On This Day The Shamen 26/02/1989

O this day, 26 February 1989, Scottish psychedelic band The Shamen played The Venue, Cardiff on the band’s Synergy Tour. Support was provided by Jesus Jones.

The band had just released their second album, In Gorbachev We Trust. It is an important landmark in The Shamen's transition from the psychedelic rock of Drop to the electronic dance music that would bring them chart success. The "Gorbachev" of the album's title is Mikhail Gorbachev, the leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991.

1989 was a busy year, as they set out on their Synergy tour, a nightclub experience, combined with live music from the Shamen and others like Orbital, and with DJing from Paul Oakenfold, Mixmaster Morris, Mr C, and Evil Eddie Richards.

The tour was to last nearly two years. Synergy was innovative at the time, as a touring rock dance club introducing live bands to clubbers, and house, techno and ambient DJs to rock fans. The Shamen also released the Phorward mini album, produced by ex-Fiction Factory singer/songwriter Kevin Patterson.

The Yardbirds - 24 Feb 1967

On this day, 24 February 1967, legendary band The Yardbirds played Sophia Gardens.

Formed in London in 1963, the band started the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton (1963–1965), Jeff Beck (1965–1966) and Jimmy Page (1966–1968), all of whom ranked in the top five of Rolling Stone magazine's 2011 list of 100 greatest guitarists. The band's other members during 1963–1968 were vocalist/harmonica player Keith Relf, drummer Jim McCarty, rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja, and bassist Paul Samwell-Smith, with Dreja switching to bass when Samwell-Smith departed in 1966. The band had a string of hits in the mid-1960s, including "For Your Love", "Heart Full of Soul", "Shapes of Things" and "Over Under Sideways Down".

Originally a blues-based band noted for their signature "rave-up" instrumental breaks, the Yardbirds broadened their range into pop, pioneered psychedelic rock and early hard rock, and contributed to many electric guitar innovations of the mid-1960s. Some rock critics and historians also cite their influence on the later punk rock, progressive rock and heavy metal trends.

On This Day The Jacksons 21/02/1979

On this day, 21 February 1979, pop/soul legends The Jacksons, formerly Jackson 5, played Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens on their Destiny tour.

Destiny was the thirteenth studio album released by American band the Jacksons. It was released in November 1978 by Epic Records and CBS Records. The album marked the first time in the band's career in which they had complete artistic control, producing it themselves after previously working under the supervision of Philadelphia soul architects Gamble and Huff.

Including the international hits "Blame It on the Boogie" and "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", the album would eventually sell over four million copies worldwide, two million in America during its initial run and another two million worldwide. It was promoted with a year-long world tour.

Personnel :

Michael Jackson – vocals

Jackie Jackson – vocals

Tito Jackson – guitar, vocals

Marlon Jackson – vocals

Randy Jackson – vocals, congas, percussion, piano, keyboards

Band members :

Michael McKinney – bass

Bud Rizzo – additional guitar

James McField – keyboards

Tony Lewis – drums

Setlist

"Dancing Machine"

"Things I Do for You"

"Ben"

"I Am Love"

"Keep on Dancing"

"Jackson 5 Medley" ("I Want You Back"/"ABC" / "The Love You Save")

"I'll Be There"

"Enjoy Yourself"

"Destiny"

"Show You the Way to Go"

"All Night Dancin'"

Encore

"Blame It on the Boogie"

On This Day Bryan Ferry 12/02/1977

On this day, Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre on his In Your Mind tour, with support provided by illusion.

Ferry had just released his fourth studio album In Your Mind, It was his first solo album of all original songs. released after Ferry's band Roxy Music went on a four-year hiatus. It peaked at No 5 in the UK album charts.

Band Lineup: Bryan Ferry (vocals), Phil Manzanera (guitar), Chris Spedding (guitar), Paul Thompson (drums), John Wetton (bass), Ann O'Dell (keyboards), plus a brass section and backing vocalists.

On This Day The Clash 11/02/1980

On this day, 11 February 1980, punk legends The Clash played Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens on their 16 Tons Tour with support provided by The Xcerts and Mikey Dread.

The band had recently released their classic album London Calling.

London Calling was released in December 1979; it peaked at number 9 on the British album chart and at number 27 in the United States, where it was issued in January 1980. The album's cover photograph by Pennie Smith became one of the most-recognisable images and Q magazine later cited it as the "best rock 'n roll photograph of all time".

During this period, The Clash began to be regularly billed as "The Only Band That Matters". Musician Gary Lucas, who was employed by CBS Records' creative services department, has said he coined the tagline. Fans and journalists soon widely adopted the epithet.

The Clash had planned to record and release a single every month in 1980. CBS dismissed this idea and the band released only one single—an original reggae song called "Bankrobber", in August. It featured Mikey Dread and reached number 12 in the UK Singles Chart. In October, the band's US record company released a B-side compilation EP called Black Market Clash, which was later re-released in expanded form as a full-length album.

Setlist

Clash City Rockers

Brand New Cadillac

London Calling

(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais

I Fought the Law

Police and Thieves

Complete Control

Armigedeon Time

White Riot

On This Day Split Enz 10/02/1978

On this day, 10 February 1978, New Zealand rock band Split Enz played Cardiff’s Top Rank.

Formed in 1972 in Auckland they ar regarded as the first New Zealand band to gain significant recognition outside of Australasia, they were initially noted for their progressive/art rock sound, flamboyant visual style and theatrical performances. The band later moved toward a pop/new wave sound that yielded hit singles such as "I See Red"

By the summer of 1978, Split Enz had no agent, no manager, and no UK or US record contract, having been dropped by Chrysalis. The New Zealand Arts Council gave the band a grant of $5,000. The grant money was used to book studio time in Luton, England, where the band recorded demos that later became known as the "Rootin' Tootin' Luton Tapes". One of the songs from those sessions was "I See Red". Released as a single later that year, "I See Red" marked a significant move away from the band's early progressive/art rock style, towards high-energy, guitar-based power pop. While "I See Red" did not chart in the UK, where it was released on Illegal Records, it did bring the band critical attention.

On This Day The Move 08/02/1968

On this day, 8 February 1968, pop group The Move played Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens. The band were about to release their debut album called Move following their big hit Flowers In The Rain the previous Summer. The album peaked at #15 in the UK album charts.

The band's first two singles, "Night of Fear" and "I Can Hear the Grass Grow" were big hits in the United Kingdom, of which Night of Fear had peaked at position number 2 and I Can Hear the Grass Grow had peaked at number 5 on the UK singles chart.

The band's next UK single, "Wild Tiger Woman" was a hit parade disappointment, which only peaked at position number 53. Because of this, the band announced that they would break up if their next single did as poorly. This was not the case, as the single that followed, "Blackberry Way" had peaked at the top of the UK chart, and the next single, "Curly", which had reached position number 12, had prospered much better than "Wild Tiger Woman". Despite these successes, the band's second studio album, Shazam, released in 1970, did not make the UK Albums Chart.

On This Day Sum 41 06/03/2003

On this day, 6 February 2003, Canadian rock band Sum 41 played Cardiff International Arena on their Sum On Your Face tour.

Formed in Ajax, Ontario, in 1996. The band's final lineup consisted of Deryck Whibley (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards), Dave Baksh (lead guitar, backing vocals), Jason McCaslin (bass, backing vocals), Tom Thacker (rhythm and lead guitars, keyboards, backing vocals), and Frank Zummo (drums).

Setlist

Setlist

Still Waiting

Nothing on My Back

Machine Gun

Motivation

Rhythms

Never Wake Up

The Hell Song

In Too Deep

Summer

Fat Lip

All She's Got

T.H.T.

Pain for Pleasure