Mike Peters - Firehouse 13 9/16/16

Mike Peters

Friday September 16, 2016
Firehouse 13, Providence RI

Support: Laurie Sergeant

It is hard to think that I have been attending live concerts for over 30 years.  That really seemed to strike a chord on this particular evening.  Mike Peters, the lead singer of the Alarm, is on tour.  Mike is currently on the road calling the tour “The Spirit of 86 in 2016”.  The reason for the name is Mike is out celebrating the 30^th anniversary of the show the Alarm played on MTV in April of 1986.  The show, at the time, was huge in that the band was being beamed around the globe live.  Remember this was 30 years ago so this was pretty huge.  30+, 000 people were there. 

You can see for yourself right here.

I had the good fortune to see the Alarm on a few occasions and seeing this show was really a blast.  At first I thought it was going to be totally acoustic.  Mike, his guitar and harmonica.  He’d tell stories, sing, we’d laugh, clap and have a grand old time.

The good news is that did happen..but it was way more than that.

Mike came on stage and painted the picture of that day.  He told the whole set up, left the stage and pretended to “enter the stage”.  Even his mock up of the MTV VJs Martha Quinn was on point.

So Mike starts to play, and its “Declaration”.  The acoustic guitar is being just pummeled with his strokes and we all sing “Marching on annnnnnnnnnnnnnnddd oonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn” and it  pummels down.  “Marching On” kicks off and Mike has done some stage wizardry.  He is now playing along with the live track of bass, guitar and drums. 

You’ve probably rolled your eyes but this works.  It really worked.  It was loud, rowdy and just a whole lot of fun.

I’d have been fine with Mike playing the acoustic and telling stories, but this was just full on awesome.  I felt 16 all over again.  I was smiling, clapping, whooping and being a music fan.  Its how music should make you feel, its how live shows should be.  For the next 90 minutes we had it.

Full Set list.

Declaration
Marching On
Howling Wind
Knife Edge
Blaze of Glory
Walk Forever By My Side
Spirit of 76
68 Guns
Strength
The Stand
Rain in the Summertime
Rescue Me
The Stand (Prophecy)
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door

There we a lot of fun moments.  Mike telling stories of seeing the Sex Pistols and The Clash, and how both bands front men treated him differently.  How they got the support of U2 and toured with them early on, and even toured with Pat Benetar.

The night was capped when Mike left the stage at the end and then proceeded to hang out and sign and pose for pictures.  He was just a gracious man.  It is hard to root against him and what he is trying to do.

He accomplished a lot this evening for me personally.  A terrific night.

For all news on Mike and his tour, the Alarm etc,check out the official site