On This Day 12/03/2004 The Killers

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On this day, 12 March 2004, American rock band The Killers played Cardiff’s Barfly on their Hot Fuss tour. Support was provided but Stellastar*.

The Killers are an American rock band formed in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2001 by Brandon Flowers (lead vocals, keyboards, bass) and Dave Keuning (lead guitar, backing vocals). After the band went through a number of short-term bassists and drummers, Mark Stoermer (bass, rhythm guitar, backing vocals) and Ronnie Vannucci Jr. (drums, percussion) joined in 2002.

On August 19, 2003, the song "Mr. Brightside" premiered on DJ Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show in the UK. The Killers traveled to London the following month to spend a week playing at live music venues across the city. On September 29, 2003, the song "Mr. Brightside" was released in the UK on a limited number of CDs and vinyl records.

Critical reviews of both the song and the shows were positive: NME noted the band's retro sound, commenting "The Killers steal so smartly, and with such mind-boggling variety". As a result of the buzz generated in the UK, a number of major labels in the US began showing strong interest in the band and they were invited to play at the ASCAP CMJ Music Marathon in New York City. They eventually signed with the record label Island Def Jam.

The band finished recording Hot Fuss in November 2003 with Jeff Saltzman. They decided to keep many of the previously recorded demos as they felt they had a spontaneity that re-recordings would not have. Shortly afterwards they returned to London, having been invited to support British Sea Power on their UK tour. The band also worked with Alan Moulder at Eden Studios and Townhouse Studios mixing tracks for their upcoming album.

They continued playing support slots during the first half of 2004, including touring both the US & UK with Stellastarr and opening for Morrissey on two occasions. The band filmed their first music video for the Spring 2004 release of "Somebody Told Me" which was to be the band's debut single in the US and second single in the UK. The band's first headline tour started in the UK in May 2004. During the spring and summer of 2004, the group played well-received sets at festivals across Europe and North America.

On This Day 11/03/1991 Birdland

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On this day, 11 March 1991, rock band Birdland played Cardiff University on their Debut Album tour. The band had just released their debut album Birdland.

Birdland were formed in 1988 in Birmingham, England by the brothers Robert (vocals) and Lee Vincent (guitar), who had previously released records and toured in the glam rock band Zodiac Motel (1984–1988). The other band members were Syd Rogers (bass) and Gene Kale (drums).

Review - South Wales Echo

Birdland's debut single, "Hollow Heart", was released on Lazy Records. It reached No. 1 in the UK Indie Chart. The band generated a lot of attention in the British music press. The band released four further singles: "Paradise", "Sleep with Me", "Everybody Needs Somebody", and "Rock n Roll Nigger", all of which were No. 1 UK independent singles. "Sleep With Me" also reached the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart (with the video being shown on Top of the Pops). They released their eponymously titled debut album in 1991.

After the album's release, problems with management and inner band disagreement forced the band to split up. They briefly reunited in 2011 and streamed a new demo.

On This Day 10/03/1995 Bootfreaks

On this day, 10 March 1995, Blackwood band the Bootfreaks played Cardiff’s Clwb Ifor Bach. Support was provided by Dealer and The Joe Does.

The band, later found some fame as Ether signing to the legendary Parlophone label.

The successful incarnation of the band (Ether) was formed in 1996 by Rory Meredith (vocals, guitar), Gareth Driscoll (vocals, bass), and Brett Sawmy (drums), although Meredith had used the name for an earlier band that he formed as a teenager.

After a single on the Regal label in 1996 they moved to Parlophone Records, releasing four further singles and the 1998 album Strange. They recorded a second album in 1999, but it was not released due to the band splitting up.

They drew comparisons to groups such as Squeeze and The Beatles.

Meredith later formed the band Sugar Rush with singer-songwriter Katherine Davies, releasing an album Beautiful But Tragic in 2006 on LA based indie label Beverly Martel Music.

On This Day 09/03/1995 Radiohead

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On this day, 9 March 1995, rock band Radiohead played Cardiff University following the release of their second album The Bends. Support was provided by Marion.

The album was driven by dense riffs and ethereal atmospheres from the three guitarists, with greater use of keyboards than their debut.

It received stronger reviews for its songwriting and performances.

While Radiohead were seen as outsiders to the Britpop scene that dominated music media at the time, they were finally successful in their home country with The Bends, as singles "Fake Plastic Trees", "High and Dry", "Just", and "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" made their way to chart success.

Formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards), brothers Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Greenwood (bass), Ed O'Brien (guitar, backing vocals) and Philip Selway (drums, percussion).

Tour Setlist

The Bends
Just
Anyone Can Play Guitar
Bones
Permanent Daylight
High & Dry
Black Star
Prove Yourself
Stop Whispering
Vegetable
Fake Plastic Trees
Blow Out
Creep
My Iron Lung
You
Banana Co.
Street Spirit (Fade Out)
Ripcord

On This Day 08/03/2007 Joan Baez

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On this day, 8 March 2007, folk legend Joan Baez played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall.

In February 2007, Proper Records reissued her 1995 live album Ring Them Bells, which featured duets with artists ranging from Dar Williams and Mimi Fariña to the Indigo Girls and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

The reissue features a 16-page booklet and six unreleased live tracks from the original recording sessions. In addition, Baez recorded a duet of "Jim Crow" with John Mellencamp which appears on his album Freedom's Road (2007). Also in February 2007, she received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

The day after receiving the honor, she appeared at the Grammy Awards ceremony and introduced a performance by the Dixie Chicks.

Joan Baez, St David's Hall, Cardiff. Review - South Wales Argus

By Alan Molloy

MENTION Joan Baez to people of a certain age and they think, folk singer, activist, civil rights marcher and they may even remember in 1967 her views saw her prevented from performing at America's Constitution Hall by the ultra-right Daughters of the American Revolution.

This legendary singer who toured with Bob Dylan in the 70s has lost none of her magic and still speaks and sings for solutions to violence in the Middle East and Latin America.

Was St David's Hall, Cardiff, ready for this rebel and would her haunting songs travel well across the years?

The answer is Yes' they were ready for her as the encores and applause testified and Yes' the songs are just as powerful.

"I can't believe I'm still doing this and I can't believe that you are still there,'' said Joan and the audience certainly were as they cheered their way through this thoughtful repertoire.

Her effortless performance included Wildwood Flower from her first album, Joe Hill, With God on our Side, Diamonds and Rust, Lily and There but for Fortune.

Accompanied by guitarists Graham Maybe and Eric de la Pena, her songs were interspersed with anecdotes and comments on politics in Washington.

The audience went home having been transported back to a time when talent was recognised and one-hit wonders and tribute bands were in the distant future.

On This Day 07/03/2002 Ian Brown

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On this day, 7 March 2002, former Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown played Cardiff University.

He was the lead singer and the only continuous member of the alternative rock band the Stone Roses from their formation in 1983. Following the band's initial split in 1996, he began a solo career.

Since the break-up of the Stone Roses in 1996, Brown has released six solo albums and fourteen UK Top 40 singles. He has sold out seven UK tours and appeared three times at the Glastonbury Festival, including headlining the Other Stage in 2005.

He has appeared five times at V Festival since 1998, along with regular appearances at T in the Park and Oxegen festivals, and played the Move festival in 2002 at Old Trafford Cricket Ground as well as two tours of Australia in 2006 and 2008.

At the 2006 NME awards, Brown was presented with the "Godlike Genius" award and in 2007, was given the Q "Legend" Award.

In September 2007, Brown released his fifth studio album, The World Is Yours. The album represented a more political approach[citation needed] in his music, particularly the anti-war track "Illegal Attacks", which featured Sinéad O'Connor. The album also featured former Smiths bassist Andy Rourke, Paul Ryder of Happy Mondays, and Steve Jones and Paul Cook of The Sex Pistols.

On This Day 06/03/1997 Peter Green

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On this day, 6 March 1997, English blues rock singer-songwriter, guitarist and founder of Fleetwood Mac played Cardiff’s Coal Exchange.

He began playing professionally by the age of 15, while working for a number of east London shipping companies. He first played bass guitar in a band called Bobby Dennis and the Dominoes, which performed pop chart covers and rock 'n' roll standards, including Shadows covers. He later stated that Hank Marvin was his guitar hero and he played the Shadows' song "Midnight" on the 1996 tribute album Twang.

Many rock guitarists have cited Green as an influence, including Gary Moore, Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash,and more recently, Mark Knopfler, Noel Gallagher, and Radiohead bassist Colin Greenwood.

Review - South Wales Echo

Green was The Black Crowes' Rich Robinson's pick in Guitar World's "30 on 30: The Greatest Guitarists Picked by the Greatest Guitarists" (2010). In the same article Robinson cites Jimmy Page, with whom the Crowes toured: "he told us so many Peter Green stories. It was clear that Jimmy loves the man's talent".

Green's songs have been recorded by artists such as Santana, Aerosmith, Status Quo,The Black Crowes, Midge Ure, Tom Petty, Judas Priest, and Gary Moore, who recorded Blues for Greeny, an album of Green compositions.

In 1995, the tribute album Rattlesnake Guitar: The Music of Peter Green was released, and subsequently was reissued in 2000 as Peter Green Songbook.

On This Day 05/03/1993 Tasmin Archer

On this day, 5 March 1993, singer Tasmin Archer played Cardiff University.

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Archer signed to EMI in 1990 and released her first single, "Sleeping Satellite," in September 1992, which went to number one on the UK Singles Chart. The single also enjoyed success in the US, where it peaked at number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The album Great Expectations followed in October 1992. It reached number eight on the UK Albums Chart,[1] and achieved gold disc status by December for sales of more than 100,000 copies. Further singles from the album followed, and although they were Top 40 hits in the UK, they did not achieve the same level of success as her début.

Archer donated the royalties from her second single "In Your Care" to Childline. The song was about child abuse. In 1993 Archer won a BRIT Award for the Best British Breakthrough Act. She later joked that she kept her award in her kitchen cupboard and used it for cracking nuts and tenderizing steak.