ON THIS DAY 03/08/2008 ASH

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On this day, 3 August 2008, Northern Irish rock band Ash played Cardiff’s Big Weekend with support provided by locals The Automatic.

Formed in Downpatrick in 1989 by vocalist and guitarist Tim Wheeler, bassist Mark Hamilton and drummer Rick McMurray. As a three-piece, they released mini-album Trailer in 1994 and full-length album 1977 in 1996. This 1996 release was named by NME as one of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

After the success of their full debut the band recruited Charlotte Hatherley as a guitarist and vocalist, releasing their second record Nu-Clear Sounds in 1998. After narrowly avoiding bankruptcy, the band released Free All Angels in 2001 and a string of successful singles.

The band became a three-piece again in 2006 when Hatherley left, and after five conventional albums the band released 26 singles in the A-Z Series in 2009, one every two weeks. The band have had one silver, two gold and two platinum-selling (and chart-topping) records in the United Kingdom, as well as 18 songs in the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart.

They were associated with Britpop, though as that musical movement emphasised Britishness they were not comfortable with the association.

On This Day 02/08/2009 The Lightning Seeds

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On this day, 2 August 2009, rock band The Lightning Seeds played Cardiff’s Big Weekend.

Also playing on the day were, The Zutons, Camera Obscura, The Leisure Society, Ebony Bones! Stevie Appleton and Absent Elk.

Formed in Liverpool in 1989 by Ian Broudie (vocals, guitar, producer), formerly of the bands Big in Japan, Care, and Original Mirrors.

Originally a studio-based solo project for Broudie, the Lightning Seeds expanded into a touring band following Jollification (1994).

The group experienced commercial success throughout the 1990s and are well known for their single "Three Lions", a collaboration with David Baddiel and Frank Skinner which reached No. 1 in the UK in 1996, with re-worked versions also reaching the top spot in both 1998 and 2018.

SETLIST

Marvellous

"Lucky You"

"You Showed Me"

"I Still Feel the Same"

"All I Do"

"The Life of Riley"

Pure

"Sugar Coated Iceberg"

On This Day 01/08/1980 Ultravox

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On this day, 1 August 1980, new wave electronic pop band Ultravox on the band’s Vienna UK tour.

Released in June 1980, the Vienna album produced the band's first UK Top 40 hit with "Sleepwalk" reaching No. 29, while the album itself initially peaked at No. 14.

A second single, "Passing Strangers", failed to reach the Top 40, only reaching No. 57, but the band achieved a substantial hit with the third single, the album's title track.

Accompanied by a highly distinctive video (inspired by Carol Reed's 1949 film The Third Man), the single became Ultravox's biggest ever hit, released in January 1981 and peaking at Number 2 (kept off the top spot by John Lennon's "Woman" and then Joe Dolce's "Shaddap You Face").

On the strength of the single, the album then re-entered the chart and reached No. 3 in early 1981. A fourth single from the album, "All Stood Still", peaked at No. 8. in 1981, and "Slow Motion" from Systems of Romance was also re-issued, reaching No. 33 the same year.

Ultravox were then revitalised by Midge Ure, who had joined the band as vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist. He had already achieved minor success with semi-glam outfit Slik and Glen Matlock's The Rich Kids, and in 1979, he was temporarily playing with hard rock band Thin Lizzy on their American tour, replacing Gary Moore.

Ure and Billy Currie had met while collaborating on Visage, a studio-based band fronted by New Romantic icon and nightclub impresario Steve Strange.

Setlist

Quiet Men

Passing Strangers

Face To Face

Mr X

Western Promise

Vienna

Slow Motion

Hiroshima Mon Amour

Private Lives

New Europeans

All Stood Still

Sleepwalk

Astradyne

Kings Lead Hat

On This Day 27/07/2003 Marc Almond

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On this day, 27 July 2003 former Soft Cell singer Marc Almond played Cardiff’s Big Buzz Festival.

Almond first began performing and recording in the synthpop/new wave duo Soft Cell where he became known for his distinctive soulful voice and androgynous image. He has also had a diverse career as a solo artist. His collaborations include a duet with Gene Pitney on the 1989 UK number one single "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart".

Almond's career spanning over four decades has enjoyed critical and commercial acclaim, and he has sold over 30 million records worldwide. He spent a month in a coma after a near-fatal motorcycle accident in 2004 and later became a patron of the brain trauma charity Headway.

He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2018 New Year Honours for services to arts and culture.

Setlist

Tears Run Rings

The Days of Pearly Spencer

(David McWilliams cover)

Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart

(Gene Pitney cover)

Adored and Explored

Tainted Love

(Gloria Jones cover)

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

Review - BBC Wales

Big Buzz in the Bay

Thousands gathered in Cardiff on Sunday for BBC Radio Wales' annual Big Buzz event.

Chart topping stars Sinead Quinn from last year's Fame Academy, Blazin' Squad, D-Side and the Fastfood Rockers will be performing at the free event in Cardiff Bay.

And an exclusive set was played by Marc Almond from 80s band Soft Cell.

This is the fourth year the event has been held as part of Cardiff Festival.

As part of the day live music was played by Welsh bands including Hot Puppies, Squeezebox, and Noisecandy.

There was also DJ workshops, a busking stage, motorcycle stunts and sumo wrestling.

The event was hosted by BBC Radio Wales presenters Kevin Hughes, John Lenney, Alan Thompson and Lynda Lewis, plus others across the afternoon including Chris Needs, Adam Walton and Howard Griffiths.

Fame Academy's Sinead Quinn was in the line-up

"This is the fourth Big Buzz we have held in Cardiff and it's getting bigger and better every time," said Kevin Hughes, BBC Wales Top 40 Chart presenter.

"It's one of the highlights of my year and is proving to be a highlight of the Cardiff Festival.

Winners of the Battle of the Bands competition, Little Kishky, the pop rock combo from Caerphilly are looking forward to the event.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for an up-and-coming band to gain some much-needed publicity and exposure," said event producer Paul Forde.

"The Big Buzz at Cardiff Festival also gives local groups and up and coming talent the chance to showcase their talents on the same stage as the more established artists - it's a fantastic opportunity," said Mr Forde.

The Cardiff Festival is a major highlight of the city's summer calendar and has been running for the past 17 years.

"Cardiff Council's partnership with BBC Radio Wales is now in its third year," said Marion Drake, deputy leader of the council.

"Radio Wales Big Buzz at the Cardiff Festival gives young people of Cardiff and the surrounding areas the opportunity to see big name acts and for up-and-coming talent to perform alongside these artists in the wonderful Cardiff Bay setting," she said.

On This Day 26/07/1992 Pop Will Eat Itself

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On this day, 27 July 1992, alternative rock band Pop Will Eat Itself played the Cardiff Bay Summer Festival.

Formed in 1986 in Stourbridge in the West Midlands of England with members from Birmingham, Coventry and the Black Country.

Initially known as a grebo act, they changed style to incorporate sample-driven indie and industrial rock. Their highest-charting single was the 1993 top-ten hit "Get the Girl! Kill the Baddies!".

They released three successful albums on RCA. The first two (…This is This! and Cure for Sanity) were recorded with the aid of Flood, known for his work with Nine Inch Nails, U2 and Depeche Mode.

The band toured extensively in the UK, Europe, and US, including appearances at Reading Festival. Their singles charted progressively higher, with every single release charting inside the UK Top Forty from 1990 until their final single release in 1994.

On 1992's The Looks or the Lifestyle? the band recruited John "Fuzz" Townshend as their drummer to complement their standard array of loops and pre-programmed drums. The band had discussed adding a live drummer in 1990, however touring commitments made it impractical to do so until the band were able to break touring activity in late 1991 to commence recording.

The album peaked at UK No. 15 and featured the Top 30 hit singles "Karmadrome" and "Bulletproof!" Despite healthy sales and successful widescale touring the band's biggest supporters at RCA had left the company by January 1993 and the remaining executives did not understand the band or their music, suggesting at one meeting that EMF 'write a hit' for them.

The band was dropped from the label before the "Get the Girl! Kill the Baddies!" single was released. It went on to peak at number 9 in the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's biggest hit and making the band at that time the highest charting act to appear on Top of the Pops without a record deal. In an attempt to recoup their investment, the label released a live album Live at Weird's Bar and Grill recorded in London in October 1992.

On This Day 25/07/1996 Melissa Etheridge

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On this day. 25 July 1996, American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge played Cardiff’s International Arena on her Your Little Secret World Tour.

Your Little Secret is the fifth album by singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released in 1995. It was her most successful album on the Billboard 200, where it peaked at number six.

The album also contained three singles, "Your Little Secret", "I Want to Come Over", and "Nowhere to Go". "I Want to Come Over" went on to reach No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Nowhere to Go" peaked at No. 40.

As of 2010, the album has sold 1,348,000 copies in the United States alone, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Etheridge is known for music with a mixture of "confessional lyrics, pop-based folk-rock, and raspy, smoky vocals." She has been a gay and lesbian activist since her public coming out in January 1993.

She has received fifteen Grammy Award nominations throughout her career, winning two, in 1993 and 1995. In 2007, she won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for "I Need to Wake Up" from the film An Inconvenient Truth.

In September 2011, Etheridge received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Tour Setlist

I Really Like You

If I Wanted To

I Want to Come Over

An Unusual Kiss

Come to My Window

Nowhere to Go

Silent Legacy

I Could Have Been You

Must Be Crazy for Me

I'm the Only One

Your Little Secret

Bring Me Some Water

Like the Way I Do

On This Day 24/07/1976 Status Quo

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On this day, 24 July 1976, rock band Status Quo played Cardiff Castle, headlining a package that included Strawbs, Curved Air, Hawkwind and Welsh rock band Budgie, compered by DJ John Peel.

The concert was part of the group’s Blue For You tour, promoting their Blue For You Album. The band had played two concerts at the City’s Capitol Theatre earlier in the year before returning for their prestigious Cardiff Castle gig.

Blue for You was their ninth studio album and was released in March 1976, and was the band’s last album until 1980's Just Supposin' that they produced themselves, which resulted in subsequent albums having a noticeably lighter, more pop oriented sound.

Rick Parfitt's "Rain", the first single from the album, reached No. 7 in the UK charts after its release in February 1976. Its B-side was the non-album track "You Lost the Love", written by Francis Rossi and Bob Young.

The album was released the following month. It entered the British album chart at No. 1 and stayed there for three weeks, making it one of their most successful long players.

Setlist

Junior's Wailing

(Steamhammer cover)

Backwater

Just Take Me

Is There a Better Way

In My Chair

Little Lady

Most of the Time

Rain

Forty-Five Hundred Times

Roll Over Lay Down

Big Fat Mama

Don't Waste My Time

Roadhouse Blues

(The Doors cover)

Mystery Song

Caroline

Bye Bye Johnny

(Chuck Berry cover)

On This Day 23/07/2000 Steps

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On this day, 23 July 2000, dance/pop group Steps played Cardiff Castle.

The Summer 2000 Arena Tour was Steps' third tour, complementing their 2000 album Steptacular. The tour also premiered some tracks from their next album Buzz. Following the success of the tour, five additional open-air concerts with the same set list were scheduled.

Steps were formed in May 1997 and achieved a series of charting singles between 1997 and 2001 including two number-one singles in the UK (one a double A-side), two number-one albums in the UK, 14 consecutive top 5 singles in the UK and a string of hits throughout Europe.

The group has sold over 22 million records worldwide in addition to acquiring a BRIT Award nomination in 1999 for Best Newcomer while supporting Britney Spears on tour the same year.

The group consisted of Lee Latchford-Evans, Claire Richards, Lisa Scott-Lee, Faye Tozer and Ian "H" Watkins.

Set list

Deeper Shade Of Blue [Sleazesisters Anthem Mix]

One For Sorrow [Tony Moran Remix]

Say You'll Be Mine

I Know Him So Well (Girls only)

Come On Get Together (Lee's solo)

After The Love Has Gone / Last Thing On My Mind

5, 6, 7, 8

R Dancing (Faye's solo)

Lay All Your Love On Me (Ian's solo)

Heartbeat

When I Said Goodbye

I Surrender (Claire's solo)

Things Can Only Get Better (Boys only)

Never Get Over You (Lisa's solo)

Better The Devil You Know

Summer Of Love

Love's Got A Hold On My Heart

Tragedy