On This Day 27/02/1993 The Fat Lady Sings

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On this day, 27 February 1993, Irish rock band The Fat Lady Sings played Cardiff University.

Fronted by singer and songwriter Nick Kelly, anlmost immediately after forming in March 1986, they relocated to London, and remained there for the rest of their career. Despite this, they gained more media attention and commercial success in their native Ireland, with a series of five top 20 singles in 1990/91, than they did in the UK.

Building a substantial live following, including sold-out gigs at London's Town & Country Club (now The Forum) and Dublin's National Stadium. Having released a string of singles on independent labels, The Fat Lady Sings (TFLS) signed to East West Records.

In October 1990, they released their first major label single "Man Scared", followed by the debut album Twist in May 1991. Twist spawned three more singles: a re-release of “Arclight” (April 1991), “Twist” (May 1991) and “Deborah” (August 1991).

The second album Johnson was produced by Steve Osborne and with Nic France replacing founding member Robert Hamilton on drums, was released in June 1993, following the lead single "Show of Myself". The second single, "Drunkard Logic", became the band's highest UK chart position, peaking at no. 56 in July 1993.

The band spent six months on tour promoting Johnson, including three months in the US, concluding with a final show in New York's CBGB in December 1993. In January 1994 the band split when frontman and only songwriter Nick Kelly surprisingly quit the band.

On This Day 18/02/1977 Procol Harum

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On this day, 18 Feb 1977, rock band Procol Harum played Cardiff University.

Formed in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, in 1967 the band were about to release their tenth album Something Magic.

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Their best-known recording is the 1967 hit single "A Whiter Shade of Pale", one of the few singles to have sold over 10 million copies. Although noted for their baroque and classical influence, Procol Harum's music is described as psychedelic rock and proto-progressive.

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Tour Setlist

Something Magic

Conquistador

Beyond the Pale

Grand Hotel

Strangers in Space

The Mark of the Claw

Nothing but the Truth

The Worm and the Tree

Pandora's Box

The Unquiet Zone

A Salty Dog

Wizard Man

This Old Dog

Hand Jive / Not Fade Away

Sea of Heartache

A Whiter Shade of Pale

On This Day 17/02/1994 Prodigy

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On this day, 17 February 1994, electronic punk dance music band The Prodigy played Cardiff University.

Formed in 1990 by record producer and songwriter Liam Howlett. The band's line-up has included MC and vocalist Maxim, dancer and vocalist Keith Flint (until his death in March 2019), dancer and live keyboardist Leeroy Thornhill (who left to pursue a solo career in 2000), and dancer and vocalist Sharky (1990–1991). formed in 1990 by record producer and songwriter Liam Howlett.

The band's line-up has included MC and vocalist Maxim, dancer and vocalist Keith Flint (until his death in March 2019), dancer and live keyboardist Leeroy Thornhill (who left to pursue a solo career in 2000), and dancer and vocalist Sharky (1990–1991).

Along with the Chemical Brothers and Fatboy Slim, the Prodigy are credited as pioneers of the breakbeat-influenced genre big beat, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s. Howlett's rock-inspired drum rhythms infused with electronic rave music beats/breaks were combined with Maxim's omnipresent mystique, Thornhill's shuffle dancing style and Flint's modern punk appearance.

On This Day 16/02/1997 Paul Rogers

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On this day, 16 Feb 1997, rock legend Paul Rodgers played St David’s Hall in Cardiff.

In the concert he featured material from his third solo album due to be released in June plus songs from his previous bands.

Best known as the vocalist of Free and Bad Company. After stints in two lesser-known bands in the 1980s and early 1990s, The Firm and The Law, he became a solo artist.

He has more recently toured and recorded with Queen.

A poll in Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 55 on its list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time".

In 2011 Rodgers received the British Academy's Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music.

Tour Setlist

Intro by Alan Bangs

Louisiana Blues

(Muddy Waters cover)

Little Bit of Love

(Free song)

Soul of Love

Overloaded

Muddy Water Blues

Feel Like Makin' Love

(Bad Company song)

Heart of Fire

Chasing Shadows

All I Want Is You

(Bob Dylan cover)

Fire and Water

(Free song)

Saving Grace

Can't Get Enough

(Bad Company song)

All Right Now

(Free song)

On This Day 15/02/1969 The MaRmalade

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On this day, 15 February 1969, Scottish rock/pop band Marmalade played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre. included on the bill were the headliner, Gene Pitney, Joe Cocker and Welsh band The Iveys, who later became Badfinger.

Originally formed in 1961 as The Gaylords, and then later billed as Dean Ford and the Gaylords, they recording four singles for Columbia (EMI).

In 1966 they changed the band's name to The Marmalade and were credited as such on all of their subsequent recorded releases with CBS Records and Decca Records until 1972. Their greatest chart success was between 1968 and 1972, placing ten songs on the UK Singles Chart, and many overseas territories, including international hits "Reflections of My Life", which reached No. 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Chart and No. 3 on the UK chart in January 1970, and "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", which topped the UK chart in January 1969, the group becoming the first-ever Scottish artist to top that chart.

In February 1969, the band appeared on the BBC's flagship program Colour Me Pop, (precursor to The Old Grey Whistle Test) performing a halfhour slot. They also appeared on the BBC's review of the 1960s music scene, Pop Go The Sixties, performing "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" live on the broadcast on BBC 1 on New Year's Eve 1969.

On This Day 14/02/2001 Texas

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On this day, 14 February 2001, Scottish band Texas played Cardiff International Arena.

founded in 1986 by Johnny McElhone (formerly of the bands Altered Images and Hipsway), Ally McErlaine, and Sharleen Spiteri (on lead vocals). Texas made their performing debut in March 1988 at the University of Dundee. They took their name from the 1984 Wim Wenders movie Paris, Texas.

The band released their debut album Southside in 1989, along with the debut single "I Don't Want a Lover", which was a top-ten hit on the UK Singles Chart and peaked within the top ten of the charts in many other European countries.

In October 2000, Texas released their first compilation album, The Greatest Hits. The album featured tracks spanning their career, from their 1989 debut to the current day and included three new songs. A new single, "In Demand" was released on 2 October 2000 and reached No. 6 in the UK, with a video that featured the actor Alan Rickman.

When The Greatest Hits was released, it became the band's third consecutive album to debut at No. 1 in the UK. A second new single from the collection, "Inner Smile", was released at the end of 2000, also reaching No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart. The video for "Inner Smile" featured a homage to Elvis Presley (and specifically his '68 Comeback Special shows) with lead singer Spiteri dressed and made up to look like Elvis in his famous black leather suit. In July 2001, a remix of "I Don't Want A Lover" was released which made the UK top 20.

Setlist

Zero Zero

In Demand

Black Eyed Boy

Halo

In Our Lifetime

Guitar Song

Insane

Tired of Being Alone

(Al Green cover)

Pull Up to the Bumper

(Grace Jones cover)

Put Your Arms Around Me

Prayer for You

I Don't Want a Lover

When We Are Together

Summer Son

Encore:

Inner Smile

Suspicious Minds

(Mark James cover)

Encore 2:

Say What You Want

On This Day 13/02/1970 Deep Purple

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On this day, 13 February 1970, heavy rock band Deep Purple played Cardiff University as part of their European Tour.

The Deep Purple European Tour was a year-long successful concert tour lasting from July 1969 until June 1970. The band played mostly United Kingdom shows, also covering West Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium. It was the first tour to feature the classic Deep Purple line-up: Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord and Ian Paice. It is considered to be the pre-tour for the In Rock album, as the band mostly played songs from the upcoming album.

In 1969, cofounders Ritchie Blackmore and Jon Lord decided to replace vocalist Rod Evans with Ian Gillan. Gillan declined to join Purple without his former bandmate Roger Glover. Lord and Blackmore accepted and, in 1969, Gillan and Glover, replaced Evans and bassist Nick Simper. This new line-up, known as MKII, immediately went on tour throughout Europe and the United Kingdom.

"I remember back in 1969 when Roger and I did our first show with Purple at the Speakeasy," recalled Gillan. "There were only twelve people there; well, twenty if you counted Keith Moon. But I looked at Roger and said, 'Oh man, this is it.' It was the kind of band we had both been dreaming of."

On This Day 12/02/1977 Bryan Ferry

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On this day, 12 February 1977, Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre on his In Your Mind tour, first World solo tour. Support in the UK was provided by illusion.

In Your Mind was Ferry’s fourth solo studio album and It was his first solo album of all original songs. It was released after Ferry's band Roxy Music went on a four-year hiatus, it was supported by an extensive tour.

His band included Roxy bandmates Phil Manzanera & Paul Thompson and performed mainly tracks from his solo albums and a few tracks from Roxy's catalouge.

Chris Spedding joined Bryan for this tour after making a deal with Bryan's management to help promote his next album 'Hurt'

One of the Japanese shows were captured on film and has been shown on Japanese TV

The Junior Walker song 'Roadrunner' was part of the live set though Ferry had never recorded it before and The Beatles 'Ticket To Ride' was performed at some USA shows.

Typical Set List

Let's Stick Together

Shame, Shame, Shame

Roadrunner

All Night Operator

Party Doll

You Go To My Head

Could It Happen To Me

In Your Mind

Casanova

Love Me Madly Again

Love Is The Drug

Tokyo Joe

This Is Tomorrow

The 'In' Crowd

A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall

The Price Of Love

It's My Party (Selected Shows)

Tracks Of My Tears (Selected Shows)

Ticket To Ride (Selected Shows)

Tour Musicians & Credits

Bryan Ferry Vocals

Paul Thompson Drums

Phil Manzanera Guitars

Chris Spedding Guitars

Ann O'Dell Keyboards

John Wetton Bass

Dyan Birch Backing Vocals

Frank Collins Backing Vocals

Mel Collins Sax

Paddie McHugh Backing Vocals

Martin Drover Brass

Chris Mercer Brass