On this day 12/11/1966 The Beach Boys

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On this day, 12 November 1966, American surfer dudes The Beach Boys played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre with 2 shows, 6.15 & 8.50. Also on the bill were, Lulu, David & Jonathan, Sounds Incorporated, the Golden Brass and Jerry Stevens,

Before the first show, Carl accidently put his right hand through a plate glass window cutting his arm. In-between the first and second shows, he visited a local hospital accompanied by Dennis to receive a few stitches. Driving through town, he noted facetiously to a reporter “So this is Cardiff. Well at least I saw a bit of the city this time.”

Film - Beach Boys - Tour - 1966 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjXVrASiWRY

On this day 11/11/1970 Shirley Bassey

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On this day, 11 November 1970, Cardiff singing legend Shirley Bassey played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre.

It had become something of a UK comeback in 1970, leading to one of the most successful periods of her career.

Starting the year with a BBC Television 'Special' The Young Generation Meet Shirley Bassey, recorded in Sweden and shown on BBC1 on 18 March. She returned to the UK with a record-breaking run of performances at the Talk of the Town nightclub.

Also that year, her album Something was released, and showcased a new Bassey style, a shift from traditional pop to more contemporary songs and arrangements (the eponymous single was more successful in the UK charts than the original recording by The Beatles) – although Bassey would never completely abandon what that had been her forte: standards, show tunes, and torch songs.

"Something" was also a top 10 US hit on the Adult Contemporary chart. Other singles of this period included the hit "Never Never Never", an English version of the Italian "Grande grande grande", reaching the top 10 in the US Adult Contemporary Chart, the UK top 10 and number one in Australia and South Africa.

The success of "Something" (single number four, album number five in the UK) spawned a series of successful albums on the United Artists label.

On this day 10/11/1980 The Jam

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On this day, 10 November 1980, mod/punk band The Jam played Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens on the group’s Sound Affects tour, with support provided by the ska- influenced Brighton band The Piranhas. It was to be the band’s last ever visit to Cardiff. The band did visit South Wales twice more with two visits to the Afan Lido, Port Talbot in March and November 1982.

Their fifth studio album Sound Affects was released in November 1980. Paul Weller said that he was influenced by The Beatles' Revolver and Michael Jackson's Off the Wall also.

Indeed, several of the songs recall Revolver-era swirling psychedelia, such as "Monday", "Man in the Corner Shop", and the acoustic "That's Entertainment". According to Weller he wrote "That's Entertainment", a bitter slice-of-life commentary on the drudgery of modern working-class life, in around 15 minutes upon returning inebriated from the pub.

To universal surprise, on 30 October 1982 Weller announced his intention to disband The Jam after a short concert tour of the UK had been completed. They also made their final appearances on Top of the Pops and The Tube to promote "Beat Surrender".

The tour included five consecutive nights at the Wembley Arena, all of which sold out within twenty minutes of tickets becoming available. The last date on the original itinerary had been scheduled for 9 December 1982 at Guildford Civic Hall, close to the band's hometown of Woking. However, due to ticket demand, an additional date was added at the Brighton Conference Centre on 11 December 1982 for their last performance.

On this day 09/11/1972 - Strawbs

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On this day, 9 November 1972, rock band The Strawbs played a CND Benefit, supported by Sutherland Brothers at Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre.

Founded in 1964 as the Strawberry Hill Boys. The band started out as a bluegrass group, but eventually moved on to other styles such as folk rock, progressive rock, and even (briefly) glam rock.

They are best known for their hit "Part of the Union", which reached number two in the UK Singles Chart in February 1973, as well as for "Lay Down", a song that featured on their 1973 album Bursting at the Seams. Their first hit single, it had peaked at No. 12 in the UK Singles Chart in Oct/Nov 1972.

The band featured on keyboards, Cardiff=born and former Amen Corner member Blue Weaver, who had replaced Rick Wakeman in the band after he left to join Yes.

Weaver was with the Strawbs during their most successful and critically acclaimed period where he played some notable mellotron and other keyboard sequences on their albums Grave New World and Bursting at the Seams. He left Strawbs in 1973, and toured with Mott the Hoople in the US tour.

On this day 08/11/1977 - The Adverts

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On this day 8 November 1977, punk rock band the Adverts played Cardiff’s Top Rank, with Australian band The Saints and The Rage in support.

Formed in 1976 and broke up in late 1979. They were one of the first punk bands to enjoy chart success in the UK; their 1977 single "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" reached No. 18 in the UK Singles Chart.

The Virgin Encyclopedia of 70s Music described bassist Gaye Advert as the "first female punk star".

On 19 August 1977, the band released the first of their two UK Top 40 hit singles on Anchor Records. Lyrically, "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" was a controversial song based on the wishes of Gary Gilmore, an American murderer, that his eyes be donated to medical science after his execution. Sounds described it as "the sickest and cleverest record to come out of the new wave". It was later included in Mojo magazine's list of the best punk rock singles of all time.

After the tabloid-fueled controversy surrounding the single, and an appearance on Top of the Pops, the Adverts became big news. Observers focused on frontman Smith and bassist Gaye Advert. Reviewers noted Smith's songwriting ability. He was said to have "captured the spirit of the times few contemporaries could match". Another reviewer described Smith as the band's "raging heart, spitting out the failsafe succession of songs which still delineate punk’s hopes, aspirations and, ultimately, regrets".

In contrast, Gaye Advert's reputation was more fleeting. She was "one of punk’s first female icons". Her "photogenic" looks, "panda-eye make-up and omnipresent leather jacket defined the face of female punkdom until well into the next decade".

The band's follow-up single, "Safety in Numbers", was released on 28 October but did not chart. A fourth single, "No Time to Be 21", issued on CBS subsidiary Bright Records on 20 January 1978, scraped into the UK Top 40.

On this day Specials - Madness - Selecter 07/11/1979

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On this day, 7 November 1979, the Two Tone package tour consisting of Specials/Madness/Selector played Cardiff’s Top Rank.

In 1979 cool kids rocked to the 2-Tone tour. The Specials, formerly The Coventry Automatics and The Special AKA The Automatics, supported by Madness and The Selecter, had rehearsed for the tour at The Roundhouse in London’s Chalk Farm.

In October they played the first gig at the Top Rank, Brighton. The running order for stage shows was always The Selecter on first, then Madness, lastly The Specials.

2-Tone, created by Jerry Dammers, the son of a Coventry clergyman, designer of the 2 Tone label, with its black and white checks and ‘rude boy’ mascot, Walt Jabsco, had come a long way from the founder’s one-bedroom flat on 51 Albany Road. The sound was raw and ready.

Earlier that year Rude Girl Pauline Black was working as a Walsgrave Hospital radiologist when she and a group of Coventry musicians formed The Selecter. Born Belinda Magnus in 1953 to Anglo-Jewish/Nigerian parents, Black epitomised 2-Tone.

“The amount of violence at specials gigs has been exaggerated down the years” say Dammers. “I really wish there hadn’t been any. The great majority were trouble free, but there were a few where a minority thought they were supposed to have a scrap. With about four exceptions, any sign of trouble was nipped in the bud by the band stopping and Terry explaining that it wasn’t part of the deal”.

08/11/79 THE SPECIALS – A Message To You Rudy (Top of the Pops)

Yes, it’s that Two Tone takeover of Top of the Pops with The Specials, The Selecter and former stable mates, Madness all appearing on the show. The 2 Tone tour has stopped off in Cardiff so Madness take a helicopter ride to London whilst The Specials don’t do such luxuries and instead lump it onto the train to the BBC Studios. The Selecter meanwhile cheat by getting Top of the Pops to just repeat their previous performance although admittedly that does allow them to keep the Cardiff Top Rank mob at bay before the other two bands return. A bare chested, creepy looking host in a fez introduces The Specials, now at no. 19 in the charts. Terry, Barrister Staples and Lynval are to be found seated on some high stools and are all on lead vocals so Jerry fills in on guitar, with his organ remaining unopened to the side of the stage. The Selecter’s “On My Radio” was at it’s peak position of no. 9. in the charts whilst “One Step Beyond” from Madness was a brand new release but also Top Ten bound. Walt Jabsco in cardboard form makes a guest appearance next to Woody for Madness’ performance.

On this day 06/11/1985 Level 42

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On this day, 6 November 1985, jazz funk/pop band Level 42 played Cardiff University on their World Machine Tour.

The band had just released World Machine, their sixth studio album and the band's breakthrough album internationally and features one of their most successful singles, "Something About You".

This release marked a transition from their jazz-funk beginnings to the funky pop they are best known for - a transition which eventually resulted in the departure of drummer Phil Gould subsequent to the release of their follow up album Running in the Family.

Formed on the Isle of Wight in 1979. They had a number of UK and worldwide hits during the 1980s and 1990s.

Their highest-charting single in the UK was "Lessons in Love", which reached number three on the UK Singles Chart, and number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, upon its release in 1986.

An earlier single, "Something About You", was their most successful chart-wise in the United States, reaching number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Setlist

The Chinese Way

Love Games

World Machine

Turn It On

Kansas City Milkman

Heathrow

Leaving Me Now

The Chant Has Begun

Micro Kid

The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)

Something About You

Encore:

Hot Water

Are You Hearing (What I Hear)?

On this day 05/11/1965 Gene Pitney

On this day, 5 November 1965, American singing star Gene Pitney played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre.

Also on the bill were the Rockin' Berries, Lulu & The Luvvers, Peter & Gordon, Mike Cotton Sound, The Quiet Five, with Syd & Eddie (comperes).

In the United Kingdom, Pitney had 22 top 40 hits, and 11 singles in the top ten. Among his most famous hits are "Town Without Pity", "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance", "Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa", "I'm Gonna Be Strong", and "It Hurts To Be In Love". He also wrote the early 1960s hits "Rubber Ball" recorded by Bobby Vee, "Hello Mary Lou" by Rick Nelson, and "He's a Rebel" by the Crystals. In 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Pitney maintained a successful career in Britain and the rest of Europe into the 1970s, appearing regularly on UK charts as late as 1974.

Pitney was touring the UK in the spring of 2006 when his manager found him dead in his hotel room following a concert in Cardiff, Wales, on April 5.

An autopsy found the cause of death to be a heart attack and that he had severely occluded coronary arteries. His final show at Cardiff's St David's Hall had earned him a standing ovation; he ended with "Town Without Pity".

He was buried at Somers Center Cemetery in Somers, Connecticut.