On this day 20/11/1982 The Belle Stars

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On this day, 20 November 1982, all female British pop/rock band The Belle Stars played Cardiff University with support provided by Welsh rockers The Alarm.

The band were about to release their biggest hit “Sign Of The Times” after moderate success with three cover versions: "Iko Iko" by The Dixie Cups, "The Clapping Song" by Shirley Ellis, and "Mockingbird" by Inez & Charlie Foxx.

Dave Robinson at Stiff Records, the band's record company, suggested that the band ought to perform covers to attract audiences, then after three covers write their own song, and it would be a hit. This happened to come true when the band released "Sign of the Times".

The song's music video, showing the Belle Stars in dinner jackets, was also played frequently by MTV in the United States. The song went on to become the 30th-best selling single of 1983 in the UK.

"Sign of the Times" was produced by Peter Collins for Loose Ends Productions, a company managed by Pete Waterman before he became famous as a third of the Stock/Aitken/Waterman production team a few years later.

"Sign of the Times" was followed a month later by the band's eponymous debut album, which reached number 15 on the UK Albums Chart. As with the band's singles, it was a mix of original songs and cover versions, including Bob and Earl's "Harlem Shuffle" (covered three years later by the Rolling Stones on Dirty Work) and Al Wilson's "The Snake".

On this day 19/11/1964 Dusty Springfield

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On this day, 19 November 1964, British singing legend Dusty Springfield played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre. Also included in the package was, Brian Poole & The Tremeloes, Herman's Hermits, Dave Berry & The Cruisers, The Primitives, The Gobbledegooks, The Echoes with Johnny Ball (compere),

The highest-charting of Springfield's 1964 releases were both Burt Bacharach-Hal David songs: "Wishin' and Hopin'" – a US no. 6 hit which featured on A Girl Called Dusty – and "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself", which in July peaked at no. 3 on the UK singles chart (behind the Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night and the Rolling Stones' "It's All Over Now").

The dramatic and emotive "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" set the standard for much of her later material. In the autumn of 1964 Springfield peaked at no. 41 in the States with "All Cried Out", but in her native Britain she hit big with "Losing You", which reached no. 9 in December – the same month in which the singer's tour of South Africa, with her group The Echoes, was terminated following a controversial performance before an integrated audience at a theatre near Cape Town, in defiance of the government's segregation policy. Springfield was deported. Her contract specifically excluded segregated performances, making her one of the first British artists to do so.

In the same year she was voted the year's top British Female Singer in the New Musical Express readers' poll, ahead of Lulu, Sandie Shaw, and Cilla Black. Springfield received the award again for the next three years.

On this day 18/11/1980 - Duran Duran/Hazel O'Connor

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On this day, 18 November 1980, Birmingham’s New Romantics Duran Duran, played Cardiff’s Top Rank filling the support slot for Hazel O’Connor.

While on tour with O’Connor, a bidding war erupted between Phonogram and EMI to sign Duran Duran; the band eventually sign with EMI records, persuaded by A&R man Dave Ambrose, who had signed The Sex Pistols and Kate Bush.

John Taylor and Nick Rhodes formed Duran Duran in Birmingham, England, in 1978, where they became the resident band at the city's Rum Runner nightclub. They were doing jobs at the club, John working the door and Nick deejaying for £10 a night. They began rehearsing and regularly playing at the venue. There were many nearby nightclubs where bands such as the Sex Pistols and the Clash played gigs; the most significant was called Barbarella's. They went on to name the band after "Dr. Durand Durand", Milo O'Shea's character from the sci-fi film Barbarella.

The band's first album, Duran Duran, was released on the EMI label in 1981. The first single, "Planet Earth", reached the United Kingdom's top 20 at number 12. A follow-up, "Careless Memories", stalled at Number 37. However, it was their third single, "Girls on Film", that attracted the most attention. The song went to Number 5 in the UK.

On this day 17/11/1977 - Cher/Gregg Allman

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On this day, 17 November 1977, Musical superstar Cher and rocker Gregg Allman played Cardiff University on their Two The Hard Way Tour, with support provided by Splinter.

At the time of the tour, Cher had just finished production of The Sonny & Cher Show after a broken six-year run. Allman's band, The Allman Brothers Band, was in the middle of an acrimonious breakup.

The European leg of the tour covered the Netherlands, Belgium, France, England, Wales, Scotland and West Germany, over a span of 29 days.

The tour would start November 6, 1977, and was to be a 29 date tour, but on December 3, 1977 Cher pulled the plug on the tour and left Allman in Europe while she headed back to the United States with her children.

The show, whose material was selected by both of them, combined both Allman's material, which he sang solo, and numerous duets between the two on softer material in a blues or country and western vein.

Cher avoided the gaudy, over-the-top outfits of her normal stage self, and instead wore jeans, a tank top, and a cowboy hat. The two also engaged in some married-couple stage banter.

The Hard Way Tour also led to the final breakup of the couple. While pre-tour publicity had emphasized that Gregg Allman was free from drug and alcohol problems, Cher discovered during the tour that Gregg Allman's drinking had returned, and once the tour was complete, she told him that their marriage finally was done for good.

The set list included:

"Matthew's Arrival"

"Trouble No More"

"Don't Keep Me Wonderin'"

"Queen Of Hearts"

"Let This Be a Lesson to Ya"

"Sweet Feelin'"

"One More Try"

"Oncoming Traffic"

"Come and Go Blues"

"Bring It On Back"

"Leave My Blues at Home"

"Whipping Post"

"Move Me" (with Cher)

"Do What You Gotta Do" (with Cher)

"Midnight Rider"

Also included in the setlist at various stages of the tour

"You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (with Cher)

"Love the One You're With" (with Cher)

"Love Me" (with Cher)

"Half-Breed" (Acoustic Version) Cher solo (with Allman at the guitar)

Personnel

Organ and Vocal: Gregg Allman

Vocal: Cher

Piano: Neil Larson

Guitar: Ricky Hirsch

Guitar: John Hug

Bass: Kenny Burke

Drums: Bill Stewart

Saxophone: Gene Dinwiddie

On this day 16/11/1981 The Stranglers

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On this day, 16 November 1981, punk new wavers The Stranglers played Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens on the band’s La Folie tour in support of their recently released La Folie album, their sixth studio album. Support was provided by Taxi Girl.

La folie was a conscious attempt to deliver a more commercial product. The band's record company, EMI, sent them into the studio with the record producer, Tony Visconti, giving him a brief to produce each song as a potential single.

Upon its release, La folie looked set to be the band's lowest-charting album, but, buoyed by the success of the album's second single, "Golden Brown", released 10 January 1982 and reaching No. 2 in the singles chart, the album eventually peaked at No. 11 in the UK Albums Chart, spending eighteen weeks in the chart.

The single would go on to become EMI's highest-selling single for many years.

16th November Cardiff Sophia Gardens - Fan site tour diary

Myself, Dean and Chris have booked the week off work as we’re travelling gig to gig. We set off nice and early. The venue’s a short walk from the centre, unfortunately we miss the band at the soundcheck. It might sound a bit cheeky but we try to get on the guest list whenever we can. If we can save money that way, it might mean we can make another gig. Luckily I manage to see JJ just before the gig and he gets the tour manager–Rob I think his name is, to get us in.

It’s a big hall and there’s a lot there, but the atmosphere isn’t like the night before. Nevertheless it’s still a good show. We walk back to the station, it’s a bit lively as there’s quite a few characters about but we make it safely. Catch the train to Bristol Temple Meads and spend the night in a waiting room that over the years becomes a regular bedroom for us.

Setlist

Intro (Waltzinblack)

Non Stop

Threatened

Just Like Nothing on Earth

Second Coming

Meninblack

Who Wants the World?

Baroque Bordello

Golden Brown

Tramp

Thrown Away

Tank

I Feel Like a Wog

The Man They Love to Hate

Let Me Introduce You to the Family

Nuclear Device (The Wizard of Aus)

Genetix

Bring On the Nubiles

(cocktail version)

The Raven

Song played from tape

Outro (La Folie)

On this day 15/11/1981 Bow Wow Wow

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On this day, 15 November 1981, new wave rockers Bow Wow Wow played Cardiff’s Top Rank, supported by Bristol roots/reggae band Talisman.

Created by former Sex Pistol’s manager Malcolm McLaren in 1980. McLaren recruited members of Adam and the Ants to form the band behind 13-year-old Annabella Lwin on vocals. They released their debut EP Your Cassette Pet in 1980, and had their first UK top 10 hit with "Go Wild in the Country" in 1982.

The band's music was characterized by a danceable new wave sound that drew on a Burundi beat provided by Dave Barbarossa on drums, as well as the subversive, suggestive, and sometimes exuberant lyrics sung and chanted by their teenage lead vocalist.

In 1981, after splitting from EMI, Bow Wow Wow signed with A&R head Bill Kimber at the U.K. division of RCA Records.

In October of that year, their first full-length album was released: See Jungle! See Jungle! Go Join Your Gang Yeah, City All Over! Go Ape Crazy! The cover photograph (by Andy Earl) depicted the band recreating Édouard Manet’s Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe with a then 14-year-old Lwin posing nude, with her side turned toward the camera and arm and leg positioned to hide explicit content. The cover caused outrage and Lwin was almost made to quit the band due to the controversy.

Lwin's mother alleged exploitation of a minor for immoral purposes and instigated a Scotland Yard investigation. As a result, the band was forbidden to leave the UK until McLaren promised not to promote Annabella as a "sex kitten".

Regardless, the photo appeared a second time on the cover of the band's follow-up EP The Last of the Mohicans.

Setlist

W.O.R.K.

Chihuahua

Prince of Darkness

Golly! Golly! Go Buddy!

See Jungle (Jungle Boy)

Elimination Dancing

Go Wild in the Country

Orang-Outang

Radio G String

Giant Sized Baby Thing

Uomo Sex Al Apache

C30 C60 C90 Go!

Louis Quatorze

Sun, Sea and Piracy

On this day 14/11/1978 Sham 69

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On this day, 14 November 1978, Hersham boys Sham 69 played Cardiff’s Top Rank with reggae band The Cimarons providing support.

Formed in Hersham in Surrey in 1975. They were one of UK’s most successful punk bands achieving five top 20 singles, including "If the Kids Are United" and "Hurry Up, Harry".

The group's popularity saw them perform on the BBC’s Top of the Pops, and they appeared in the rockumentary film, D.O.A.. The original unit broke up in 1979, with frontman Jimmy Pursey moving on to pursue a solo career.

Their major label debut was "Borstal Breakout" in January 1978, followed by UK Singles Chart success with "Angels with Dirty Faces" (reaching No. 19 in May 1978) and "If the Kids Are United" (No. 9 in July 1978). These were not included on the group's debut album, Tell Us the Truth, a mixture of live and studio recordings.

The group had further chart success with "Hurry Up, Harry" (No. 10 in October 1978), which came from their second LP and first full studio album, That's Life.

Sham 69 did not have the art school background of many English punk bands of the time, and brought in football chant backup vocals and an implicit political populism.

The band attracted a large skinhead following (left wing, right wing and non-political). Their concerts were plagued by violence, and the band ceased live performances after a 1979 concert at the Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park was broken up by National Front-supporting white power skinheads fighting and rushing the stage.

On this day 13/11/1959 - Cliff Richard

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On this day 13 November 1959, early teen idol Cliff Richard and the Shadows played the Capitol Theatre. The tour included, The Five Dallas Boys, Cherry Wainer, Al Saxon, Peter Elliott, Roy Young, The Landis Brothers, Tommy Allen Beat Boys, with Tony Marsh (compere).

Earlier in the year, Richard along with The Shadows (then called the Drifters) hit the top of the UK charts with Living Doll, which went on to be the top selling single in the UK in 1959.

The song was recorded in April 1959 by Cliff Richard and the Drifters and produced by Norrie Paramor. It was first released in the UK in May 1959 on the Serious Charge (EP) soundtrack before being released as a single in July 1959.

It was number 1 on the UK Singles Chart for six weeks from July, with sales of 770,000.

Richard was awarded a Silver Disc on 1 November 1959, on the television show Sunday Night at the Palladium.

SETLIST (Cliff Richard & The Shadows)

Dynamite

Here Comes Summer

Mona Lisa

Living Doll

Move It

Whole Lotta Shaking Going On

Guitar Boogie Shuffle (The Shadows)

Travelling Light

Love Me Tender

He's Got The Whole World In His Hands

When The Saints Go Marching In