On This Day 16/3/1964 The Searchers/Dusty Springfield/Bobby Vee

On this day, 16 March 1964, a pop package including Dusty Springfield, The Searchers and Bobby Vee played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre.
The Searchers, who headlined the tour had just had a massive UK hit with “Needles and Pins”, reaching No 1 in the UK singles chart following that success with another No 1 with “Don’t Throw Your Love Away” in May 1964.
Second on the bill Dusty Springfield was about to release her debut album A Girl Called Dusty the following month following the success of her single “I Only Want to Be with You" that peaked at No 4 on the UK Singles chart in January.
Closing the show’s first half was American Bobby Vee, who’d enjoyed success in the early Sixties with “Rubber Ball” and “The Night Has A Thousand Eyes”.

On This Day 15/3/1991 Little Angels

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On this day, 15 March 1991, heavy rock band Little Angels played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall on their Young Gods tour.

Little Angels formed in Scarborough, England in May 1984, under the name of Zeus and then to Mr Thrud in September 1985, settling on Little Angels during recording of the Too Posh to Mosh mini-album at Fairview Studios, Willerby, Hull in 1987.

The band had just released their third album Young Gods that peaked at No 17 in the UK album charts,

Setlist

She's a Little Angel
Young Gods (Stand Up, Stand Up)
Product of the Working Class
Kickin' Up Dust
I Ain't Gonna Cry
That's My Kinda Life
Boneyard
Natural Born Fighter
Kids Wanna Rock
(Bryan Adams cover)

On This Day 14/3/1979 Motörhead

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On this day, 14 March 1976, heavy rockers Motörhead played Cardiff’s Top Rank.

Lead by bassist, singer, and songwriter Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister (who was the sole constant member), the band contained guitarist Larry Wallis and drummer Lucas Fox.

The band are often considered a precursor to the new wave of British heavy metal, which re-energised heavy metal in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Lemmy had been dismissed from his previous band Hawkwind in May 1975 after being arrested in Canada for drug possession, he said the band dismissed him for "doing the wrong drugs".

Now on his own, Lemmy decided to form a new band called Motörhead, the name was inspired by the final song he had written for Hawkwind.

On This Day 13/3/2001 The Divine Comedy

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On this day, 13 March 2001, Northern Irish band Divine Comedy, played Cardiff University.
Lead by the band’s only ever present member Neil Hannon, they formed in 1989 with their debut album Fanfare For The Comic Muse released the following July.
The 2001 tour was to promote their seventh studio album Regeneration released the day before their Cardiff gig.

Setlist

Timestretched
Bad Ambassador
Tonight We Fly
Dumb It Down
Lost Property
Your Daddy's Car
Life on Earth
Love What You Do
Note to Self
Sweden
Eye of the Needle
Mastermind
Lucy
Perfect Lovesong
Regeneration

Encore:
National Express
Becoming More Like Alfie
Generation Sex
The Beauty Regime

On This Day 12/3/1997 The Monkees

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On this day, 12 March 1997, American pop legends The Monkees played Cardiff International Arena.
The return of all four Monkees to the United Kingdom in early 1997 was long awaited by fans who had last seen them perform together there for a limited run of dates in 1967. It was also the first complete Monkees tour to feature Michael Nesmith since the band's reformation in 1986. The group traveled to England in January to conduct a press conference at London's Hard Rock Cafe and subsequently appeared on numerous UK television and radio talk shows to hype the arena concerts and their brand new studio album, Justus.

THE SET LIST

​Last Train to Clarksville
Circle Sky (Justus version)
Regional Girl
Sunny Girlfriend
Mary, Mary
You and I (Justus version)
Randy Scouse Git (featuring Davy playing the tympani drum)
Shades of Gray (Davy lead vocal)
You Just May Be the One
Oh, What a Night
I’m a Believer
Bach’s Two-Part Invention in F Major (Peter's keyboard solo)
Laugh Kills Lonesome (or) Rio (Michael solo)
Lucille (Little Richard cover/Peter solo)
Since I Fell for You (Micky solo)
Daddy's Song (Davy solo)
For Pete's Sake
A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You
Goin’ Down
Your Auntie Grizelda
Valleri
Listen to the Band
Porpoise Song (Theme from Head)
Daydream Believer
Encore:
(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone
Pleasant Valley Sunday

On This Day 11/3/1983 U2

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On this day, 11 March 1983, U2 played Cardiff’s St Davids Hall on their U2 War tour. Support was provided by Nightcaps.

During the gig, A Day Without Me was interrupted when Bono demands someone in the front row stop spitting. A female fan is brought on stage, and she leads the crowd in singing Land of My Fathers for Edge.

The tour in support of the group's third album War, featured new material from War taking an increasing role as the tour progressed. U2's performances were very well received both critically and commercially.

Setlist:

Gloria

I Threw a Brick Through a Window

A Day Without Me

Seconds

Surrender

New Year's Day

Sunday Bloody Sunday

The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet)

I Fall Down

October

Tomorrow

Two Hearts Beat as One

Twilight

Out of Control

encore(s):

Party Girl

11 O'Clock Tick Tock

I Will Follow

40

On This Day 10/3/1971 ELP

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On this day, 10 March 1971, progressive rock band Emerson Lake and Palmer played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre on their first UK tour.

Formed in April 1970, the band came to prominence following their performance at the Isle of Wight Festival in August 1970.

During a break in their first tour in January 1971, Emerson, Lake & Palmer returned to Advision Studios to record their second album, Tarkus.

Friction between Emerson and Lake during the early recording sessions almost caused the group to disband as Lake disliked the material that Emerson was writing.

Following a meeting with the band and management, Lake agreed to write his own songs and continue recording.

The album was recorded in six days.

On This Day 9/3/1995 Radiohead

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On this day, 9 March 1995, influential rock band Radiohead played Cardiff University on their Bends tour to coincide with the release of their second album The Bends.

Audience reception was overwhelmingly positive, and many of the dates were sold out.

The Bends was the first Radiohead album with cover art by Stanley Donwood, who, with singer Thom Yorke, has produced all of Radiohead's artwork since.

The album peaked at No 4 in the UK album charts.

Setlist

The Bends
Just
Anyone Can Play Guitar
Bones
Permanent Daylight
High and Dry
Prove Yourself
Stop Whispering
Vegetable
Fake Plastic Trees
Planet Telex
Blow Out
Creep
My Iron Lung