The Damned and The Alarm playing Edinburgh Liquid Rooms on 6/7 June. Don't know if its part of a bigger tour.

I'll be at Musselburgh races during the day on the Saturday and will be subjected to free food and drink so apologies now for my drunken behaviour at the gig!

Could be a bit of bad news on this one Jonjo, as there was a major fire broke out on Saturday night at an Indian restuarant right next door to The Liquid Rooms - Sensational Alex Harvey Band were playing at the time and the venue had to be evacuated. Not quite sure as to the extent of the damage but I guess it must have been pretty bad as the BBC News that night had it as the third item.

Hope I'm not speaking out of turn but may I make a suggestion that The Alarm and The Damned , both having major loyal followings may well be able to fill and play The Picture House (old Calais Palais, for those old enough to remember) instead.

Yes spoke to the guy at Ripping today and he reckons that the Liquid Rooms could be out of action for up to a year!!! There is structural damage.Looks like a lot of gigs are being moved to the Picture House and there is nothing booked in for June yet so could be a goer.

Cheers

p.s.

Hibby since 1971

Confirmed at the Picture House on Saturday 6th June.

Doors open at 6:30 so could be an early start for The Alarm. I won't have time to change from the races so if you see someone in a suit come over and say hi! (I won't have a top hat on though)

Nothing on the 7th confirmed as yet. Can't imagine they'll do 2 nights at the Pic Hoose.

Had noticed the gig on The Picture House website - this is excellent news!! I am obviously a big fan of The Alarm but also like The Damned, although I haven't seen them live since 1987 at Govan Town Hall. I think we're very fortunate Jonjo because Edinburgh was really sadly lacking in suitable venues until The Picture House opened - I blame the numpty council who bow down to the noise abatement society. I'm sure we'll give the lads a real warm welcome - the last time at The Liquid Rooms was superb and if we can get anywhere near generating the atmosphere at King Tut's, I'm sure it will be a wonderful experience. It's just really good to have the lads back in the Capital.

Glad to see the guys are playing the ABC on Friday 5th in Glasgow, Its a great venue and it is sure to be a great night. Haven't seen the damned for years should be good...

quote:

Originally posted by hdg151:
Glad to see the guys are playing the ABC on Friday 5th in Glasgow, Its a great venue and it is sure to be a great night. Haven't seen the damned for years should be good...

Wow! Can't wait for that. What a bill! Is this 100 per cent confirmed?

Dougie

These concerts at The Picture House in Edinburgh and The ABC in Glasgow have so far only been confirmed on their own websites. As always I will only purchase tickets when it is absolutely officially confirmed by THE MPO. However, I find it hard to imagine that they have been falsely stated. I can't wait, think I'll go to both. I was originally intending to holiday around that time and visit my relations in Canada but will now have to rethink - wouldn't miss this for the world.

Cheers

Ewan

Hi Dougie

They are selling tickets on Ticketmaster for £17.50 each, so hopefully it is confirmed. It took my booking. An extra wee treat for Christmas.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year when it comes.
Hazel

Have just seen date for Academy Newcastle 4th June. Getting nearer to Dudley!

Hi all,if this tour gets to Manchester or near will go watch Mike and the boys but The Damned just arent the music i am into at all,i enjoyed the 2/3 songs when going to see Dead Men Walking again thats mainly to support Mike in everything he does!!!
My general music tastes arent from the punk era at all and i have never seen Mike or The Alarm as that kind of band!!!
Mick

Mick

I think you make a very heartfelt and valid statement and one with which I generally agree.

Music is often about perception and I for one have never recognised The Alarm as a punk band. Yes Mike was heavily influenced by seeing the likes of The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Damned etc in the early days and The Toilets and then Seventeen contained elements of that youthful exuberance and style but by the time Decleration (their first proper album) was issued Punk as a musical genre was long on the back burner. This is coming from someone who was very much a fan of The Stranglers, The Damned and Siouxsie etc. During the eighties even those aforementioned artists moved with the times and changed their styles considerably.

I love The Alarm and believe they have NEVER made a POOR album but I am somewhat concerned thet the new music is really a bit of a throwback and I would prefer to see Mike being more reflective and the tempo perhaps a tad slower. My own personal favourite from The Counter Attack Collective is Love is my Enemy - hardly a punk classic. I guess in closing what I am trying to say is that it is my opinion that the current direction of the band does not fully play to Mike's strengths yet even allowing for that the music is far superior to the general fodder out there.

Mick:

quote:

My general music tastes arent from the punk era at all and i have never seen Mike or The Alarm as that kind of band!!

Ewan:

quote:

I for one have never recognised The Alarm as a punk band. Yes Mike was heavily influenced by seeing the likes of The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Damned etc in the early days and The Toilets and then Seventeen contained elements of that youthful exuberance and style but by the time Decleration (their first proper album) was issued Punk as a musical genre was long on the back burner...I am somewhat concerned thet the new music is really a bit of a throwback and I would prefer to see Mike being more reflective and the tempo perhaps a tad slower...it is my opinion that the current direction of the band does not fully play to Mike's strengths...

I always find it interesting seeing what other Alarm fans think about the direction or the lack of it that the band are going in and also what style you prefer them to be playing. It's great that we are all so different. I actually prefer them doing the kind of stuff that they are doing now drawing upon their influences and bashing out great rock and roll songs and inbetween not letting us forget that they can write a song that seems to be the polar opposite of where they are at currently.

I don't think that Mike or any of the band have ever thought that they were a punk band, it's a case of that is where their major influences lie and what actually caused them to take up their instruments in the first place.

As to Mike not playing to his strengths I think that is not the case at all. Songs like 'Fightback' and 'Situation Under Control' are a clear demonstrations of his strength as a songwriter and I think if you sit down and dissect an album like 'Under Attack' (which contains a real mixture of Mike's writing style) I think you have to come to the conclusion that his writing is getting better (not every song on Guerilla Attack or the Counter Attack is an instant Alarm classic but they fit the moment and circumstance in which they were written).

Whilst the possible tour (is it really going ahead? Nothing on the website stating it to be confirmed 100%) with The Damned may raise a few eyebrows among those who prefer a more sensitive and slower tempo from Mike and The Alarm I for one am excited because I would get to see two bands who made up the soundtrack to my youth.

We are all different here on this forum and I'm sure if we took a poll about who prefers what about The Alarm that there would be a pretty even split between those who are loving what's going on now with the band and those who like you Ewan would prefer a more mellower band.

Like you Ewan I do think that what The Alarm are doing is better and "far superior to the general fodder out there" and it's great that all these years on that we are still talking about the band and are embracing all the great things of the original line-up and aligning ourselves with the current line-up and enjoying the dance no matter our preference.

Hi Doug

Thanx for the feedback. Despite what I had written (which hopefully wasn't to be taken as a criticism but merely an opinion, I am in no small way in full agreement with the points you make. We are all different and I'm sure like yourself that if you asked Alarm fans worldwide to compile a list of their favourite top five tracks by the band - past and present there would be hundreds nah thousands of different answers. I think being 40 has turned me into a bit of a grumpy old git. I find myself unable to say listen to an album like Rattus Norvegicus or Never mind the Bollocks from start to finish because it begins to grate. These albums were once the pride of my collection and whilst you won't find me listening to Kylie and Jason, I do believe I have mellowed and perhaps slowed down with age.

Mike and the M.P.O in general have been like part of an extended family to me and his music has been inspirational throughout my life from the death of my father in 1982 to being diagnosed with bipolar condition in 1987. More recently my mother was diagnosed with cancer of the kidney and her attitude has remained extremely positive thanx to the love and support of family and friends and in no small part to the inspiration she has experienced through Mike's own story.

Doug, I loved the Poppyfields and Under Attack and still believe there is some fine material on Counter Attack, my only bone of contention is that Mike's vocals sound better on some slower stuff.

All the best

Ewan