Skip to content
Elly Roberts reviews
Alarm frontman Mike Peters has a real knack of keeping his loyal fanbase on board.His revolutionary interactive gig in Wrexham proved to be a masterstroke. In the humid and intimate setting, he delivered a 120-minute set fullof passion and gusto.
Approaching the gig without a setlist, he was at the mercy of the fans.Prior to the performance, they were invited to declare their favourite songson a request sheet placed on the merchandise table. They piled in to maketheir choices, which were handed to Peters to formulate in under 45 minutes.
A cleverly orchestrated publicity concept was unveiled, as his recentlycompiled 8-DVD boxset (The Gathering DVD Collection) was projected onto thestage backdrop, which also served to crank up the atmosphere.
When he stepped on stage, he was greeted as a Welsh rock hero, which he stillis. The likeable and down-to-earth singer handled the complexity of his showwith real charisma – though it must have been a challenge.
Set one was devoted to choices from album tracks. In 45 minutes he crammed inten songs. Despite his admiration for The Beatles, he resembled a latter dayBob Dylan in terms of musical style. When he played harmonica on various songsthe Dylan effect finally kicked in.
It had a real retro feel about it: shades of Greenwich Village New York inthe early 60s came to mind. Most of this material doesnt make the cut whenhes with The Alarm, so it was refreshing. He dug deep emotionally,as manysongs were dedicated to loved ones who had suffered at some time in their lives.
During his 30 minute breather, he barely had a moments peace as he gladlyautographed everything in sight. Further evidence of the interactive nature ofthe night.
After the break, it was time for the regular anthems that made him ahousehold name. Hit after hit rolled out as the energy level became palpablefrom both Peters and the audience: it was mass sing-along time.
By song three, New South Wales, (sung in Welsh and English), he was sweating profuselyand the place was rocking,as he gave his Takamine acoustic guitar a rightold pounding. Song seven, 45RPM, Peters revealed yet another trick. Using azapper, he switched on a video recorder, capturing the song for his next liveDVD. Predictably the fans went nuts.
Hearing classics such as 68 Guns, Spirit of ’76 and Where Were YouHiding When The Storm Broke done unplugged, they became a revelation.Often the lyrics are lost in the din, but there was no such problem this night.
By the end of an exhausting night, he thoroughly deserved the noisy chants of,“More, more, more.” Closing the night with a three song encore – Dylanfinally popped up as he hit a crescendo on Knocking On Heavens Door.Observing the night, Mike Peters was everywhere: on screen,mingling withfans and on stage.
The mark of a genius.
Weblink:The Alarm.com
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.