Before the Motorpoint Arena and the Millennium Stadium ever existed, there was another Cardiff venue that played host to some of the biggest names in music. While Sophia Gardens is now probably better known for its cricket, it once held the Pavilion, which saw the likes of Tom Jones, Jimi Hendrix, and Pink Floyd perform.
The pavilion, which played host to some of the world's most iconic bands and singers, was originally built for the 1951 Festival of Britain, taking up a large space in the southern half of the park, which is now a car park. The building's framework was made up of a war-surplus aeroplane hangar from Stormy Down aerodrome near Pyle.
As well as having the likes of Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix grace its stage, the pavilion hosted the 1958 Empire and Commonwealth Games for boxing and wrestling, as well as the grand dance of the final day of the games. Now, the story of the venue is being told through ITV Wales' second series of Vanished Wales, presented by Adeola Dewis, which uncovers lost communities and landmarks around the country. You can get more nostalgia and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
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In the first episode of the series, Adeola pays a visit to the Welsh capital to see the site of the former landmark. The versatile venue held fashion shows and classical concerts, as well as star-studded gigs. Music writer Tony Chapman recalled on the TV programme how the music would reverberate around the pavilion and tiles would even fall off the walls. "It was a great opportunity to see some of these fantastic bands come to Cardiff - The Who, Johnny Cash, Little Richard. Everybody of that era played Sophia Gardens."
Veronica Miles, who appears on the programme, was a teenager in the 1960s when she was able to see some of the world's biggest stars at the venue. Working as a programme seller and coffee shop girl at the time, she recalled one legendary gig in November, 1967, where Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, The Move, Amen Corner, and The Nice all appeared on one bill. Speaking to Vanished Wales, Veronica said: "I was in the coffee shop, and Jimi came in wanting a coffee.
"So, we both had a coffee and a chat. He was a lovely man, nothing like his stage personality. He was well spoken and well mannered. I was wearing amber beads and he took a fancy to them. He wanted to swap my beads for the necklace he was wearing, but I had to explain that they belonged to my mam and she’d kill me if I didn’t come home with them."
Clive Taylor and Alan Jones from the Cardiff band Amen Corner were playing alongside Hendrix that night. Speaking on the ITV programme, Alan said: "It was a hometown gig for us, it was very exciting. We were a pop band really. Although we started off as a soul band we got in the charts and we became a pop band. And you have Hendrix doing his psychedelic stuff. The guy was awesome, he’s a one off. To have the privilege to play with him was immense, it was huge.”
Black Sabbath, Daddy Long Legs, and Tea and Sympathy also played the venue as part of a non-stop 12 hour concert in 1970, with music fans enjoying fish and chips while hearing their favourite bands play. As well as the iconic 1967 gig, English rock band Slade, Cliff Richard, and American singer Danny Kaye also performed in Sophia Gardens. Comedian Tommy Cooper also paid a visit to the site in 1960 as part of the National Food Exhibition for Wales.
In January of 1982, Alyson Jones, pictured above, was one of 750 people who turned up at the pavilion for roller skating in an event that was due to last two weeks. But, the very next day, heavy snow fall saw the roof of the venue totally collapse. The days of rock and roll legends visiting the site came to an abrupt end, with the building never being repaired or restored.
That November, the Leisure and Amenities Committee decided that the site should be cleared. Less than two years later, planning permission was granted for the site to be used as a car park, which is still there today. "Around the world there are probably plaques saying, 'Jimi Hendrix played here.' But, there's nothing like that at all [at Sophia Gardens]," added Tony Chapman.
Vanished Wales begins on Tuesday, April 4, at 8pm on ITV Cymru Wales.
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