On This Day 14/03/1973 Black Sabbath

On this day, 14 March 1973, heavy rock band Black Sabbath played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre with support provided by Badger and Necramandus..

The band were promoting their fourth studio album Vol 4, released in September 1972. It was the first album by Black Sabbath not produced by Rodger Bain; guitarist Tony Iommi assumed production duties. Patrick Meehan, the band's then-manager, was listed as co-producer, though his actual involvement in the album's production was minimal.

In his autobiography I Am Ozzy, Osbourne speaks at length about the sessions: "In spite of all the arsing around, musically those few weeks in Bel Air were the strongest we'd ever been." But he admits, "Eventually we started to wonder where the fuck all the coke was coming from ... that coke was the whitest, purest, strongest stuff you could ever imagine. One sniff, and you were king of the universe." During a show in support of Vol. 4 at the Hollywood Bowl, the cocaine abuse caught up to Iommi. "Tony had been doing coke literally for days. We all had, but Tony had gone over the edge. He walked off the stage and collapsed," said Osbourne. During soundcheck earlier that same day, a crazed Christian man attempted to storm the stage and stab Iommi with a dagger, but he was tackled by members of the band's crew. According to Butler, "we wanted to take a break" at that point.

On This Day 11/03/1963 Brenda Lee

On this day, 11 March 1963, American singer Brenda Lee played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre headlining a package that included Mike Berry, Sounds Incorporated, The Bachelors, Steve Perry, Tony Sheridan and Bob Bain.

Primarily performing rockabilly, pop, country, and Christmas music, she achieved her first Billboard hit at age 12 in 1957, and was given the nickname "Little Miss Dynamite". Some of Lee's most successful songs include "Sweet Nothin's", "I'm Sorry", "I Want to Be Wanted", "Speak to Me Pretty", "All Alone Am I", and "Losing You". Her festive song "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", recorded in 1958, topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 2023, making Lee the oldest artist ever to top the chart and breaking several chart records.

Having sold over 100 million records globally, Lee is one of the most successful American artists of the 20th century. Lee was the second woman ever to top the Billboard Hot 100 (after Connie Francis) when her song “I'm Sorry” reached number one in 1960. Her U.S. success in the 1960s earned her recognition as Billboard's Top Female Artist of the Decade and one of the four artists who charted the most singles, behind Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and Ray Charles. Her accolades include a Grammy Award, four NARM Awards, three NME Awards, and five Edison Awards. In 2023, she was named by Rolling Stone as one of the greatest singers of all time.

On This Day Tasmin Archer 05/03/1993

On this day, 5 March 1993, singer-songwriter Tasmin Archer played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall.

Her debut album, Great Expectations (1992), spawned the hit "Sleeping Satellite", which reached No. 1 in the United Kingdom and Ireland. She won the Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act in 1993 and has since released three more studio albums.

Gwent Gazette

Setlist

Arienne

Ripped Inside

When It Comes Down to It

In Your Care

Somebody's Daughter

Hero

Steeltown

Man At The Window

Real Oh So Real

No Regrets

Sleeping Satellite

Lords of the New Church

On This Day 04/02/1998 Genesis

On this day, 4 March 1998, prog rock super group Genesis played Cardiff International Arena on their Calling All Stations tour. The concerts were part of the extensive European leg of the tour, which featured a new, younger lineup following the departure of Phil Collins.

Lineup: Ray Wilson (vocals), Tony Banks (keyboards), Mike Rutherford (guitar/bass), with Nir Zidkyahu (drums) and Anthony Drennan (guitar/bass).

Setlist

No Son of Mine

Land of Confusion

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway

Calling All Stations

Carpet Crawlers

Alien Afternoon

Domino

Firth of Fifth

Congo

Home by the Sea

Second Home by the Sea

Acoustic

Dancing With the Moonlit Knight

Follow You Follow Me

Supper's Ready

(Lover's Leap)

Not About Us

Mama

The Dividing Line

Invisible Touch

Turn It On Again

Encore:

Throwing It All Away

On This Day 28/02/1993 Pulp

On this day, 28 February 1993, rock band Pulp played Terminal 396, Cardiff University on their Razzamatazz tour supporting St Etienne.

Razzmatazz" is a song written and released by Pulp. Featuring lyrics written by Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker about an ex-girlfriend, the song sees the narrator mock his ex-girlfriend for leading a dull life after dumping him.

"Razzmatazz" was the band's final single for Gift Records, charting at number 80 in the UK. The single was released independently of an album, although it appeared as a bonus track at the end of the US version of His 'n' Hers. Since its release, the song has seen positive critical reception and has appeared on multiple compilation albums.

Review by David Rose

A very quick trip (less than 1 1/2 hours!) down to Cardiff after the live footy got us (me, Clive and infrequent gig-goer Soke) there in time for doors. Not the usual Uni main hall, but an industrial decor pipe-lines psychic dancehall backroom as well! An excellent venue, and certainly one to go back to! Pulp, our main reason for being here tonight, came on at 8.20 and played a totally brilliant set of their haunting, sleazy organ-led pop; seventies-influenced, sleazy, sexy, sinister but always startling and superb. Jarvis Cocker, as I've always believed would happen, is well on his way to becoming a true star of our times, and was an inspiring and eye-catching focus for this brilliant band of misfits and strays. Every one a winner, but highlights were "Stacks", "She's A Lady", the God-like "Babies" and closer "OU". Another highlight was Jarv sharing his late-arriving pizza order with the front rows; I had a mouthful of garlic bread while dancing to "Stacks"! It's only February, but I'll be hard pushed to see a better performance than Pulp's this year!

St. Etienne, however, paled in comparison to their support. Due on at 9.30 but eventually emerging at 10 with "Nothing Can Stop Us", a fine but very laid-back opener, their subsequent set was ambient, unusual and very nice, but never startling and always suffering in comparison to Pulp's sparkling performance. 2 unusual covers, of Bowie's "Absolute Beginners" and the Fall's "Choc Stock", and their own cinematic pop classic "You're In A Bad Way" were the highlights of a set, during which I spent much of the time watching the projections on their heart-shaped backdrop. A very short set as well - off at 10.35 having played considerably shorter than their support, they introduced the last number with vocalist Sarah Cracknell announcing, "sorry to disappoint anyone but we don't do encores. We're not a rock'n'roll band, we're a pop group." Hmmm. So, off we went to the chippy, to celebrate Pulp's set.

Final score; Sheffield 4, St. Etienne 2. An impressive home win!

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"