5/28/2000: Mike Peters, Alarm 2000 Day, Bodelwyddan, Wales
Summary
Full Transcript
For years we've all known and loved Mike Peters as singer, songwriter, rock
star and general all-round good guy. Now add another to the list: Raconteur.
At Alarm Day 2000 Mike treated a lucky few of his fans (though surely more
than the 200 expected?) to a string of stories, some well known, some not
so, between the songs. The format of the day was Mike, solo and acoustic,
running through almost the entire Alarm back catalogue, with commentary,
album by album, taking a short break at the end of each album's-worth.
To be truthful Mike's voice wasn't at it's best. He was suffering from cold
and it showed, but it didn't really matter. His obvious love for the subject
matter, along with ours, carried him through it and his voice did improve
considerably as the day went on.
Taking breaks into account, Mike was onstage for around nine hours, although
the stage changed location as he took us outside for the Eye Of The
Hurricane section. Musical highlights were many – snippets of Take Me Home
and Alarm Alarm, a beautiful Welsh language version of A New South Wales,
Rain In The Summertime sung outdoors under threatening skies – and a
surprising high point when he stood back and simply played the CD of the
fabulous "new" electric version of One Step Closer. It received the loudest
cheer of the day, and rightly so. As a toast to absent friends, it couldn't
be bettered.
The advertised question and answer sessions never really materialised,
although Mike fully responded to the few questions that were posed from the
floor. But it didn't need to, as he brought up everything that any Alarm fan
would have reasonably asked anyway. How the band started, how they wrote
songs, what his relationship with Dave Sharp was (and is), what really
happened at Brixton; All of these and many more questions didn't need to be
asked – he offered the information willingly though, at times, painfully.
Mike took us through a whole range of emotions from roaring laughter (when
recounting being asked to look after a "huge bag of white powder" by one of
The Stray Cats) to tears (more than one person left the room during Moments
in Time). The things that stood out more than anything though was his
immense love and respect for the three other band members, and his pride in
the body of work that they had produced.
As a backstage look into the birth, life and death of a successful rock
group, the day was an eye-opener.
As a celebration of the music of The Alarm, it was simply beautiful.
Press Release
"It�s a Bank Holiday Weekend"
Sunday May 28th 2000 Faenol Fawr Country House Hotel
Bodelwyddan, Rhyl, North Wales.
To celebrate the release of The Alarm 2000 collection, Mike Peters will be hosting Alarm 2000 Day in a picturesque country house, the Faenol Fawr, just outside Rhyl, North Wales, the birthplace of The Alarm.
Mike Peters will perform all the songs from each Alarm album in sequence�an acoustic marathon taking in the entire works of The Alarm � this will be an epic challenge and every performance of each album wil be followed by a Q&A session with Mike whereby he will answer as many questions as possible relating to each of the five eras of Alarm history�
Tickets are strictly limited to 200 and are priced at �20.
Please call MPO now on 01745 571571 to book your ticketSet List
Session 1: The Alarm;
Unsafe Building, Up For Murder, For Freedom, Across The Border, Lie Of The Land, The Stand
Section 2: Declaration;
Declaration, Marching On, Where Were You Hiding, 68 Guns, Tell Me, We Are The Light, Shout To The Devil, Blaze Of Glory, The Deceiver, Pavillion Steps, What Kind Of Hell, Third Light, The Stand (Prophecy), Unbreak The Promise, Howling Wind, The Chant Has Just Begun, Second Generation, Room At The Top, Reason 36, Reason 41, The Bells Of Rhymney, Bound For Glory, Absolute Reality
Section 3: Strength;
Strength, Knife Edge, The Spirit Of '76, Walk Forever By My Side, Father To Son, Deeside, Majority, One Step Closer To Home (album playback), Caroline Isenberg, Dawn Chorus, The Day The Ravens Left The Tower, Knocking On Heaven's Door
Section 4: Eye Of The Hurricane;
Rain In The Summertime, Newtown Jericho, Hallowed Ground, One Step Closer To Home, Shelter, Eye Of The Hurricane, Permanence In Change, Only Love Can Set Me Free, Rescue Me
Section 5: Change;
Change I, Sold Me Down The River, Devolution Working Man Blues, Love Don't Come Easy, Take Me Home (1 chorus only), Change II, Know Me Like I Know You/The Rock, Hardland, No Frontiers, Where A Town Once Stood, Scarlet, Black Sun, A Prison Without Prison Bars, How The Mighty Fall, Corridors Of Power, Breaking Point, Rivers To Cross, Hwylio Dros Y Mor
Section 6: Raw;
Raw, The Road, Rockin' In The Free World, The Wind Blows Away My Words, God Save Somebody, Moments In Time, Let The River Run It's Course, Lead Me Through The Darkness, Hell Of High Water, Wonderful World, Save Your Crying, Merry Xmas (War Is Over), Maggie May (not on CD), Only The Thunder (Due to accidental omission from Strength section), Walk Forever By My Side
Encore;
Breathe
Band Comments
Alarm 2000 Day was a special and unique kind of day. 250 dedicated MPO members made the trip to North Wales to spend the day with Alarm lead singer, Mike Peters and listen to him spill his innermost feelings and thoughts on his Alarm experiences. It was a very emotional and uplifting day with Mike determined to sing almost every song from the Alarm catalogue.
Fatigued by his recent touring exploits with Big Country and overwhelmed with recording a dizzying realm of dedications pouring in from all over the world, Mike was exhausted and fighting off a heavy ‘tour’ cold. At 11am that morning, cocooned on the top flooe of the country house and location for the day, the Faenol Fawr, Mike felt for the first time that he was ‘without voice’ and the day ahead loomed ominously. It was even considered by Mike and MPO staff that maybe the day would have to be reset. Like the trooper he is, Mike decided to plunge in to the danger zone of ‘Declaration’ and test his voice to the limit. Buckets of honey and lemon later and aided by a fantastic and supportive audience Mike soon felt his voals juicing back to life and the day of songs and recollections rolled on into the night.
It is pointless to try and recapture Mike’s stories and heartfelt memories here in print as that is an experience all in itself. Suffice to say, the experience has moved MPO to explore the possibilites of holding Alarm 2000 Days all over the world. Investigations are already being made for a possible Alarm 2000 Day on the east coast of America later this year. In the meantime read on through the setlist and imagine a one man 12 hour performance…
Unsafe Building
Up For Murder
For Freedom
Across the Border
Lie Of The Land
The Stand
Declaration
Marching On
Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke?
Sixty Eight Guns
Tell Me
We Are The Light
Shout To The Devil
Blaze Of Glory
The Deceiver
Pavilion Steps
What Kind Of Hell
Third Light
The Stand (Prophecy)
Unbreak The Promise
Howling Wind
The Chant Has Just Begun
Second Generation
Room At The Top
Reason 36
Reason 41
Bells Of Rhymney
Bound For Glory
Absolute Reality
Strength
Knife Edge
Spirit Of 76
Walk Forever By My Side
Father To Son
Deeside
Majority
One Step Closer To Home [Electric Version] (From The CD)
Caroline Isenberg
Dawn Chorus
Only The Thunder (Played Later)
The Day The Ravens Left The Tower
Knocking On Heaven’s Door
Rain In The Summertime
Newtown Jericho
Rose Beyond The Wall (Not Played)
Hallowed Ground
One Step Closer To Home
Shelter
Eye Of The Hurricane
Permanence In Change
Presence Of Love (Not Played)
Time To Believe (Not Played)
Only Love Can Set Me Free
Rescue Me
Elders & Folklore (Not Played)
My Land Your Land (Not Played)
Pastures Of Plenty (Not Played)
Change I
Sold me Down The River
Devolution Working Man Blues
Love Don’t Come Easy
Change II
Hardland
The Rock
No Frontiers
Where A Town Once Stood
Scarlet
Black Sun
Prison Without Prison Bars
How The Mighty Fall
Firing Line (Not Played)
Corridors Of Power
Breaking Point
Rivers To Cross
A New South Wales (In Welsh)
Rockin’ In the Freeworld
The Road
Raw
The Wind Blows Away My Words
God Save Somebody
Moments In Time
Let The River Run It’s Course
Lead Me Through The Darkness
Hell Or High Water
Wonderful World
Save Your Crying
Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
Maggie May
Only The Thunder
Walk Forever By My Side
BreatheFan Comments
Thanks to Mike and all who organised the day for a great event and to the people who gather to these events that make it so much more enjoyable.
(Sam & Andy Greenley,Cambridge)
Hats off to you and company for a fantastic day of looking
back…a Retrospective Deluxe whose value cannot be measured, and whose
rewards will continue to be reaped long after this week, month and year have
passed. A life changing day.
(Travis Tiffin, USA)
Well – what can I say about Alarm Day? This must surely go down as one of the most impressive days of Mikes’ career. Sore throat or not, MP gave it his all and gave those few of us lucky enough to be there, one helluva day.
The mix of music and stories was brilliant, despite the drunken calls from the back for another song – the stories gave a truely unique insight to the
songs.
(Paul Willcox)
