On This Day 01/06/1984 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

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On this day. 1 June 1984. Electro-pop band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall.

Formed in Wirral, Merseyside, in 1978. The group consists of co-founders Andy McCluskey (vocals, bass guitar) and Paul Humphreys (keyboards, vocals), along with Martin Cooper (various instruments) and Stuart Kershaw (drums); McCluskey has been the only constant member.

Regarded as pioneers of electronic music, OMD combined an experimental, minimalist ethos with pop sensibilities, becoming central figures in the late-1970s/early-1980s emergence of synth-pop.

The band’s fifth album release Junk Culture was a shift to a more pop-style sound and the band used digital sampling keyboards such as the Fairlight CMI and the E-mu Emulator.

The album was a success, reassuring the group about their new direction.

The "Locomotion" single returned the group to the top five in the UK and was an indicator of the group's newfound sound, notably the adoption of a classic verse–chorus form, which is something the group had often previously avoided.

Record Mirror readers named OMD the eighth-best live act of 1984.

Set list

Junk Culture

Tesla Girls

Messages

Love and Violence

Julia's Song

Motion and Heart

White Trash

Apollo

Never Turn Away

Joan of Arc

Maid of Orleans

Talking Loud and Clear

Hard Day

Souvenir

Telegraph

Bunker Soldiers

Enola Gay

Locomotion

She's Leaving

Electricity

Waiting for the Man

Locomotion

On This Day 31/05/1984 New Model Army

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On this day, 31 May 1984, rock band New Model Army played Cardiff’s Bogiez, promoting the band’s debut album Vengeance.

The band were formed in Bradford, West Yorkshire in the autumn of 1980, taking their name from the army established by Parliament during the English Civil War, and played their first concert in Bradford in October, playing songs based on their shared love of punk rock and Northern soul.

In February 1984, they were invited to play on popular music show The Tube, being introduced by presenter Muriel Gray as "the ugliest band in rock and roll".

The producers of the show however were concerned about the lyrics of "Vengeance", which the band were due to perform ("I believe in justice / I believe in vengeance / I believe in getting the bastards") and so the band played "Christian Militia".

Following this performance, the band's first mini-album Vengeance reached Number 1 in the UK independent chart in early 1984, pushing The Smiths from that position.

After a further single "The Price" also reached a high placing in the independent charts, the band were signed by major label EMI.

On This Day 29/05/2010 Pendulum

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On this day, 29 May 2010, Australian drum and bass band Pendulum played Cardiff International Arena.
The band had just released their third studio album Immersion making no 1 on the UK album charts in its first week of release. The album features collaborations with Liam Howlett, Steven Wilson and the Swedish melodic death metal band In Flames.

During this 2009 tour they announced that they were working on their third studio album, Immersion. It was announced in December 2009 that Pendulum would be touring for their new album in May 2010.

The release date of the album was announced to be sometime "in May" during the live preview party at Matter, and was then announced to be released on 24 May.

Pendulum previewed their album Immersion at the Ear Storm night at London's Matter nightclub on Friday 22 January.

"Salt in the Wounds", a track from their new album, was Zane Lowe's Hottest Record in the World on BBC Radio 1 on 25 January 2010.

On Zane Lowe's show, it was also announced that the first single from the new album would be called "Watercolour". This single also received its first play on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show on 8 March 2010, and was his Single of the Week for that week.

In December 2010, "Watercolour" was found to be featured in the soundtrack of the 2010 hit game "Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit".

On 1 April, the music video for "Salt in the Wounds" was released. The video is unique in that it is, according to the band's website, "...the world’s first 360° interactive music video."

Review Wales Online May 2010

I DON’T profess to know much about Pendulum and would in no way consider myself a fan, so their gig on Saturday night was like stepping into the unknown.

Someone had told me, before the show had even started, that the band is one of the best live acts around this year – a lot for the Australians, who blend rock and drum’n’bass beats, to live up to.

I’ve seen Pendulum once before, as the opening support act for a Prodigy gig a few years ago, at the same venue.

My memory is a little hazy of that concert, but Pendulum this time around, as headliners, exploded on to the stage in a blaze of light and sound, setting the tone for the rest of their 90-minute set.

With a nod to the Prodigy just a few tunes in, Pendulum fused elements of rock with dance and drumbeats creating a sweaty and eclectic mix that had most of the not-quite sell-out crowd hopping from foot to foot.

Where once they may have been a little heavier on the rock influences, with their latest album Immersion out, it all sounded a little more dance-y and, dare I say it, rave-y.

There were some great moments in Pendulum’s set and, at times, I again felt like a teenager who had just discovered serious dance music – the beats transported me back to my youth and sweaty late-night rave clubs on a Friday night.

But there were also some tedious moments as the bass lines seemed just a little too similar from one song to the next, and at times it was all a little clichéd and same-old, same-old.

On This Day 28/05/1989 W.A.S.P

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On this day, 28 May 1989, American heavy metal band W.A.S.P played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall on their 89 & Headless tour.

Formed in 1982. They emerged from the early 1980s Los Angeles heavy metal scene.

The band's popularity peaked that decade, yet they continue to record and tour, making them one of the most enduring of the West Coast heavy metal bands.

W.A.S.P. gained notoriety for their shock rock-themed image, lyrics and live performances. They are estimated to have sold over twelve million records worldwide,

W.A.S.P.'s fourth studio album, The Headless Children, was released on April 15, 1989, and was their first album without any overtly sexually explicit songs.

it was W.A.S.P.'s most critically acclaimed work up to that point and it is now the highest-selling W.A.S.P. album to date.

The drumming duties for the album were handled by former Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali.

It features two of the band's most highly acclaimed songs, the power ballad "Forever Free" and a cover of The Who's "The Real Me".

Setlist

The Heretic (The Lost Child) 


The Real Me 
(The Who cover)


L.O.V.E. Machine 


Wild Child 


The Headless Children 


The Neutron Bomber


Forever Free 


I Don't Need No Doctor 
(Nickolas Ashford cover)


Thunderhead

I Wanna Be Somebody 


Animal (Fuck Like a Beast) 


Mean Man 


Blind in Texas

On This Day 27/05/1988 House Of Love

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On this day, 27 May 1988, alternative rock band House of Love played Cardiff University.

Formed in London in 1986 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Guy Chadwick and co-founder and lead guitarist Terry Bickers.

They rose to prominence in 1987 with their first single "Shine On", released on the independent label Creation.

The following year, the band released their critically acclaimed eponymous debut album and built their reputation over the next few years through subsequent releases, constant touring and the support of English press.

They signed with Fontana Records in 1989 and met commercial success in 1990 with their second self-titled album, which peaked at number 8 in the UK albums chart.

Their third album, Babe Rainbow, was favourably met by the critics in 1992 and also reached the top 40 in the UK.

LINE UP

Guy Chadwick, Terry Bickers, Pete Evans, Chris Groothuizen

SETLIST

SALOME

DESTROY THE HEART

FISHERMAN’S TALE

MAN TO CHILD

CHRISTINE

PLASTIC

SULPHUR

SHINE ON

NOTHING TO ME

REAL ANIMAL

I WANNA BE YOUR DOG

On This Day 26/05/1989 Tim Finn

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On this day, 26 May 1989, New Zealand singer and musician Tim Finn played the Our Price store in Cardiff.

In late 1988, Finn recording his eponymous third album, Tim Finn, for Capitol Records.

The album yielded strong reviews and the New Zealand hit "Parihaka", based on a Māori village known for its campaign of passive resistance to European occupiers.

In 1971 Finn commenced a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Auckland. There he jammed in music practice room 129 (later the name of a Split Enz song) with friends and future Split Enz bandmembers Mike Chunn, Robert Gillies, Philip Judd and Noel Crombie.

Music soon became more important to him than his studies. In 1972 he quit university. A few months later, Phil and Tim formed the group Split Ends, renamed Split Enz in 1975, shortly before they left New Zealand for Melbourne.

Between 1975 and 1984, the group released nine studio albums. Split Enz played its last show on 4 December 1984 in Auckland.

On This Day 25/05/1980 Wishbone Ash

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On this day, 25 May 1980, prog-rockers Wishbone Ash played Cardiff’s Top Rank, with support provided by The Trend.

The band had spent six months making the album, Just Testing which was released in February 1980.

Pressured by MCA to make more commercial music, Andy Powell, Laurie Wisefield and Steve Upton expressed to bassist/vocalist Martin Turner that they planned to recruit a lead singer / frontman, thus restricting Martin Turner's duties to bass guitar only.

Just Testing cover

Turner felt unable to support such plans and described the position he was being put in as "untenable".

Following a band meeting at his house, Martin Turner parted company with the band. Ironically, the band never recruited the proposed frontman and Turner, in his 2012 autobiography, described the situation as "constructive dismissal".

Martin Turner

However this was not a view held by the rest of the remaining band members or the then management.

Just Testing was the tenth studio album by the British rock band Wishbone Ash.

Recorded primarily at Surrey Sound Studios in England, it was the last to feature the original lead vocalist and bass guitarist Martin Turner until the release of Nouveau Calls (1987).

The track "Helpless" is only the second cover version released by the band on a studio album, the previous one being "Vas Dis" on Pilgrimage.

The album reached number 43 in the UK Albums Chart.

Setlist

Doctor

Lady Whiskey

Helpless

I Need People

The Pilgrim

Lookin' for a Reason

Runaway

Living Proof

The King Will Come

Phoenix

Blowin' Free

Jail Bait

Encore:

Bad Weather Blues

Too Much Monkey Business

(Chuck Berry cover)

On This Day 24/05/1977 The Clash

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On this day, 24 May 1977, Punk Rock legends The Clash played Cardiff’s Top Rank on the band’s White Riot tour.

On 25 January 1977, the Clash signed to CBS Records for £100,000, a remarkable amount for a band that had played a total of about thirty gigs and almost none as a headliner.

Mickey Foote, who worked as a technician at their concerts, was hired to produce the Clash's debut album, and Terry Chimes was drafted back for the recording.

The band's first single, "White Riot", was released in March 1977. The album, The Clash, came out the following month.

Filled with fiery punk tracks, it also presaged the many eclectic turns the band would take with its cover of the reggae song "Police and Thieves". The Clash suddenly found themselves as the flag-wavers of the punk rock consciousness.

Though the album charted well in the UK, climbing to number 12, CBS refused to give it a US release, believing that its raw, barely produced sound would make it untellable in that market.

A North American version of the album with a modified track listing was released in 1979, after the UK original became the best-selling import album of all time in the United States.

The Clash at Cardiff Top Rank

In May, the band set out on the White Riot Tour, headlining a punk package that included the Buzzcocks, Subway Sect, The Slits and The Prefects.