11/3/2000: Mike Peters/Alarm 2000, Brave Bull, San Gabriel, CA
Summary
The final show of the US leg of The Alarm 2000 tour was a real corker. It was even more amazing because it was played in such an odd place, at a venue whose acoustics and facilities were less-then ideal. The crowd was humming with rumors of tour-ending surprises, but I don’t think anyone could have predicted 6 of San Gabriel’s finest Police Officers arriving to bust-up the “disturbance” Mike and the boys created outside the venue at 2:00 A.M.
The show was amazing, just like all the other Alarm 2000 shows, but the with upwards of 5 opening bands, The Alarm 2000 took the stage at 12:30 AM (so technically the show was on the 4th and not 3rd) and the had to play a modified set, speeding up many numbers to get through them. This meant the show was fast and furious crowd-pleaser, with more energy produced on stage than most bands product in an entire tour.
The ending came too quickly. At 1:30, the mangement got excited that the band had been playing too long, past curfews in voilation of noise ordinances, turned the sound down from the P.A. 15 minutes later, in the middle of 68 Guns (A dedication for Alarm fan 68 Gonz. Jim Gonzales)) , they cut the P.A. entirely. Did any of this hinder the band? Come on, this is Mike Peters we are talking about. The band blazed through the end of 68 Guns with no P.A. and it still sounded brilliant. At the end of the song, Mike invited the audience “‘roud back to the car park to finish the show.”
The security and management were noticably jumpy and confused by this. They had probably never heard or seen anything like it in their lives. Minutes later, Mike appeared behind the venue in the parking lot, where nearly the entire audience from inside the venue was waiting for him. He and James Stevenson burst into an acoustic rendition of “Blaze Of Glory” that lit-up the cool San Gabriel morning with shimmering acoustic guitars, and the voices of 150 fans singing along. As the venue security rushed outside to see what was happening, several police officers arrived by both car and bicycle obviously tipped off (by the venue management?) that there was “disturbance” outside, From what had gone on inside the venue, they might have thought a full punk-rock riot was taking place. However, what they found was a joyful, peaceful, almost spiritual sing-along by an amazing artist, and a groups of adoring, die-hard fans. The polices did nothing to stop it, and for the most part looked-on astonished at the proceedings.
After the song, Mike thanked everyone, said goodbye, and the historic first-leg of The Alarm 2000 tour was complete. It was an amazing end to an amazing tour. Watch out UK, this thingis coming your way next!
Press Release
Mike Peters: Lead vocals, guitar
plus:
Guitar: James Stevenson(Chelsea,Generation-X, Gene Loves Jezebel)
Bass: Richard Llewellyn (Jess,Cartoon)
Drums: Steve Grantly: (Stiff Little Fingfers)Set List
Band Comments
Fan Comments
This was a magical final performance for the first US tour of the Alarm 2000. Thanks to the whole band for giving so much.
(Marianne Kamber)