The Alarm at Thekla - Bristol Live Music Review

Posted on: 2017-10-16

Our rating:

An uplifting set from a band who've seen it all in their 33-year history


It was just over sixteen months ago that I was at this same venue in the port of Bristol to watch Mike Peters perform the recreation of the famous  UCLA gig by The Alarm in a unique one-man show. As we enter the famous floating venue, a little late due to the city traffic, the support act looks a little familiar and he is playing a song that I last heard around thirty years ago. It is the last number of his set,  the leather-clad rocker stood up from his stool to leave the stage, I realised that it was Dave Sharp the original lead guitarist with The Alarm, very surreal.

 

The Alarm play Bristol's Thekla, 11th October 2017

 

Before long the stage was ready for the main act and The Alarm burst through clouds of fog to appear on stage ready to go. This time around the band was made up from Mike Peters on guitar, James Stevenson on Bass, Jules Peters on Keys and Smiley on Drums. Although Craig Adams usually dons the Bass, obviously tonight he is not available and lead guitarist James is playing the low notes.

 

In the last fifteen months, it has been no easy ride for Mr & Mrs Peters, just as Mike’s cancer was going into remission, Jules was diagnosed. This awful journey was shared in a no holds barred documentary on BBC Wales showing warts and all as the two of them dealt with this horrific blow. Why I mention this again is because what has come out of all of this is the value and fight and appreciation of every day in their world they live in.

 

The Alarm gigs now have a set up next to the merch stand bearing the Love, Hope and Strength emblem. This is to encourage people to be listed as donors for Cancer Stem Cell treatment and help the plight of those suffering this cruel disease.

 

From the first moment the band start playing there is an almost an invisible glow of warmth and positivity, the need to enjoy our every moment of being alive. The combat clad Alarm (another symbol of the fight against cancer) drive through” Absolute Reality”, “Coming Backwards” and “Breathe”, these are clever songs selected for the references previously mentioned.

 

The Alarm have a great relationship with their fans, dating back to the early 80's

 

Already the dry ice is in overdrive. The vocals are laced with heavy reverb sending echo after echo swirling through this red-hot passionate venue. Mike Peters sings every song as if it will be his last with an energy of a man half his age. As the band play “Rain in the summertime”, Mike asks the adoring crowd if they want to feel the rain, only to follow this with spraying mouthfuls of water over his disciples.

 

Being an avid follower of The Alarm from 1983 through all the changes and projects right up to 2017, one thing remains and that is loyalty from the start. The fanbase is more like a family than a crowd and over the years of following through thick and thin, defiantly a band who appeal to the faithful as opposed to the neutral.

 

Without doubt, the song of the night for me was “The drunk and disorderly”, this is everything that The Alarm are best at in playing live, the ingredients of a powered bass line, distorted acoustic, reverb and stops and starts. Not many bands can reach out to a crowd like this. “Without a fight”, “Kill to get what you want” again are a sign of where Mike Peter’s songwriting influences are at this current time.

 

With “Blaze of Glory” finishing the set like it has done for thirty years we know it’s time to shout for more. The band reappear of play the classics “The Stand”, “Where were you hiding” “45 RPM”, “Marching on” and the most famous of all “68 Guns”.

 

For the last time The Alarm return to thank their ever faithful followers with genuine love, Mike is preaching to the converted as he shouts “see you in 2018, stay safe and stay alive”. It is quite strange that the last but one number “Strength” was written in 1984 and has the lyrics.  “Give me Love, Give me hope, Give me strength, Give me someone to live for “, which has now become the theme of all that the band now stand for. “Two rivers” is the very last song of the night that covers the realms of a meeting where the rivers join somehow putting a graceful close to the show.

 

This is a band that has a reason to live to love and to do what most of us take for granted. The Alarm will always have the same following who will turn out come rain or shine every time they play. These days it is almost a spiritual experience watching The Alarm, killing day to day negativity and stress that we live with. I walked away with a positive outlook on life and would recommend a dose of this band to anyone.



Article by:

Mike Headington

Born and bred in Weston-super-Mare, Mike has played in bands over the last 30 years and has an avid interest in a wide range of music genres. With a passion for live music he spends endless nights watching all types of bands, both famous and not so famous. With a love of Bristol’s infamous venues and the thriving music scene he also follows the local football club in red with a passion. His mission statement is...Keep it real, keep it live and Keep on Rocking!!