Showing posts with label Buckingham Palace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Buckingham Palace. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

"The Alarm" Is Sounding Off!


Brand New Album Sigma Set For June 28th Release

 A fraternity of alternative British rock bands led by acoustic pioneers The Alarm, post punk auteurs Modern English, and the charismatic Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel have announced they will take to the road throughout North America this summer 2019. See initial dates below.

The Sigma LXXXV Tour #sigmatour2019 will stop by some 30 plus North American cities, presenting the very best music and ideas from a generation of enduring artists, brought together through a legacy of timeless sound and song. Tickets go on sale today Friday, February 22 and information is available at all three bands websites:  www.thealarm.comwww.modernenglish.me,www.genelovesjezebel.co.uk
With all three artists still proving to be as creative as ever, The Alarm will release a new album Sigma to coincide with the tour on June 28th alongside a reissue of their significant 1985 album Strength (available March 15). Strength is available to PRE-ORDER now from thealarm.comAll individual CD and LP pre-orders placed through thealarm.com will qualify for a Free CD that is exclusive to the alarm.com entitled: ‘The Alarm – A Story of Strength‘ featuring a host of exclusive Alarm tracks and narration by Mike Peters. This fascinating CD tells the entire story of The Alarm’s Strength period from 1985-1986. A special Limited Edition package of 300 is also being made available to pre-order which will include both the CD and LP Editions, a free CD copy of The Alarm – A Story of Strength, along with a very special Replica Strength Era Backstage Pass personally signed by Mike Peters, that can be used to create a unique ‘collectors’  edition. The Limited Edition Collectors package is only available at thealarm.com All titles have been remastered from the original master tapes by mastering engineer Pete Maher (U2, White Stripes…) under the supervision of Mike Peters.
Photo:
Andy Labrow
 The Alarm will perform a full and lengthy set at Irving Plaza on April 13th as part of their US/NYC “Gathering” concerts and will also headline The Gramercy in NYC the day before (April 12) performing a set list that was originally performed by the band during the “Spirit of ’86” concert that was historically broadcast around the world via MTV on April 12, 1986.  

Sigma acts as the sequel to 2018’s critically acclaimed EQUALS release and features musical contributions from original Alarm guitarist Dave Sharp and Billy Duffy from The Cult. Full details on Sigma will be revealed in the coming weeks.

In addition, Mike Peters was recently honored with an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) Award by HIs Royal Highness Prince Charles Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace.  The MBE is one of Britain’s highest honors.  Mike was awarded for his services to charity having raised thousands for cancer care projects in the UK and abroad and dedicating his life to giving hope for families affected by cancer.

Modern English first toured on a double bill with The Alarm back in 1985/86 during the Strength tour. Modern English released their latest album Take Me To The Trees in 2017, and are still a staple of American First Wave Alternative radio station playlists with amongst others, their classic hit ‘I Melt With You’.

Also hailing from Wales UK, are Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel, who first broke onto the American charts in 1985 with a cocktail of infectious hit songs such as ‘Desire’, ‘Jealous’ and ‘The Motion Of Love’, and will be joining the Sigma LXXXV Tour in support of their most recent album release, Dance Underwater which was received with delight by their legion of fans.

Throughout the Sigma LXXXV Tour, members of all three bands will join together each night for a Grand Finale version of the ‘Love Hope Strength’ charity anthem to highlight the additional life-saving aspect of the tour.

Love Hope Strength is a charity dedicated to ‘Saving Lives One Concert at a Time’ and throughout the Sigma LXXXV Tour it will be hosting bone marrow drives at each concert aimed at finding donors for people suffering from Blood Cancer who need a transplant for a second chance at life! The charity has already registered over 200,000 individuals and located some 4,000 plus potentially lifesaving matches. Visit
www.lovehopestrength.org for more information.

Alarm Fans attending the tour will also have the opportunity to enhance their participation by purchasing EXPERIENCE SIGMA LXXXV TOUR 2019 passes which will be limited to '85' which matches the tour theme, and will feature additional and exclusive pre-show acoustic performances with Mike Peters, along with an interactive Q&A / Record signing session and a guaranteed photo opportunity Attendees will also have the opportunity and to catch up with exclusive tour merchandise along with the most recent Alarm record releases in the tour ‘pop up record store’ and merchandise emporium.


QUOTE FROM MIKE PETERS of The Alarm

"The Sigma Tour will bring out the best that The Alarm has to offer the 21st Century, and along with our friends Modern English and Jay Aston's Gene Loves Jezebel, we look forward to taking part in an event that will hopefully, live long in the memory for all our fans." says Mike Peters. "Our music, which still gets played on the radio every single day, gives us all a platform for creativity that will shine through every second of the Sigma Tour. Fans can expect collaboration, moments of reflection, camaraderie and also the unexpected. The tour will be alive on all the social media platforms allowing fans from around the world to see what its like for British bands to be on the road in the USA. Each show will be presented by an in-house MC / DJ and play host to intimate pre-show events that will connect fans to the musicians in a setting away from the spotlight. Up on the main stage every night, The Alarm will be celebrating the release of a new music album entitled Sigma, and honoring the 1985 Strength album reissue that has literally changed and saved lives through Love Hope Strength, the charity which sprang from the intention of the lyrics. The Sigma Tour will look, sound and feel like no other. It's an opportunity for our generations of fans, to make themselves heard, and for us as artists to prove that we are still as relevant as when we first helped shape the musical landscape of America, and when it's citizens looked to British bands for inspiration and alternatives."

QUOTE FROM JAY ASTON of Jay Aston's Gene Loves Jezebel

"We are so excited to be touring the U.S. with our dear friends The Alarm & Modern English." says Jay Aston. "We all go way back back of course. I remember The Alarm & Gene Loves Jezebel regularly playing different nights at the legendary RockGarden in Covent Garden and as a fellow Welshman, I always kept an eye on their incredible progress. We opened for Modern English early on in our career & often bumped into Rob & the lads at our label (Beggars Banquet) in London. Always great fun to see them and I can vividly remember Ivo (A&R man at 4AD), playing me songs from “After The Snow” & being concerned at rising studio costs (I think 4AD might have got a fair return on their investment…). I once played solo gigs with thee Mike Peters in the UK of course and James Stevenson has been playing with the The Alarm for some time. It’s actually amazing that we haven’t toured together before! We can’t wait to play songs from our “Dance Underwater” album and music from all our albums on the upcoming tour. We’re all planning to make it a very, very special tour." Jay Aston

QUOTE FROM ROBBIE GREY of Modern English

"We are all really looking forward to it." says Modern English vocalist Robbie Grey, "Three bands all from the same era, still creating and performing and coming together for this summer tour. The response has been amazing from promoters and fans alike. Modern English has known Mike Peters and The Alarm since the 80's, same with Jay Aston and Gene Loves Jezebel. It’s going to be fantastic. Modern English are looking forward to performing our early post punk material including 'After The Snow' songs, along with tracks from our most recent album 'Take Me To The Trees' and hopefully a new song which will be the first Modern English single in a long time (that’s a maybe by the way!!). When Mike said did we want to do it ? We said f…k yes".

 Sigma LXXXV Tour 2019 Dates


Friday, July 19, 2019
Austin, TX
3Ten Live
Saturday, July 20, 2019
Dallas, TX
Gas Monkey 
Sunday, July 21, 2019
Oklahoma City, OK
Tower Theater 



Thursday, July 25, 2019
San Diego
House of Blues
Friday, July 26, 2019
Temecula 
Wiens Family  Cellars 
Saturday, July 27, 2019
LOS ANGELES
MICROSOFT THEATER 
Friday, August 02, 2019
San Francisco
Regency Ballroom 
Saturday, August 03, 2019
Sacramento
Ace of Spades 
Monday, August 05, 2019
Portland, OR
 Aladdin 
Tuesday, August 06, 2019
Seattle, WA
Triple Door
Wednesday, August 07, 2019
Spokane, WA
Bing Crosby Theater 
Friday, August 09, 2019
Denver
Oriental Theater
Saturday, August 10, 2019
Lawrence, KS
Liberty Hall 



Monday, August 12, 2019
St. Louis
Delmar Hall



Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Minneapolis
Fine Line
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Milwaukee
Turner Ballroom
Friday, August 16, 2019
Chicago
House of Blues
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Detroit
St. Andrews
Sunday, August 18, 2019
Cleveland
House of Blues
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Boston, MA
Paradise 
Thursday, August 29, 2019         Asbury Park, NJ
              Asbury Lanes

The Alarm “Gathering New York” solo shows:

April 12             Gramercy Theatre        New York – Performing “Spirit of ‘86” setlist
April 13             Irving Plaza                   New York – Full electric concert

Fans who purchase weekend ticket passes for both events, will also receive a commemorative collectors laminate pass as they enter the venue on April 12th.


Click here to view The Alarm - Strength Live from The Gathering on February 2019.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiAvNhjZPew&feature=youtu.be

Click here to view the original video for The Alarm - Strength 7" Single (1985) Remastered. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyPm_B8dPMs&feature=youtu.be

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

If The Tiara Fits

You Can Call Me Queen K...
Kate Middleton 
I think my friend Shani Bayne is wearing off on me. I have never been a huge Royal watcher, but thanks to her Royal loving ways I am now paying more attention to the goings on over the pond. Yeah, I admit it, I am looking forward to Prince Harry & Meghan Markle's televised wedding.

With that cat out of the bag, I always did love Princess Diana. She took the Royal thing to a whole new level. She was accessible, kind, philanthropic, she gave not only of her money, but of her time and the greatest gift you can give anyone, her love.

So my interest in Kate Middleton donning one of Diana's favorite tiaras, The Cambridge Lover's Knot to a diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace, is most likely about what a lovely tribute it was to one of the most beloved women in history. 

"Yes" and my heightened awareness of the Royal Family due to Shani, damn you woman!  

Kate on Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine,_Duchess_of_Cambridge