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Mike Peters of The Alarm

Live Gig Review

Mike Peters of The Alarm - Acoustic 

Artist - Mike Peters - The Alarm

Town / City - Portsmouth

Venue - The Wedgewood Rooms

Date - 7th June 2023

Mike Peters, with his recent health concerns not to be dwelt on, arrives with purpose on stage in Portsmouth. The mission: to play a lot of The Alarm songs in two sets with little conversation or banter. Looking like Woody Guthrie attacking his bass drum and Acoustic / Overdriven Guitar plus occasionally
hooking up his harmonica, he has a lot to concentrate on during this one man run through of 28 songs. Like Guthrie a fair few of the first set have an anti-war and poverty slant. There are a smattering from the soon to be released 16th June album Forwards getting an airing acoustically. Another stand out from the first set was The Drunk and the Disorderly from the 21 compilation released back in 2009.

Mike Peters of The Alarm
Mike Peters of The Alarm
Mike Peters of The Alarm
Mike Peters of The Alarm

After a break, Mike Peters returns and we have a 45 minute blast through all the Alarm songs that are more familiar to the more casual fan. From the first three 1980's releases Declaration, Strength and Eye of the Hurricane we hear all the classics. M.P’s voice is in great shape taking on the big choruses with ease and the gentler passages show his voice still has tone and balance, indeed it could be said that some of the less anthemic songs could have been carried without drum accompaniment as just acoustic guitar worked extremely well. The rebel rousing tunes get to the crowd and 68 Guns, Spirit of 76, Blaze of Glory hit the required spot for all. With Where were you hiding when the Storm broke as the appropriate encore to send all homewards into the Southsea night whistling the hook line.

Mike Peters of The Alarm
Mike Peters of The Alarm
Mike Peters of The Alarm
Mike Peters of The Alarm
Mike Peters of The Alarm

Set 1
Forwards
Fail
Whatever
Cenotaph
New Standards
All is Forgiven
Transition
Peace Now
Free Inside
The Drunk and the Disorderly
Next
Set 2
Shout to the Devil
Lie of the Land
Reason 41
The Stand
Absolute Reality
The Deceiver
Howling Wind
The Day the Ravens Left the Tower
Knife Edge
Dawn Chorus
Sixty Eight Guns
Rain in the Summertime
One Step Closer to Home
Spirit of 76
Rescue Me
Blaze of Glory
Encore:
Where Were You Hiding When the Storm Broke

Incoming news: The Alarm are to be supporting The Cult at a big show at Cardiff Castle on July 4th 2023

review by - Dan Reddick

photos by - Dan Reddick

Mike Peters of The Alarm
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