New Feature - Venues - Cardiff

The Capitol

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Over the months our On This Day feature listed many venues that had featured some of the greatest bands and performers in popular music history.

Nearly all the venues from the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies have gone, though the memories very much remain.

Top of the Pops for any music loving fans in the Capital and surrounding area was…The Capitol Theatre, a feature on most bands tour itinerary, it’s hallowed boards were trod on by the biggest and the best including The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Elton John.

Opened in December 1921, it was a purpose built entertainment centre not only with the auditorium, but also a ballroom, three restaurants and a bar.

The theatre had a seating capacity of 3,158 in the stalls, circle and balcony, which at the time, was the largest purpose-built cinema in Europe.

It was originally owned by Tilney Kinema Company,but in 1931 it was leased to Paramount Cinemas.
In 1941 the Rank Organisation took over the lease, and in 1964 they purchased the theatre from the Tilney Kinema Company.

The Beatles' last live UK tour concluded with two performances at the theatre on 12 December 1965.
The Rank Organisation closed the theatre in 1978 and it was demolished in 1983.The Capitol Centre now occupies the site.

Foxxglove

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Foxxglove is a singer/songwriter from Wales. She spoke to me about her experience as a music artist throughout the Pandemic and how she has been able to book gigs for when concerts are allowed to go ahead again.

"Like everyone else, the Pandemic had quite a negative impact on me as an artist. Before I was gigging at least once or twice a month which is the main source of income for many DIY artists like myself, playing gigs is one of the most effective ways of earning money and meeting new people in the industry and getting new fans.

I had to adjust being online more and making the best out of social media to help reach new people and create content that would keep people engaged.

I've learnt a lot from it all though and I think a lot of us adjusted quite quickly to this new way of living and there's been lots of support.

"I think the main thing will probably be the fact that it will still be sitting down and less people in the venues, at least for a little while. But overall, I think it's going to be so good and I can't wait to get back to it"
Throughout the pandemic many artists have found it difficult to book gigs due to the uncertainty and restrictions that has been put on concerts.

"I applied for a couple of festivals, one for which I'll be performing at in October if it can go ahead.

I haven't tried too much though as I just assumed that gigs weren't allowed to happen with the restrictions. I have been asked to play gigs though, some have been online and pre-recorded and others are for when venues are open again and gigs are able to go ahead"

Bob Marley Tribute

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40 Years on from Bob Marleys Passing KCL have put together this little tribute to the Man known as a Legend.

In the summer of 2008, Cardiff City played Ajax FC in their final pre-season friendly. After the game, Ajax fans were kept seated in the away stand until the Cardiff fans had left the surrounding area.

Ky-Mani Marley Singing 3 Little Birds for Ajax Fans

The announcer at the now-demolished Ninian Park Stadium, Ali Yassine, was instructed to play music to help keep Ajax fans calm, and being a huge reggae fan, chose "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley..

The story goes that Ajax fans started dancing, clapping, and chanting the songs' lyrics; and it became Ajax's anthem.

In 2018, Bob Marley's son Ky-Mani Marley attended an Ajax game and was given the honour to perform "Three Little Birds" at the Johan Cruyff Arena at half time - with the home crowd fans singing along with him

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On the 19th June 1976, Bob Marley & the Wailers took centre stage at Ninian Park, former home of Cardiff City, in what would be a memorable occasion for attendees in the Welsh capital. 

 Despite his undeniable influence on the world of music, at the time of his gig in Cardiff he was up-and-coming; only just beginning to cross over into the mainstream. In fact, Marley was not a first-choice headliner for the concert, but when Stephen Stills pulled out, the promoters, who weren’t well known in the area, had to work against the clock to find a new headliner. Luckily, Bob Marley was touring the UK, and seemed the perfect choice to fill Ninian Park’s headline slot that night.

 Although only around 4000 filled the 20,000 capacity, many who were in the crowd that night spoke of Marley’s brilliance. One attendee, Leigh Bailey, reported his enjoyment at Marley’s show. His experiences were life-changing, ultimately influencing his musical tastes, so much so that he is now the frontman of tribute band ‘Bob Marley And The Jailers’. That inspirational night marked Bob Marley’s first concert in Wales.

 Marley’s discography included timeless classics such as ‘Three Little Birds’, ‘Jammin’, and ‘Waiting in Vain’, as well as Marley’s world-renowned album ‘Exodus’; a record that was hugely respected among the alienated punk generation across the UK in the 70s. 

 Using his music and live performances to spread the notions of Rastafarianism, Marley’s legacy across the world will live on, and that night in 1976 will be celebrated for years to come. 

Setlist: 

1. Trenchtown Rock (The Wailers cover)

2. Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)

3. Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock)

4. I Shot the Sheriff (The Wailers cover)

5. Crazy Baldhead

6. Want More

7. No Woman, No Cry

8. Lively Up Yourself

9. Roots, Rock, Reggae

10. Encore: Get Up, Stand Up

Here are some Quotes from the wise man.

“Don’t trust people whose feelings change with time. Trust people whose feelings remain the same, even when the time changes.”

“Live for yourself and you will live in vain; live for others, and you will live again.”

“Love the life you live, live the life you love.”

“Me only have one ambition, y’know. I only have one thing I really like to see happen. I like to see mankind live together – black, white, Chinese, everyone – that’s all.”

“The trust is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for.”

“Just because you are happy it does not mean that the day is perfect but that you have looked beyond its imperfections.”

“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.”

“One good thing about music—when it hits you, you feel no pain.”

“None but ourselves can free our minds.”

Book Review

With Summer almost upon us (some would say it’s already been and gone!) thoughts of holidays, sun, sea, and a good book, are very much in our thoughts.

Whilst the possibility of lounging by the Mediterranean with cocktail and a good book sounds idyllic, our options seem more likely to be a deckchair in the garden, a mug of tea, whilst dodging showers. The thought of a good book does brighten the scenario somewhat.

So, deckchair, tea and umbrella in readiness, what to read ?

Fortunately, from a very early age I’ve read, devouring school and local libraries, leaving only cornflake packets and sauce bottles unread.

Lucky enough to get a steady supply from family and friends here’s a few recent purchases that may help your leisurely days be more interesting and hopefully informative.

Book one is One,Two, Three, Four by Craig Brown.
It’s a Beatle book and some would say do we need another one? Plenty of good and not so good books on the Fab Four out there but this is something of a gem amongst the diamanté’s.
For one it’s original, witty and sad all at the same time. Fascinating and unique, it documents the boys career but in a more endearing way using stories and anecdotes, similarities and unusual back stories behind some of the more well-known Beatle tales.

You don’t have to be a fan to enjoy the book, though it obviously helps, but guarantee you will find the stories charming, unusual and thoroughly entertaining.

Book two is Remain In Love by Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club drummer Chris Frantz. Whilst former bandmate David Byrne collects all the accolades and in many ways deservedly so, the real heartbeat of any band is the rhythm section and in Frantz and his wife Tina Weymouth, the band possessed a truly inspirational and exciting partnership.
The importance of Frantz, Weymouth and guitarist/keyboardist Jerry Harrison never seemed to get the credit they deserved with the focus being frontman Byrne but thankfully this book sets the record straight and a truly fascinating insight into one of music’s most inspirational and much admired bands.
Frantz tells of the bands formative years and his life long relationship with his wife Tina.
In many ways his story is bittersweet, obviously proud of his/their achievements yet a sadness in the band’s demise and lack of both interest and acknowledgement from Byrne. The references to CBGB’s and the early New York scene is true rock folklore and engrossing whilst insight into the birth of songs like the iconic Psychokiller is certainly compelling.
The book is definitely worth reading even if just to let Frantz even up the score and tell is how it was.

My third recent purchase is the epic The Worst Band In The World, the only authorised 10cc biography, and to my mind one of the best written and researched books on a band ever written, in this instance, being one of popular music’s most innovative and respected units that sadly never got the proper credit their stunning music deserved.

From their early days as members and songwriters of note to some of the Sixties finest bands to the creative hub that was Strawberry Studios, where they could let fly their many ideas, from the bubblegum rock of Rubber Bullets to the multi-layered epic of I’m Not In Love, their music was impossible to pigeon hole in its complexity and versatility.

It’s a real labour of love from fan and writer Liam Newton with no stone unturned in a well crafted and riveting read.

Last but not least is Hey Hi Hello by legendary DJ Annie Nightingale.
Published to mark the fiftieth anniversary of her first broadcast on Radio One, and, unlike her more autobiographical Wicked Speed, this book delves into meetings and interviews with musicians and friends like Underworld’s Karl Hyde and pop’s latest shining light, Billie Eilish.
Littered with anecdotes it’s light reading compared to the previous books mentioned yet it’s an entertaining and absorbing book by a real groundbreaking, trailblazing, DJ who stood her ground in an era that gave women little opportunity in the all-male institution that was Radio One.

New Music Feature

Bandicoot

Bandicoot are a band from South Wales. I interviewed them about their experience throughout the pandemic.
How were you affected as a music artist by the pandemic?

"We were quite lucky in many ways; the pandemic meant that we had a lot of time to write more songs, and we ended up coming out of lockdown with lots and lots of demos. We were also lucky in that we were already moving in together in August, which meant we could continue working together in the same space, which we're so grateful for.

Obviously, we've missed gigs like everybody, but it's been an amazing time for us in terms of finding our direction, finishing off our recordings, and planning ahead with our label"

What do you think will change with live music when concerts are allowed again?

"I personally will appreciate live music a lot more and never take it for granted! I think the live industry will come back with a lot of energy, and hopefully attention will have been drawn to important issues within the industry, like the problem of inclusivity, or sexual assault at live gigs- I hope those things are resigned to the past.

Has it been difficult to book gigs for when concerts open again?

"Thankfully our diaries are already filling up nicely for when things start back again! We're trying not to get our hopes up, but we've been invited to a showcase festival in Sweden, as well as headline shows closer to home in Le Pub, Newport in July"

What is your opinion on "bigger artists" being prioritised by venues?

"Whatever gigs are happening, big or small, that can only be a good thing. I think venues have to do what they need to do to bring crowds, sell tickets, make themselves financially secure. We've never personally had a problem with venues booking bigger artists, and if it means that smaller bands get support slots then that's even better.

As long as gigs are happening, then that's all that matters"

Is the pandemic pushing our digital future closer?

In a new world where long gone are the days of firm handshakes and employees gathered around a table for daily meetings, it’s easy to think that life has ever so drastically changed. Virtual conferences and catch-ups, online learning and working from home have become our new norm. But are things really that different to how they were before? 

Of course, this is somewhat a dramatized version of living in the digital world, with technology’s uses being heightened and more invested in than ever, but I feel we had some good practise in this field already. As services such as online dating, facetiming and takeaway services like Deliveroo and Just Eat have become more popular over the years, we’ve been training for a digitally led world. 

Taking meetings at your dining table whilst rocking a half formal half PJ combo may seem like a sudden leap into the unknown, but wasn’t this where we were headed anyway? As technology develops and more innovations are made, we are constantly preparing ourselves for changes to come. 

Once upon a time you had to get out and about to meet a partner. Nowadays, you can find that spark from the comfort of your own home. Changes have been coming for years, and pandemic or not, we were surely heading towards a more digitalised world so we could use these modernisations to our advantage. We’ve just accelerated and moved at pace towards this way of life sooner than we thought. 

Some of these changes make life more accessible to many and show just how we can get around such problems as a pandemic, when the daily norm is forced on hold. It’s been a modern blessing to be able to carry on somewhat business as usual from our homes. Businesses have suffered, and many have lost throughout this year, but technology has at least let virtual concerts, meetings and sociable gatherings take place. It’s allowed for busts of normality amongst the surrealness we’ve endure. Furthermore, convenience comes above all these days, as we find comfort behind our screens and wish to make things as simple as possible. After all, isn’t that part of what technology is about? Making life more convenient? 

I often think of the film ‘Wall-e’ when I think of technology and using it to make our lives as comfortable and easy as can be. Just floating around on chairs with everything we could desire at our fingertips. A sense of dread and pessimism encompasses me when I realise just how realistic that dystopian world in the film is in our current reality. Surely, we won’t let ourselves become so unhealthy, unsociable and greedy? Greedy for ease and accessibility. We must prevent a future where our lives are purely led from the tips of our fingers on a screen. 

Whilst it’s all well and good that we’re running our live thanks to the power of social medias and technology, we mustn’t let it conquer us in such a way that we don’t know how to interact in-person anymore. We run the risk of becoming too accustomed to talk over text and asking Alexa to turn off the lights, dishwasher or TV. Who knows? One day we may see having to get up to grab a remote an arduous task if we have bots who can do it all for us. I like to think we’d never allow this happen, and we’d remember that there’s more value in a group BBQ or dinner in a restaurant than endless food arriving whilst we’re fixated in front of our screens.

But maybe, we’re more like this now than we think, and a future enclosed in automation isn’t as alien as it may seem in the movies.

How university made my taste in music even more varied

When I first came to uni my music taste was mainly musicals, soundtracks, and upbeat pop songs, with the occasional Paramore track. I never really knew how to define my taste in music, spoiler I still don’t. However, in recent months I’ve managed to explore an array of new genres and find some of my new favourite artists. 

I love getting recommendations from people, which is why my taste in music is currently all over the place. One of my favourite things is when someone makes me a playlist with music they know I’ll love, my friends truly do have a talent for making good playlists. This has now turned into me spending hours making oddly specific playlists to fit most moods, from a chill playlist that has a soft, mellow feel, to playlists full of bops. 

One genre that seemed to have played a big part since coming to uni is pop-punk. I must admit that I hadn’t heard of the genre’s name before, however, I came to realize that I’d always loved this genre and simply didn’t know the name of it to explore it further. 

My taste in music has 100% come from my dad. One evening I was showing him the playlists and recommendations my friends had given me, and we spent the night bopping to them and him giving me more recommendations. It made me realize how music truly does connect people. 

In no particular order, here are a few of my favourite artists and albums that I discovered/gave more of a chance to over the past few months from recommendations. I am very late to the party however I do highly recommend checking them out if you haven’t!

Hozier - Hozier

Arctic Monkeys - AM

Taylor Swift - Evermore

The Strokes - The New Abnormal

Car Seat Headrest - Twin Fantasy

My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade 

Bring Me The Horizon - That’s The Spirit + amo

Julie and the Phantoms - Julie and the Phantoms Season 1

5 Seconds of Summer - 5 Seconds of Summer + Youngblood

My love for musicals and soundtracks will never die and will always be a comfort genre, especially the guilty pleasure ones that are normally Disney Channel Originals. However, uni has opened up my eyes to more music that I now adore. When it comes to music, it’s important to have an open mind to recommendations. Not all the albums/artists are going to be your cup of tea, trust me there are a few that come to my mind for me, but you could unlock a newfound love for a genre you never thought you’d end up liking. 

When I first started getting recommendations at uni, I decided to create a master playlist of my favourites on Spotify if you’d like to check it out, along with the other playlists that I update frequently. There’s something for everyone in them:

Retro Review - Favourite Worst Nightmare

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Fourteen years ago, this month, Arctic Monkeys released their second studio album, Favorite worst nightmare. 

The record hit the shelves on the 23rd of April 2007 and was a massive hit upon its release.

The alternative rock band’s first album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, was also very successful and a tour of America soon followed afterward. However, original bass guitarist, Andy Nicholson, left the group shortly before the tour in June 2006 and was replaced with Nick O’Malley. 

I Bet That You Look Good On The dancefloor, Dancing Shoes, and When The Sun Goes Down, all gave Arctic Monkeys their first taste of universal success. But their second effort built on this and proved to many that they could change their sound. 

The group’s line-up for Favorite worst nightmare consisted of Alex Turner (lead vocals and guitar), Jamie Cook (guitar and keyboard), Matt Helders (drums), and the before mentioned Nick O’Malley on bass guitar. 

Like their debut effort, favorite worst nightmare received very positive reviews upon release. The record was a bit more adventurous than the Sheffield groups’ debut album.  The songs were a lot faster and much louder, with more meaningful lyrics, courtesy of Alex Turner. Matt Helders’ drumming received praise. His technique helped bring this masterpiece together. 

The three singles from the album were also very successful. Brianstorm, Fluorescent Adolescent, and Teddy Picker, all received a positive reception in the UK and in America.

My personal favorite from this record, is 505, the album’s closing track. The organ at the beginning of the song replicates a sound from the soundtrack of the 1966 classic western, the good the bad, and the ugly. ‘505’ is a reference to a room in a hotel where Turner’s girlfriend is supposedly staying. 

Other tracks on the album like This House Is A Circus, Only Ones Who Know, and D is for Dangerous, all also hit different with their manic pacings and witty lyrics. 

The album was recorded at several recording studios in London and Liverpool and was produced by James Ford and Mike Crossey, under the Domino label. 

Favorite Worst Nightmare went onto sell over 200,000 copies after a week. Meaning it climbed to the number 1 album spot in the UK. The record went onto win a BRIT award for the British album of the year. 

Arctic Monkeys followed Favorite Worst Nightmare up with Humbug, which they released two years later, in the summer of 2009. 

Review By Joe Strong