Tiger

Night Boat

Beautiful Colours

Ordinary World

Save a Prayer

Notorious

The Reflex

Careless Memories

The Wild Boys

Encore:

White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)

(Grandmaster Melle Mel cover)

Girls on Film

Rio

On This Day 18/04/2002 Here And Now Tour ABC

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On this day, 18 April 2002, 80’s popsters ABC played Cardiff International Arena as part of an eighties package including Adam Ant, Belinda Carlisle, China Crisis, Howard Jones, Toyah and ex Spandau Ballet bandmates, Tony Hadley, Steve Norman and John Keeble.

ABC has its roots in Vice Versa, a Sheffield band formed in 1977 by synthesizer players Stephen Singleton and Mark White. Their debut gig was as the support to Wire at the Outlook club in Sheffield. They founded their own label, Neutron Records, releasing the EP Music 4. Martin Fry, who wrote the fanzine Modern Drugs, interviewed Vice Versa and shortly afterwards they asked him to join as synthesizer player. Fry accepted and by late 1980 the band had evolved into ABC, with Fry becoming lead singer.

The band's last day as Vice Versa was at the Futurama 2 Festival in Leeds in September 1980; from then on it performed as ABC, with Singleton playing saxophone and White on guitar and keyboards. In the new year, Singleton and White were joined by Mark Lickley on bass and David Robinson on drums.

The band's first single, "Tears Are Not Enough", made the UK top 20 in 1981. Soon afterwards, Robinson left the band and was replaced by David Palmer; Lickley departed shortly thereafter and was not replaced. In 1982, the band released their debut studio album The Lexicon of Love, which reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. Produced by Trevor Horn, it often featured in UK critics' lists of favourite albums: it ranked 42nd in The Observer Music Monthly's "Top 100 British Albums" (June 2004) and 40th in Q magazine's "100 Greatest British Albums" (June 2000).

The band had three top 10 hits during 1982: the singles "Poison Arrow", "The Look of Love" (both of which were recorded whilst Mark Lickley was still a member of the band), and "All of My Heart".[5] Several high-concept music videos were made, including the long-form spy pastiche "Mantrap" by Julien Temple.

On This Day 05/04/1997 Bryan Adams

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On this day, 5 April 1997, Canadian rocker Bryan Adams played the Cardiff International Arena on his 18 Till I Die tour.

Orn November 5, 1959, the Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and photographer his estimated to have sold between 75 million and more than 100 million records and singles worldwide, placing him on the list of best-selling music artists.

Adams was the most played artist on Canadian radio in the 2010s and has had 25 top-15 singles in Canada and a dozen or more in the US, UK, and Australia.

In June 1996, the album 18 til I Die was released. It contained the songs: "The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You" (number 1 in Canada), "Let's Make a Night to Remember" (number 1 in Canada), ] "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" (number 1 in Canada), and "Star", which is included in the soundtrack of the film Jack.

The album reached number 22 on the UK charts while also reaching number two in Australia and number four in Canada. The album was less successful in the US only reaching number 31 on the Billboard 200, but was certified platinum in the United States by the RIAA. 18 til I Die was certified three times platinum in Canada and Australia and two times platinum in the UK.

In November 1996, "I Finally Found Someone" was released, which was recorded by Bryan Adams and Barbra Streisand as part of the soundtrack of Streisand's self-directed film The Mirror Has Two Faces. The song was nominated for an Academy Awards and Golden Globe Awards. It peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In November 1997, Adams penned new lyrics to the Jean-Jacques Goldman song "Puisque tu pars" also written that month, remade as Let's Talk About Love recorded by Celine Dion.

On This. Day 30/03/2005 Judas Priest

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On his day, 30 March 2005, heavy metal band Judas Priest played Cardiff International Arena on their Angel Of Retribution tour. Also on the bill were German band Scorpions.

Formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million albums and are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Despite an innovative and pioneering body of work in the latter half of the 1970s, the band struggled with indifferent record production and a lack of major commercial success until 1980, when their sixth studio album British Steel brought them notable mainstream attention.

The band's membership has seen much turnover. During the 1970s, the core of bassist Ian Hill, lead singer Rob Halford and guitarists Glenn Tipton and K. K. Downing saw a revolving cast of drummers, before Dave Holland joined them for ten years from 1979 to 1989. Since Holland's departure, Scott Travis has been the band's drummer. Halford left the band in 1992, and after a four year hiatus, Judas Priest regrouped in 1996 with Tim "Ripper" Owens, formerly of Winter's Bane, replacing Halford. After two albums with Owens, Halford returned to the band in 2003.

A new studio album, Angel of Retribution, was released on 1 March 2005 (US) on Sony Music/Epic Records to critical and commercial success, earning the band a 2005 Metal Hammer Golden Gods Award for Best Album. A global tour in support of the album ensued.

Setlist

The Hellion

Electric Eye

Metal Gods

Riding on the Wind

The Ripper

A Touch of Evil

Judas Rising

Revolution

Hot Rockin'

Breaking the Law

I'm a Rocker

Diamonds & Rust

(Joan Baez cover) (Acoustic)

Deal With the Devil

Beyond the Realms of Death

Turbo Lover

Hellrider

Victim of Changes

The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)

(Fleetwood Mac cover)

Painkiller

Encore:

Hell Bent for Leather

Living After Midnight

You've Got Another Thing Comin'

On This Day 14/02/2001 Texas

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On this day, 14 February 2001, Scottish band Texas played Cardiff International Arena.

founded in 1986 by Johnny McElhone (formerly of the bands Altered Images and Hipsway), Ally McErlaine, and Sharleen Spiteri (on lead vocals). Texas made their performing debut in March 1988 at the University of Dundee. They took their name from the 1984 Wim Wenders movie Paris, Texas.

The band released their debut album Southside in 1989, along with the debut single "I Don't Want a Lover", which was a top-ten hit on the UK Singles Chart and peaked within the top ten of the charts in many other European countries.

In October 2000, Texas released their first compilation album, The Greatest Hits. The album featured tracks spanning their career, from their 1989 debut to the current day and included three new songs. A new single, "In Demand" was released on 2 October 2000 and reached No. 6 in the UK, with a video that featured the actor Alan Rickman.

When The Greatest Hits was released, it became the band's third consecutive album to debut at No. 1 in the UK. A second new single from the collection, "Inner Smile", was released at the end of 2000, also reaching No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart. The video for "Inner Smile" featured a homage to Elvis Presley (and specifically his '68 Comeback Special shows) with lead singer Spiteri dressed and made up to look like Elvis in his famous black leather suit. In July 2001, a remix of "I Don't Want A Lover" was released which made the UK top 20.

Setlist

Zero Zero

In Demand

Black Eyed Boy

Halo

In Our Lifetime

Guitar Song

Insane

Tired of Being Alone

(Al Green cover)

Pull Up to the Bumper

(Grace Jones cover)

Put Your Arms Around Me

Prayer for You

I Don't Want a Lover

When We Are Together

Summer Son

Encore:

Inner Smile

Suspicious Minds

(Mark James cover)

Encore 2:

Say What You Want

On This Day 30/01/1998 Ocean Colour Scene

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On this day, 30 January 1998, rock band Ocean Colour Scene played Cardiff International Arena.

Ocean Colour Scene were formed after two other bands called The Boys and Fanatics disbanded. Fanatics released an EP titled Suburban Love Songs. OCS signed to Phfftt Records in 1990.

With the explosion of the Britpop scene, OCS's music became nationally and internationally known. Their second album Moseley Shoals was released to mixed-to-positive reviews, containing four hit singles and reached No. 2 in the UK Albums Chart. They also played at one of the concerts at Knebworth House supporting Oasis in August 1996.

Marchin' Already, the follow-up to Moseley Shoals, went to No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart, displacing Oasis' Be Here Now at the top of the charts in 1997.

In 1998 they headlined their own arena tour in support of Marchin' Already and played three sold out nights at Stirling Castle, Scotland.

On This Day 29/01/2003 Counting Crows

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On this day, 29 January 2003, American rockers Counting Crows played Cardiff International Arena on their Handy Candy tour. Support was provided by Gemma Hayes.

On July 9, 2002, the band released its fourth studio album, Hard Candy. The album included a cover of Joni Mitchell's song "Big Yellow Taxi". Vanessa Carlton contributed backing vocals to the single edit of the track, which appeared on the soundtrack for Two Weeks Notice and was re-released on future Hard Candy albums.

The original version, without vocals by Carlton, appeared on the first album release as a hidden track. Hard Candy received better reviews than the previous efforts, with "radio friendly" songs, like "American Girls" (which featured Sheryl Crow on backing vocals), and contains a more upbeat feel and tempo. The band toured with the Dutch band, Bløf.

A song, "Holiday in Spain", came together as a result of the camaraderie between the two groups: it is sung partly as a dual language duet, and partly as a musical "round", with both lead singers singing in differing languages at the end of the song.

Midway through the Hard Candy tour, drummer Ben Mize (born February 2, 1971, Durham, North Carolina) amicably left the band to spend more time with his family and pursue his own musical interests. After Mize completed the American leg of the tour, he was replaced by Jim Bogios, formerly a drummer with Ben Folds and Sheryl Crow. Jim attributes leaving Sheryl Crow for Counting Crows to becoming a band member and having more creative input.

Following the Hard Candy tour, longtime bassist Matt Malley left the band after growing weary of touring, and to attend to his duties as a new father. He was replaced by Millard Powers.

Counting Crows released the greatest hits album Films About Ghosts in November 2003.[38]

Setlist

Have You Seen Me Lately?

(acoustic)

If I Could Give All My Love -or- Richard Manuel Is Dead

(acoustic)

Mr. Jones

(acoustic)

Perfect Blue Buildings

Four White Stallions

(electric)

Speedway

(electric)

Omaha

(electric)

Mercy

(Tender Mercies cover)

Rain King

(with Sweet Thing)

Goodnight L.A.

A Long December

Big Yellow Taxi

(Joni Mitchell cover) (acoustic)

Good Time

Angels of the Silences

(acoustic)

A Long December

(electric)

Miami

(electric)

Round Here

(electric)

Encore:

Hanginaround

(with Gemma Hayes) (electric)

Sullivan Street

Encore 2:

Blues Run the Game

(Jackson C. Frank cover) (acoustic)

Holiday in Spain

(electric)

On This Day 11/01/2004 Meatloaf

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On this day, 11 January 2004, American rock legend Meatloaf played Cardiff International Arena on his Couldn’t Have Said It Better Tour.

Born Marvin Lee Aday and known professionally as Meat Loaf, he was known for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and theatrical live shows.

He is one of the best selling music artists in history. His Bat Out of Hell trilogy—Bat Out of Hell (1977), Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell (1993), and Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose (2006)—has sold more than 100 million records worldwide.

The first album stayed on the charts for over nine years, as of 2016 still sold an estimated 200,000 copies annually, and is on the list of bestselling albums.

Meat Loaf appeared in over 50 films and television shows, sometimes as himself or as characters resembling his stage persona. His film roles included Eddie in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) and Robert Paulson in Fight Club (1999). His early stage work included dual roles in the original Broadway cast of The Rocky Horror Show. He also appeared in the musical Hair, both on and Off-Broadway.

Setlist

Wasted Youth

Do It!

Life Is a Lemon (And I Want My Money Back)

Mercury Boogie

(K.C. Douglas cover)

Lawyers, Guns and Money

(Warren Zevon cover)

Dead Ringer for Love

Testify

All Revved Up With No Place to Go

You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)

Couldn't Have Said It Better

Out of the Frying Pan (And Into the Fire)

(Jim Steinman cover)

Midnight at the Lost and Found

Paradise by the Dashboard Light

I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)

Bat Out of Hell