Saturday, December 30, 2017

Deep Purple (plus Europe), Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, 20/11/17

It's been titled the 'Long Goodbye Tour' and, who knows, with band members now in their 70s (as opposed to being 70s rock stars) then I guess it could be the last time, certainly in Wales. That said there was a great turnout at the Motorpoint Arena for this show and the bands didn't disappoint.

Europe

Europe made their millions from 'that' song in 1986, so they can't grumble that that's what most people know them for. But there is so much more to them than that and are a full on, functioning, 21st century rock band. Hard and soft, light and shade, great sound but heavy all the same, they never disappoint and will be back in Cardiff in May 2018 with their own headline show.


Europe, as good as ever

Deep Purple

And so to the main men, it'll be 50 years soon since they first formed in 1968. Of course, Blackmore is long off the scene and Jon Lord is sadly no longer with us, but the spirit of Purple is very much alive with Gillan, Glover, Paice, Airey and Morse.

Supern musicianship, pure craft and delivered at a volume and with power that few still can match.
What a band!

Set list

Time for Bedlam
Fireball
Bloodsucker
All I Got Is You
Uncommon Man
The Surprising
Lazy
Birds of Prey
Knocking at Your Back Door
Keyboard Solo
Perfect Strangers
Space Truckin’
Smoke on the Water
Hush 
Black Night

Purple, likewise


Paicey on the big screen


Ian Gillan, in good voice at 72

Friday, December 29, 2017

Metallica, Manchester Arena, 28/10/17

It's been a long time since I last saw Metallica, 28th September 1988 to be exact, but it didn't seem like 29 years as the biggest and best of the big 4 of thrash metal brought their Worldwired tour to the UK.
 
Unsurprisingly, security was tight in Manchester, as over 20,000 fans filed patiently through the scanners and body searches, as it was barely 4 months since the terrible events at the Arena.
 
A great arena though, huge but with great seats and fabulous sound. What a band!
 
Setlist
  1. Hardwired
  2. Atlas, Rise!
  3. Seek and Destroy
  4. Of Wolf and Man
  5. The Day That Never Comes
  6. Now That We're Dead
  7. ManUNkind
  8. For Whom the Bell Tolls
  9. Halo On Fire
  10. Stone Cold Crazy
  11. Creeping Death
  12. Moth Into Flame
  13. Sad But True
  14. One
  15. Master of Puppets

Encore

  1. Spit Out The Bone
  2. Nothing Else Matters
  3. Enter Sandman

 
Kirk, James and Lars
 

and all 4 members
 


 
Thank you Manchester!

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Ebbw Vale v Newport, Premiership East, 16/09/17

Another disappointing home defeat for Ebbw against long time rivals Newport.

The home side are just not at the races yet. Team and scorers here










Friday, September 29, 2017

Ebbw Vale 6 Pontypridd 17 Premiership East, 01/09/17

Ebbw Vale fell to defeat in the opening game in the Premiership on a fine September evening at Eugene Cross Park.

Despite plenty of effort, two simple pass and move efforts from Ponty proved the difference.

Match ball sponsors Eye For Finance.






Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Glamorgan v Sussex, County Championship Division 2, Colwyn Bay, 28-30/08/17

Always nice to spend some time in North Wales in August, and, despite a great effort, a largely experimental Glamorgan side went down to one wicket defeat against Sussex.

Scorecard and reports here.



















Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Benalmadena, Malaga etc, August 2017

A few pics from summer holiday at the Hotel Riviera, Benalmadena, Malaga, Andalucia.



Benalmadena Pueblo


Hotel Riviera at dusk


Torremolinos (1)


Torremolinos (2)


Railway station


La Feria, Malaga


Malaga harbour


Malaga bullring


Malaga city (1)


Malaga city (2)


Malaga city (3)


Benalmadena Costa at night


Hotel Riviera at night


Parque in Benalmadena


The view from the hotel terrace

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Glamorgan v Hampshire, T20, Cardiff, 07/07/17

Glamorgan's T20 Blast campaign starting in a rather feeble fashion as they suffered a 22 run defeat to Hampshire.

Batting first, the South Coast visitors posted an impressive 167/5 off their 20 overs, probably a little above par on a slow pitch. Lewis McManus top scored with an impressive 59 of 35 balls.

In reply, Glamorgan never really got going, and it was only a 28 ball half century from Graeme Wagg that gave the final total respectability.



A nice day, but cool evening



Glamorgan's star batsman Colin Ingram


The much traveled Shahid 'Boom Boom' Afridi took 4 wickets for 20 runs