On this day 17/6/81 The Undertones

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On this day, 17 June 1981, , The Undertones from Derry, Northern Ireland, played Cardiff’s Top Rank on their Positive Touch tour.

On 4 January 1981, the band began recording their third album, Positive Touch, again at Wisseloord Studios, with Roger Bechirian as producer.

The band recorded a total of eight songs in five days before returning to Derry. Later the same month, the band returned to Wisseloord Studios to complete the recording of the LP.

The songs on this album indicated a change in both musical and lyrical influences: although the songs remained largely guitar-oriented, the band had written songs which focused upon the Troubles in Northern Ireland such as "Crisis of Mine", "You're Welcome" and the single "It's Going To Happen!", which preceded the release of the LP and was inspired by the 1980–81 Hunger Strikes.

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Positive Touch was released in May 1981. This third album peaked at number 17 in the UK charts—remaining in the Top 40 for a total of four weeks.

The album also received favourable reviews from several music critics and was listed by NME as one of the best albums to be released in 1981, although neither the album nor either of the singles released were as successful as any of the material released the previous year.


On the day 16th/June/1967 Small Faces

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On this day, 16 June 1967, mod rockers the Small Faces played two shows at Cardiff’s Top Rank.

The band had not long come off a long UK tour in a package that include Roy Orbison, Paul and Barry Ryan and Jeff Beck.

Signed initially to Decca, by 1966, despite being one of the highest-grossing live acts in the country and scoring many successful singles, including four UK Top 10 chart hits, the group still had little money.

After a confrontation with infamous manager Don Arden, who tried to face down the boys' parents by claiming that the whole band were using drugs, they broke with both Arden and Decca.

They were almost straight away offered a deal with the newly established Immediate label, formed by ex-Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham.

Given a virtual open account at Olympic Studios in Barnes, London, the band progressed rapidly, working closely with engineer Glyn Johns.

The band had earlier in the month released their first single for Immediate, “Here Comes The Nice”, written by guitarist Steve Marriott and bass guitarist Ronnie Lane, which reached No 12, whilst its follow up “Itcychoo Park” released in August, made No 3 in the UK singles chart.


On this day 15/6/1980 Thin Lizzy

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On this day, 15 June 1980, Irish rockers Thin Lizzy played Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens on their Chinatown Tour.

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Chinatown was the tenth studio album Thin Lizzy, released in April 1980.

It introduced guitarist Snowy White who would also perform on the next album as well as tour with Thin Lizzy between 1980 and 1982; he replaced Gary Moore as permanent guitarist.

White had previously worked with Cliff Richard, Peter Green and Pink Floyd.

Chinatown also featured eighteen-year-old Darren Wharton on keyboards, and he joined Thin Lizzy as a permanent member later that year.

On this day 14/6/08 Bruce Springsteen

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On this day 14 June 2008, American rock legend Bruce Springsteen played Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on what was called the Magic Tour.

Review - South Wales Argus

BRUCE Springsteen rocked the Millennium Stadium to its foundations on Saturday night and more than 60,000 adoring fans roared their approval.

This was the first (and long overdue) time I'd seen The Boss in action, so others are better qualified to say how this concert compared with his others.

To me it was awesome.

Considering he's been around for more than 30 years you might expect a decline in voice and energy levels. Not a bit of it.

All of the raw power and unique vocals are still there combined with a top showman's instincts and timing.

Among the memorable numbers was The River, Darlington County, Because the Night, and Born to Run, plus the songs with a message, Radio Nowhere and Living in the Future.

But it was not just what Springsteen did on stage that swallowed time, but his incredible rapport with the crowd.

The man still has immense presence, and the massed ranks in the grandstands were compelled to join the thousands standing on the concrete in front of the stage in dancing, playing the air guitar and bellowing out the lyrics as he led them like a choirmaster.

Springsteen's enduring appeal was endorsed by an audience with contingents from all generations. And all were uplifted.

Two small moans, not aimed at him. If the stage had been higher a lot of the people standing on the pitch who paid £60 or more may have seen the man as well as the big screen, and why the 45-minute delay in starting?

But few will remember these details as they recall a magical evening.

Setlist

From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come)

(Tour debut)

Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out

Radio Nowhere

No Surrender

Lonesome Day

The Promised Land

Play Video

Blinded by the Light

Magic

Atlantic City

The River

Gypsy Biker

Darlington County

Because the Night

She's the One

Livin' in the Future

Mary's Place

Working on the Highway

Devil's Arcade

The Rising

Last to Die

Long Walk Home

Badlands

Encore:

Jungleland

Thunder Road

Born to Run

Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)

American Land

On This Day,13 June 2002, The Libertines

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On This Day,13 June 2002, rock band The Libertines played Cardiff’s Barfly.

Formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât (vocals/guitar) and Pete Doherty (vocals/guitar). The band, centred on the songwriting partnership of Barât and Doherty, has also included John Hassall (bass) and Gary Powell (drums) for most of its recording career. The band was part of the garage rock revival and spearheaded the movement in the UK.

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The band gained some notoriety in the early 2000s, due to Doherty's use of illegal drugs and conflicts between Barât and Doherty. Although their mainstream success was initially limited, their profile soon grew, culminating in a No. 2 single and No. 1 album on the UK Charts. In December 2004, their self-titled second album was voted the second best album of the year by NME magazine. The first two of their full-length LPs were produced by Mick Jones, of the British punk band The Clash.

The band released their first album Up The Bracket the following October which reached #35 in the UK Albums Chart. The album was part of a resurgence for the British indie/alternative scene[citation needed] and received widespread praise from critics and has quickly become considered one of the greatest albums of the 2000s.

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On This Day 12/6/09 Oasis

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On This Day, 12 June 2009, Manchester supergroup Oasis played Cardiff’s Millenium Stadium on the group’s Dig Out Your Soul World Tour. Support was provided by Rhys Ifan’s band The Peth, The Enemy and Kasabian.

The tour started in Seattle, Washington at the WaMu Theater on 26 August 2008 and was planned to continue until 30 August 2009, where they were scheduled to play their final show of the tour at the I-Day Festival in Milan, Italy.

However, on 28 August 2009, after a fight between the Gallaghers in the backstage, their manager announced the cancellation of their concert at the Rock-en-Seine festival near Paris just minutes before it was about to begin, the cancellation of the European tour and that the group "does not exist anymore", referring a coming statement from Noel Gallagher.

Two hours later, a little before midnight, on the band website, a statement of Noel Gallagher read: "It's with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight. People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer. Apologies to all the people who bought tickets for the shows in Paris, Konstanz and Milan."

Review - South Wales Echo

GENERATOR problems and power cuts may have marred the opening nights of this tour, but Oasis last night had no problem electrifying thousands of fans on their only night in Wales.

Liam and Noel Gallagher put on a united front at the Millennium Stadium.

The pair have had their public differences over the years, never more so, it seemed, than earlier this year, when Noel publicly derided his brother as “rude, arrogant, intimidating and lazy”.

Certainly last night the atmosphere between the siblings was noticeably tense, even if there was no evidence of the civil war that threatened to break out following Noel’s outburst in April.

Nonetheless, the growing difference between the pair was evident from the moment they strode confidently out in front the rabid crowd of around 70,000.

Liam’s trademark green parka – part of his new Pretty Green clothing range – looked positively scruffy next to his brother’s immaculate white blazer, paired with a striped pale pink scarf.

But both outfits fitted the bill adequately as they launched into set opener Rock’n’roll Star.

Bravely following the Definitely Maybe classic with two new songs, the Manchester Britpop veterans capitalised on the teeming enthusiasm among the crowd with a sequence that might have lost the attention of a less involved audience.

Liam’s chance to shine came shortly afterwards, with early song Slide Away showcasing his distinctive vocals, and his own composition Songbird. The budding songwriter grasped it with both hands.

Kicking the evening into gear in style, the band rolled out the anthem Morning Glory, before cheekily dedicating My Big Mouth to Charlotte Church.

From there on in, there was nothing but adoration for a band fans had travelled from miles around to see, as hit after hit was blended stylishly with tracks from latest album Dig Out Your Soul.

Early support sets had come from The Peth, complete with a hobbling Rhys Ifans, and The Enemy, who were followed by a barnstorming outing from Kasabian – very much from the Oasis school of macho-posturing – which threatened to steal the show.

But a vivacious performance from the Manchester favourites put paid to any argument they should disappear quietly into the sunset

SETLIST

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Rock 'n' Roll Star

Lyla

The Shock of the Lightning

Cigarettes & Alcohol

Roll With It

To Be Where There's Life

Waiting for the Rapture

The Masterplan

Songbird

Slide Away

Morning Glory

My Big Mouth

The Importance of Being Idle

Half the World Away

I'm Outta Time

Wonderwall

Live Forever

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Supersonic

Encore:

Don't Look Back in Anger

(Acoustic)

Falling Down

Champagne Supernova

I Am the Walrus

(The Beatles cover

Dire Straits, On This Day 11/6/92

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On this day, 11 June 1992, rock band Dire Straits played Cardiff Arms Park on their, On Every Street World Tour.
Support was provided by Was(Not Was) and Lyle Lovett.

The tour was supporting the band’s sixth and final album, On Every Street. It lasted from 23 August 1991 to 9 October 1992, and included 229 shows in 19 countries throughout Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. The world tour sold 7.1 million tickets.


The tour lineup included Mark Knopfler (guitar, vocals), John Illsley (bass), Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Alan Clark (keyboards), Chris White (saxophone, flute), Paul Franklin (pedal steel guitar), Danny Cummings (percussion), Phil Palmer (guitar), and Chris Whitten (drums).


"The last tour was utter misery," said manager Ed Bicknell. "Whatever the zeitgeist was that we had been part of, it had passed." "Personal relationships were in trouble and it put a terrible strain on everybody, emotionally and physically," agreed Illsley. "We were changed by it."

Setlist
1. Calling Elvis
2. Walk of Life
3. Heavy Fuel
4. Romeo and Juliet
5. The Bug
6. Private Investigations
7. Sultans of Swing
8. Your Latest Trick
9. On Every Street
10. Two Young Lovers
11. Tunnel of Love
Encore #1
12. Money for Nothing
13. Brothers in Arms
14. Solid Rock
15. Wild Theme

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On this day 10/6/72 T.Rex

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On this day, 10 June 1972, glam rock superstar Marc Bolan and band T.Rex played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre, with support provided by Quiver.

1970 to 1973, T. Rex encountered a popularity in the UK comparable to that of the Beatles, with a run of eleven singles in the UK top ten.

They scored four UK number one hits, "Hot Love", "Get It On", "Telegram Sam" and "Metal Guru".

The band's 1971 album Electric Warrior received critical acclaim as a pioneering glam rock album: it reached number 1 in the UK.


Bolan was about to release his seventh album, the third under the name T.Rex.

Slider produced by Tony Visconti included the two hit singles, "Telegram Sam" and "Metal Guru"

Setlist

Jeepster
Cadillac
Baby Strange
Debora
Spaceball Ricochet
Telegram Sam
Metal Guru
Hot Love
Get It On