Video of the Week - MASTERS IN FRANCE, Little Girl

I know nothing about Masters In France other than they’re a Cardiff group, their last single (Greyhound) was a Radio 1 single of the week and their new single featured in this video features Joe and Enzo Calzaghe plus a postcard to Romilly Road, Canton which is where I was grew up.

The song is pretty good too … … … …

City Storm The Castle

A mementous week was ended by Cardiff City, in comnjunction with Championship sponsors N-Power, flashing player, squad and club images onto the walls of Cardiff Castle tonight.

It's never looked better!

Exclusive - After the agonising wait, it's finally going ahead, the deal is done! Big Cardiff signing!!!

Hooter’s has been granted permission to open by the Council this afternoon.

You weren’t expecting other news, were you?

When Lady Gaga is Lady Cack Cack

Billed as the most authentic tribute show around, the billing had us in stitches. Singing over the original songs, she couldn't sing like her, dance like her or act like her.

As for the "stunning costume changes worth thousands of pounds", well she started with one outfit and stripped down as the show went on ... which was the only thing about it I liked! :>)

See the photos here

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=201426&id=615726408&l=d1cc8fe29e

Cardiff Big Weekend Gig

Cardiff’s Big Weekend has been a major event for several years but while I have nil interest in the vast over-priced fairground that appears around Cardiff City Hall, the free mini music festival is always worth a look.

Friday night is local group night but I was already committed to a work social night so missed Los Camesinos and The Blackout (not that I had real desire to see them), Saturday was World Day and headlined by the reggae cheese of Chaka Demus and Pliers but yesterday’s bill came to a crescendo with ATHLETE and FEEDER, two groups I like musically and love live.

The Council may ban alcohol being permitted on site (you can buy plenty inside at £3.50 a pint) but they still permit hoardes of local chavs, p*ssheads and kids who can only text speak and abuse. However found a good spot and enjoyed.

Athlete were outstanding running through what was essentially a Greatest Hits style set. How they’ve never been as big as the likes of Snow Patrol, Coldplay and co, I’ll just never know as I find them far better. Musically they were tight and superb and highly appreciated by the crowd.

Feeder are regarded as a Welsh band led by Newport’s Grant Nicholas so the crowd built up for their set and was seriously packed as they arrived on-stage. I’ve never seen it so busy there. They came on late with problems and the sound was never right for them all night, not that too many cared. Their set was a mix of hits, tracks from their rock roots return Renegades and a couple of fan faves.

Both were superb but Athlete shone brightest as far as I was concerned.

Enjoy these pics and videos

ATHLETE PLAYING WESTSIDE

Stiff Little Fingers, Cardiff Millennium Music Hall videos

SLF complete with original bassist Ali McMordie and the inimmitable Jake Burns put on yet another blistering gig in Cardiff. Seen them more times than a care to remember going back to a support slot at Cardiff Top Rank to the Tom Robinson Band back in '77 and probably every year in the past decade or more since and I never get bored, netiehr do the crowd.

It fell strange going to the former Jongleurs Comedy Club but I loved it and was well into it although I thought you had to be near the front and away from the back and bar for the best acoustics.

SLF always cover the big tunes and most were there including for the first time in years, the epic Johnny Was.

The following vids were taken by myself - HANX!

The Tidy Kairdiff Tesco Shopper in jim jams

'Scuse me luv, where's Tesco's???

It rocketed to national news about how the lazy bints of St. Mellon's have been banned for going shopping at Tesco St Mellon's as so many go at all times of day.

It's a funny story in a way but when you listen to this (click link), you got to laugh but cringe too.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/wales/8485559.stm

A decade ends, the noughties are no more

Times flies and it's felt so true these past 10 years. I cannot believe that 10 years ago today, I was at Millennium Stadium watching a wonderful Manic Street Preachers gig seeing in the Millennium.

As a reminder of a never-to-be-forgotten occasion, here's Motorcycle Emptiness from that incredible gig.

Case Dismissed Against City

It was a shock last month when news emerged that Cardiff City were taken to court by the tax man to face a winding up order. The club were given 70 days to clear an undisclosed debt.


Chairman Peter Ridsdale, although annoyed that news in the public domain has got into the public domain (!!), was quick to assure supporters agreement had already been reached with HMRC but it created an air of suspicion and also came as a surprise to the potential Malaysian investors.


Late last night, there were more worried fans as Cardiff City were listed in the London High Court this morning to face another winding up order ... however, it turned out to be great news as the hearing was to dismiss the previous order.

In a short statement this afternoon, the club confirmed, "that the High Court today formally dismissed the winding up order that had previously been brought by HMRC. This was as a result of amicable discussions between the Club and HMRC. We are grateful for their co-operation and support".


Reasons to be cheerful then

The Buzzcocks, The Venue, Cardiff

Went to see punk pop legends The Buzzcocks in Cardiff tonight and what a show it was.

They rolled back the years (decades) with their power anthems and although Steve Diggle and Pete Shelley resembled two mad uncles, their performance was blistering. Still belting it out 100mph and mesmerising the crowd.

Shame it was switched from The Coal Exchange to The Venue (formerly Springbok Bar) as it was packed in there and not really suitable. It also didn't help all beer sold out early evening and all lager before The Buzzcocks came on.

Here's a few videos from the night - the first is filmed by me.


NOISE ANNOYS / BREAKDOWN





Oh Shit & Ever Fallen In Love




wHY cAN'T i tOUCH iT?

Cardiff now 7th after their non-playing Saturday

With City preparing for the visit of Ipswich to South Wales tomorrow - the game moved back a day so it didn't clash with Wales egg chasers getting booed and outclassed at home to the Aussies, bless'em - fans were left to wonder how destructive Saturday results would be. The answer is, they weren't bad at all.

On the downside, Cardiff now find themelves outside the play-off spots as QPR and Nottingham Forest overtook Cardiff in the table while Newcastle and West Brom in the automatic spots are currently threatening to run away with those places.

However it could have been much worse. A draw tomorrow will return City to 5th (and back above Swansea albeit on goal difference, a win will bring up 30 points and see Cardiff in 4th spot).

Leaders Newcastle made mince meat of The Swans beating them 3-0 with all the goals coming in the opening 25 minutes before they declared. West Brom in 2nd went goal crazy winning 4-0 at Sheffield Wednesday (Current on loan Bluebird Warren Feeney was a non-playing sub for The Owls while skipper and former City man Darren Purse is out of their squad). Leicester who started and finished the day in third will have been disappointed to have been held 1-1 at Scunthrope, the home equaklising in added time.

Although QPR leap-frogged Cardiff, they won't have been plased to have been held 2-2 at home by Coventry but Nottingham Forest, now 4th, pummelled Doncaster 4-1 at home.

Cardiff City star shamed with drink drive ban

Bluebirds Scottish international striker Ross McCormack was today banned from driving for 17 months and fined £2,600 after being convicted of driving at almost double the legal alcohol limit.

The incident occured at almost 4am after City's 4-3 win at Sheffield United last month with McCormack coming off the bench to set up the decisive goal.

Police were called to an incident after a luxury Range Rover crashed into fencing outside the Cardiff Bay Harvester restaurant. McCormack drove to his nearby home but was forced ijnto confession after police discovered that his distinctive personalised number plates came off with the impact of the bump ... doh, doh, doh!

Seriously, I hope Ross has learned his lesson. It could have been much worse.

Tartan Army Sell Out

Scotland head to South Wales on Saturday week for a friendly against Wales, the first ever international to be held at the new Cardiff City Stadium ... and they'll be there in force.

The Jocks had sold out their initial 2,000 allocation, had it doubled and have now sold out all 4,200 tickets.

Wales, suffering lukewarm support under John Toshack, have so far sold just over 8,000 but remain hopeful they will sell out too as interest picks up next week ... of course, how many of them go to Scotland as well reamins to be seen.

The Specials = Monkey Man, live at Cardiff CIA

The Specials played Cardiff ion Sunday night. I saw them 30 years ago with Madness and Selecter at the Top Rank ... all for £3.

This time, it cost £32 and I didn't go ... how I wish I had. All reports and feedback contain nothing but adulation.

Sahky vid as it seems everyone but everyone was dancing but enjoy this.

Rumours were doing the rounds on Sunday but today came confirmation that CARDIFF CITY striker Ross McCormack was arrested and subsequently charged with drink-driving and will appear in Cardiff Magistrates Court on November 9 charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.

This followed an accident in which, thankfully, nobody else was involved at almost 4am last Sunday. Ross is believed to have crased into roadside fencing outside the Cardiff Bay Harvester restaurant whilst heading home, he is understood to live near-by. There are rumours that his distinctive top of the range Range Rover with personalised plates was also written off in the collision.

The incident came hours after McCormack, as a late sub, started the move for Cardiff's stunning and decisive goal in the 4-3 win at Sheffield. He returned to South Wales with the squad after that match but went his own way.

Cardiff City wished to distance themselves at present, especially as a court case is yet to be heard, saying that they were aware of the incident but would not be commenting because it was a personal matter.

McCormack has had an unhappy start to the season after publicly courting a transfer to "Premiership" Hull City, injuring himself at Blackpool in August missing City and Scotland World Cup games over the past 2 months and finding his return to the side blocked by the current outstanding form and results of the side. I will await outcome of the trial before making any judgement.

The Changing Face of Cardiff

Went to Cardiff City Centre yesterday to see the new St Davids 2 shopping centre which opened on Thursday.

Taking away shops previously on the Hayes, the original ice rink, the outdoor fruit market and more, it's been a few years in the making.

Is it a benefit to Cardiff? Well it's nice but few new shops have aoppeared and, due to the recession, many shops are relocating from other city centre premises - tempted by reported four year rent free deals.

The likelihood is therefore that other areas of the city centre, certainly the Capital Shopping Centre, will be decimated.

My missus liked it tho!

Ninian Park - from dreams to rubble

Passed NP Towers today and although it's gone and we've moved on - and I know it's only bleedin' bricks and mortar - it's where I spent a huge chunk of my life so sad to see its demise. I want one of the floodlights!

Cardiff Steet Booze Ban

The Sun today is reporting that Cardiff is set to become the first U.K. city to introduce a drinking ban throughout.

It has been mooted in local press for some time. To be honest, as much as the place has a reputation, I don't see street drinking been any worse, and often much better, than other places.

However the story is worth it just to see the top picture in the Sun's story - you beauty!

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2693051/Booze-ban-for-binge-hotspot.html

WALES v SCOTLAND friendly confirmed for CCS

Following on from weekend rumours, the FAW have now verified that Wales will play a friendly game against Scotland in Cardiff at the new Cardiff City Stadium on Staurday November 14th.



This is likely to be a trial run for the new stadium being used as the main international venue as Wales bid to move games away from Muillennium Stadium as completes a Scottish double as Glasgow giants Celtic officially opened the new stadium for club football in July.

Wales and Scotland last met 5 years ago when Robert Earnshaw at the peak of his powers smashed home a hat trick in a 4 - 0 Millennium Stadium demolition. The last time Cardiff City hosted a football international was 11 years ago when the Red Dragon beat Belarus 3 - 2 at Ninian Park.

Cardiff City Stadium set for first international

It would appear that WALES on the the verge of playing an imminent friendly international against SCOTLAND at the new Cardiff City Stadium as soon as Saturday November 14 as the FAW look set to try out the venue ahead of vacating Millennium Stadium and using the new ground as a regular venue.

The fixture is widely expected to be confirmed this coming midweek.