WELSH REPORT
Hairies turn out for Slade
ALTHOUGH WELSH concertgoers haven't exactly been spoilt for choice this week, the last seven days have had their high-spots.
One of these high-spots was Friday's Slade gig at Cardiff University, which attracted a vast number of people of varying tastes and proved to many that Slade are as good as. if not better than, their reputation.
The fact that Slade broke through as a bovver band didn't dissuade a large number of hairies from descending upon the University. Neither did the fact that the outfit's music runs deeper than that of the average bop band persuade the less hirsute and the younger faction to stay away.
In short, the whole thing was an unqualified success.
On the whole, Friday wasn't a bad day for those living around the capital. As well as Slade in the town itself, Fluff, when have now visited two or three Welsh venues, could be seen at Swansea University and, although the visuals weren't quite as powerful as at the Slade concert, the outfit made quite an impact. Competition for both concerts took the form of a gig by Gypsy at Glamorgan College of Art.
On Sunday, the focal-point switched to the North, where Bangor University's month long Arts Festival drew up to a climax with a nine-hour free rock concert.
The music was more varied than the word rock would lead you to believe but when you have nine bands together, you can hardly expect to hear rock and nothing but rock.
Appearing were Acrobat. Astrigang, Euphoria, Harflett and Perkins, Headstand, Hobo, Judas Priest, Mother's Dog and Z. Among the harrdest workers - and there were quite a few - were members of the chroma Light Show team, who kept up the good work for the duration of the mini-festival.
Another of those high spots I mentioned earlier was Mott The Hoople's first (or so I believe) visit to Wales. That was on Tuesday at Aberystwyth University, which was besieged by rockers from miles around and sold out well in advance. It would be interesting to hear what Mott thought of their audience at that gig.
The coming week sees the end of the Swansea Arts Festival, on Saturday, and very few big-name dates again.
You can look forward to Heads, Hands and Feet at Bristol Old Granary next Monday, however, and a rare visit by Captain Beefheart, who plays at Bristol Colston Hall on the following Friday. That, of course, is if you happen to be living near the border.
DATES: Saturday: Swansea Arts Festival ends. Sunday Cardiff Ocean Club Vince Hill; Bristol Colston Hall Saacha Distel. Monday: Bristol Old Granary Heads, Hands and Feet. Tuesday: Bristol and Cardiff Top Ranks Ben E. King; Bristol Colston Hall Jaccques Loussier Trio.
MAURICE BOWER
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