Radio 1 presenter Sam MacGregor told BBC: “There has been a history of people who, when they have done a UK tour or European tour, have missed off Wales. But it’s exciting to see artists are starting to change that perception. And if people like Taylor Swift, the biggest artist in the world right now, can come to Cardiff, they why can’t some of the smaller or medium scale artists come?”

Fans had been eagerly awaiting information regarding Swift’s upcoming tour, and when the 34-year-old announced what cities she, along with support from American rock band Paramore, would be visiting, many were ecstatic to discover the singer would be hitting Cardiff this summer. The “Anti-Hero” singer will be playing Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on June 18, her only Welsh date for the entire tour.

Really can’t contain my excitement because… we’re adding 14 new shows to The Eras Tour. And I get to travel the world doing shows with @paramore!! Hayley and I have been friends since we were teens in Nashville and now we get to frolic around the UK/Europe next summer??? I’m… pic.twitter.com/kl1aijxR2o

— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) July 5, 2023

Taylor Swift isn’t the only superstar to be performing in Cardiff this summer, as the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, Billy Joel, and Pink will be performing at the Principality Stadium, giving Wales an unforgettable summer of live music.

Emily Cotterill from FOR Cardiff, a group representing businesses in the city centre, believes each event is a big opportunity. She said: “We want people who have maybe come to Cardiff once for a gig to think ‘we want to go back and spend a weekend’. Lots of the time, especially with these big names, they are a reason to come here for the first time and then it’s up to us to help those people come back for a second, third or fourth time.”

For more information on Taylor Swift’s upcoming Eras Tour, click here.

Tour dates:

07/06/2024 – Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium – Edinburgh
08/06 – Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium – Edinburgh
09/06 – Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium – Edinburgh
13/06 – Anfield Stadium – Liverpool
14/06 – Anfield Stadium – Liverpool
15/06 – Anfield Stadium – Liverpool
18/06 – Principality Stadium – Cardiff
21/06 – Wembley Stadium – London
22/06 – Wembley Stadium – London
23/06 – Wembley Stadium – London
28/06 – Aviva Stadium – Dublin
29/06 – Aviva Stadium – Dublin
30/06 – Aviva Stadium – Dublin
15/08 – Wembley Stadium – London
16/08 – Wembley Stadium – London
17/08 – Wembley Stadium – London
19/08 – Wembley Stadium – London
20/08 – Wembley Stadium – London

The team’s manager Richie Brown has explained that a parent of one of the AFC Rumney players had worked with 50 Cent on a recent tour, and was urged by some other keen parents to “see if you can get some sponsorship out of him for us”.

Brown commented on the matter, “He said he would ask the question – worst case scenario was [50 Cent] would have just said no. Thankfully he didn’t, he agreed to it. He sponsored our away kit first of all, and then we were a little bit cheeky. We asked for a little bit more, and he sponsored us again for our tracksuits.”

 The team plan to debut their new kits next week for their first away game of the season. Richie Brown said the team are also “going to get a few photos taken and sent over to him, then hopefully he can give us a good luck video or something to acknowledge it all. We’re massively appreciative of everything he’s doing for us right now. We love the support.”

We feel absolutely over the moon that our u14s Girls have been sponsored by World Known Superstar Actor / Music Producer @50cent @gunitbrand

He has provided our girls with a brand new, top quality tracksuits & away kit which we look forward to wearing this season

Thank You pic.twitter.com/l957VejqJx

— Cardiff BluebellesFC (@CBluebellesFC) October 5, 2023

After being discovered by rapper Eminem, New York born 50 Cent shot to fame back in 2003 with his smash hit “In Da Club”. Additionally, G-Unit was an American Hip-Hop group that included 50 Cent, alongside Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks.

Due to the rapper’s mid-naughties fame, team manager Brown seems to think that despite the players being excited, the sponsorship is an even bigger hit with the parents. “I’m sure more of them know who he is than the players because of their ages, but the buzz around the team and the whole club really is amazing and its all down to him.”

Tom Jones questions decision to ban Delilah at rugby games https://t.co/PFHXSd9xRn

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) July 22, 2023

Back in February, the WRU announced its decision that “Delilah” would no longer be sung at matches by the choir at the Municipality Stadium in Cardiff. In a move that has undoubtedly sought to deflect any controversy or offence to those attending rugby matches at the stadium, the WRU have defended their position by stating that they do not condone violence of any kind.

The song was written by Barry Mason in 1968 and contains a lyric that describes a woman’s murder at the hands of her boyfriend after she is found with another man. The decision by the WRU to stop singing the song has been criticised by one of Wales’ most famous sons and original singer of “Delilah”-Tom Jones. Jones, who is well known globally for hit songs such as, “It’s Not Unusual” and “She’s A Lady,” stated frankly that he simply will just keep on singing the song.

During his gig in Cardiff on Saturday 22, July, Jones allegedly told the crowd, “you can’t stop us singing ‘Delilah.’ Can you imagine? Who was the man who didn’t want us to sing ‘Delilah?’ They may stop the choir from singing it, but they haven’t stopped the crowd. Keep on singing it-and I’ll keep on singing it too.”

Jones’ personal fight for the song is not new either-the singer leaped to the ballad’s defence in 2014 when calls for its banning first appeared. Speaking at the time about the song, Jones said, “it makes me very proud to be Welsh. I think if they’re looking into the lyric about a man killing a woman, it’s not a political statement. It’s just something that happens in life that [a] woman was unfaithful to him and he just loses it.”

Politicians have weighed in and defended the banning as well, citing that often times during rugby or football matches, incidences of domestic violence tend to increase. The WRU have further stated that their decision to ban the song is based around the belief that some supporters will find the subject matter upsetting.

The song was censored earlier this year due to its connotations to domestic violence https://t.co/RQgwZYStcN

— NME (@NME) July 24, 2023

The song was a significant hit for Jones when the singer released the single in February of 1968. The song reached number 1 in several European countries and found success in Great Britain where it reached number 2. The WRU’s decision is sure to divide some sections of supporters while furthering the debate on censorship and public interest. Tom Jones is on tour now and tickets can be purchased here.

Tom Jones Tour:

24/07/2023 – Cardiff Castle – Cardiff
26/07 – Sandown Park Racecourse – Esher
27/07 – Dreamland – Margate
28/07 – Dreamland – Margate
30/07 – Tio Pepe Festival – Jerez De La Frontera, Spain
01/08 – Plaza de Toros – Alicante, Spain
03/08 – Festival de Terramar – Catalunya, Spain
05/08 – Cardiff Castle – Cardiff
06/08 – Audley End House and Gardens – Saffron Waldon

Stormzy is coming guys ?!? What are we expecting ? pic.twitter.com/GqgB2kUvPA

— Mimi The Music Blogger (@mdaixo) March 14, 2022

It’s a good start to the tour, with last night being the first performance. Over the rest of March and early April he’ll be making his way through places such as Sheffield, Dublin and three consecutive nights in London’s O2 Arena.

And he knows what he’s doing with this latest announcement. Extra incentive to attend the shows is being given, with the audience having special pre-ordering access to CDs of the new album at official merchandise stands, alongside a QR coded lanyard and a special limited edition t-shirt if they so wish. Their press release describes it as a “personal gesture of gratitude to his loyal and supportive fans who have waited almost two years for the UK shows“.

It’s been a while since Stormzy’s first two wildly successful studio albums. His debut back in 2017, Gang Signs & Prayer, became the first grime album on the UK Albums Chart to reach no. 1.

And his 2019 effort, Heavy is the Head, didn’t do too bad either, again reaching no. 1 and receiving critical acclaim across the board. The Independent said that Stormzy tests himself “emotionally as well as artistically …. [rattling] out ripostes to critics who have pressured him or attempted to ‘wind me up’, all the while he remains uncertain about where to go next. He may have started out that way, but the following 15 tracks herald a man who knows exactly who he is”.

If you’re just as keen to get the new album as to see the man live, any remaining tickets can be found through this link. He’ll be in Newcastle tomorrow and finishing up April 4^th reminding the Glaswegians why grime is such an important presence in British music at the moment, so be careful not to miss it. Full touring details can be seen below.

Stormzy UK Tour Dates

15/03/2022 – Utilita Arena – Newcastle Upon Tyne
16/03 – First Direct Arena – Leeds
18/03 – Utilita Arena – Sheffield
19/03 – AO Arena – Manchester
20/03 – M&S Bank Arena – Liverpool
21/03 – Motorpoint Arena – Nottingham
23/03 – Utilita Arena – Birmingham
24/03 – BIC – Bournemouth
27/03 – The O2 Arena – London
28/03 –The O2 Arena – London
29/03 –The O2 Arena – London
01/04 – 3Arena – Dublin
02/04 – 3Arena – Dublin
04/04 – OVO Hydro – Glasgow

THERE YOU HAVE IT

We’ll be bringing this lovely lot to Cardiff from Friday 1st April – Sunday 3rd April and WE CANNOT WAIT!!!

Who’s joining us? pic.twitter.com/uauVHsryyp

— BBC Radio 6 Music (@BBC6Music) February 15, 2022

“The most exciting element about the 6 Music Festival is the coming together, in a physical space, of our beloved 6 Music listeners and the staff at the station, with artists we love,” 6 Music’s Mary Anne Hobbs said in a statement. “Lockdowns have kept us apart since 2020, so this year’s gigs in Cardiff are going to feel super-charged.” The line-up on the first-day does seem to reflect the super-charged initial thoughts; post-punk icons IDLES take to the stage in The Great Hall to supply the Welsh crowd with their usual brand of woke-punk. Singer-songwriter and one part of the indie powerhouse that is Boygenius; Lucy Dacus is going to appear at The Great Hall, with none other than the one-and-only Pixies. St David’s Hall is another venue to be given the BBC treatment, Little Simz will appear alongside Mykki Blanco, Curtis Harding, and Deyah to create a fabulous blend of R&B, Poetry, and generally top tier songwriting. Tramshed will also be hosting a club night with appearances from DJ’s SHERELLE, Overmono, Tom Ravenscroft and many more.

Saturday night in Cardiff see’s appearances from Bloc Party, slightly before the release of their 6^th LP Alpha Games on April 22^nd, Sports Team take another swing at the festival after performing at the 2020 bout too, beabadoobee rounds out proceedings at The Great Hall. Khruangbin, an American psychedelic-dub-soul-trio make their first appearance in the UK since 2019, while Ezra Collective add a 2^nd date to their (currently quite short) touring schedule, Ibibio Sound Machine will also make an appearance to bring their own taste of electronic afro-funk to Wales. Nemone, Craig Charles, and David Holmes will also make appearances at Tramshed.

The final day of the festival brings Johnny Marr, Self Esteem, and Wet Leg together under the same roof; allowing the crowds to get quite the spread of music from only 3 artists, The Smiths singer-songwriter sits in stark contrast to Self Esteem’s experimental-pop aura, and Wet Leg’s post-punk anger. The most anticipated act of the evening however (for me at least), has to be the appearance of Father John Misty with the backing of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. The new sound of this album has revealed 2 great singles so far, so putting it into a live context can only highlight the glum maximalism he’s going for at the moment. Cat Power, Super Furry Animal’s own Gruff Rhys, and audiobooks round out what could be a very exciting evening.