Season 3 of Big Night in takes on a new format and style, no longer being broadcast from Mike and Jules Peters house in Dyserth, Wales it has moved just down the road to it’s new home at Dyserth Community Hall. The show also has a small live audience of Alarm fans who are spending the weekend at The Alarm Chapel for their Staycation.
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Season 3 Episode 1 pre-production – Broadcast as a live stream in the making on Friday 2nd July 2021.
Running length 2 hours 2 minutes
The format of this has a “fly-on-the-wall” feel to it as they recorded the live songs and links between pre-recorded zoom interviews. The songs were seen played, only some or part of the videos were shown. These were then stitched together for a polished post-production broadcast. This broadcast also invluded interaction between Mike, Jules and the staycationers in a mix of informal chats and discussions around the room or on the Big Night In sofa. This broadcast also included an impromptu rendition of Bank Holiday Weekend. These segments of the recording are available exclusively to watch back on The Alarm Central platform
Season 3 Episode 1 post-production – Broadcast as a live stream on Saturday 3rd July 2021
And then available on demand on The Alarm Central Platform for paid subscribers
Songs performed :-
The Toilets – Nothing To Do – The first ever song Mike Peters wrote in 1978
Seventeen – Talking About the Weekend – with audience participation
Seventeen – Street of a Thousand Faces
The Alarm – Up For Murder – during the chat Mike revealed that this song was not actually an Alarm song when he first heard it. It was one of three songs performed by Dave Sharp, Nigel Buckle and Gaz Top in a skiffle band called Screamin’ Demons. The other songs being Across The Border and My Baby Is a Cadillac
The Alarm – Unsafe Building
Videos shown :-
Simon Shaw – zoom interview with the creator of Unsafe Building artwork, talking about meeting Mike and the early days of seeing him play in Stripey, the Toilets, the 1520 club, Seventeen, Emu Road Battersea.
Gareth Jones / Gaz Top – zoom interview with long time friend, roadie, musician, Vlogger, MC talking about the very early days of meeting Mike and Seventeen, Bistro, the recording of Unsafe Building single at Pluto Studios, Manchester, England, the move to London
Seventeen – live performance of Four Minute Warning at Dingwalls, Camden, London NW1, England in 1980
Rob Bevis – zoom interview with one of the longest Alarm fans from the days of Seventeen onwards
John Selwyn ‘Redeye‘ Edwards – zoom interview with long time friend of the band, roadie, tour manager, talking about how he met Mike and the early days around Rhyl
The Alarm – Audio with photo slide show of Mr Jones performed at The Stables, St Asaph, Wales, 30th June 1981, the only time this song was performed by The Alarm
Season 3 Episode 2 pre-production – Broadcast as a live stream in the making on Friday 9th July 2021.
A very similar format to episode 1 with the mix of recording for the Saturday night broadcast and some light hearted off the cuff chat whilst the videos were running, including a teaser about Coloursound and a story about the first European Alarm gig that didn’t actually happen and involves a roadside recovery man and a teddy bear and Mike doing his Cockney impression on how they got early gigs in London. Two impromptu songs performed – The Red Wall of Cymru and What Kind of Hell
Season 3 Episode 2 post-production – Broadcast as a live stream on Saturday 10th July 2021
Broadcast length : 2 hours 13 minutes
And then available on demand on The Alarm Central Platform for paid subscribers
Songs performed :-
The Alarm – Shout To The Devil – with a small improvised verse with a nod to the improvised version performed at The Victoria Hotel, Prestatyn, Wales 5th June 1981
The Alarm – For Freedom
The Alarm – Marching On – preluded with the reasons behind the writing of the song
The Alarm – Blaze Of Glory
Videos shown :-
Locations in Rhyl that formed part of the story of the early Alarm days
Ian Wilson – zoom interview The Alarm manager with background to signing the band to his Wasted Talent agency
Gareth Jones / Gaz Top – zoom interview talking about 1982 including the rapport built up with U2
Steve Tannet – zoom interview about how he signed them to IRS records
Mike Peters – Lie Of The Land recording of the song from Rhyl Town Hall May 2021
John Selwyn ‘Redeye‘ Edwards – zoom interview
Season 3 Episode 3 pre-production – Broadcast as a live stream in the making on Friday 16th July 2021.
The Friday night format has fallen into a pattern of the links being recorded along with the acoustic songs to be edited into the final version with the videos. In addition there is light hearted off the cuff chat with the Alarm Central viewers. Two impromptu songs performed – Suspicious Minds and Reason 41.
Season 3 Episode 3 post-production – Broadcast as a live stream on Saturday 17th July 2021
Broadcast length : 2 hours 5 minutes
And then available on demand on The Alarm Central Platform for paid subscribers
This episode concentrated on 1983 starting off with some talk about Stiff Little Fingers and the resording of the Styand at Ramport Studios whilst the main part covering the Alarm in the USA and the Top of The Pop performances of Sixty Eight Guns
Songs performed :-
The Alarm – The Stand
The Alarm – Blaze of Glory
The Alarm – Thoughts Of A Young Man
Videos shown :-
Ian Wilson – The Alarm manager talking about the background to the U2 tour froma management and business aspect and also the business side of IRS records and The Alarm
Rob Bevis – About The Marquee Gig the day before the band went to the USA and going to airport to see the band off
MTV Cutting Edge broadcast 1983 featuring versions of For Freedom, an interview, Blaze of Glory, Knockin’ On heaven’s Door and The Stand
Gareth Jones / Gaz Top and John Selwyn ‘Redeye‘ Edwards – Talking about the USA War Tour
Promotional Video for Sixty Eight Guns
American Bandstand broadcast on 27th August 1983 the first timeThe Alarm appeared on television, performing The Stand plus short interview
IRS The Stand EP promotional TV adverts
Gareth Jones / Gaz Top and John Selwyn ‘Redeye‘ Edwards – About the Top of The Pops performance
Top of the Pops – Sixty Eight Guns first performance broadcast on 22nd September 1983
BBC One Show – the story behind Sixty Eight Guns
Gareth Jones / Gaz Top and John Selwyn ‘Redeye‘ Edwards – About the second Top of The Pops performance
Top of the Pops – Sixty Eight Guns second performance broadcast on 6th October 1983
Season 3 Episode 4 – Friday 23rd July 2021.
A change to the format with the recording process not streamed, instead at the end of the recording Mike Peters and Jules Jones Peters goes live for an impromptu chat and some live songs. Mike performs For Freedom, The Stand (Prophecy), Rain In The Summertime and In a Big Country acoustically
Season 3 Episode 4 – Broadcast as a live stream on Saturday 24th July 2021
Broadcast length : 1 hour 33 minutes
And then available on demand on The Alarm Central Platform for paid subscribers
This episode is the first of 2 covering 1984 starting with the end of 1983 the Police gig at Wembley Arena and meeting Pete Townsend. It moves on to cover parts of 1984 with Where Where You Hiding When The Storm Broke and some of the activity around the singles released during the year.
Songs performed :-
The Alarm – Pavilion Steps
The Alarm – Second Generation
The Alarm – The Chant Has Just Begun
Videos shown :-
Where Where You Hiding When The Storm Broke? Take 1 Promotional video – Remastered version using footage shot at Abbey Road Studios
Where Where You Hiding When The Storm Broke? – Top of the Pops UK TV appearance 19th January 1984
Richard “Mod” Jones talking about the Top of The Pops appearance and the dropped guitar story
The Tube UK TV performance 20th January 1984 – Declaration/Marching On
The Deceiver – Promotional video
The Oxford Roadshow UK TV Performance 17th February 1984 – Blaze of Glory
The Rock Palace Hollywood, USA TV Performance 1st March 1984 – Sixty Eight Guns
The Cutting Edge, MTV. USA TV recording broadcast on 3rd March 1984 – Shout To The devil, Interview, The Peace Train, The Chant Has Just Begun
American Bandstand, USA TV Performance 15th April 1984 – March On. Interview, Sixty Eight Guns
Rockpalast recording from Markthalle, Hamburg Germany 9th May 1984 – Declaration/Marching On
Season 3 Episode 5 – Friday 30th July 2021.
The changed format without the recording process not streamed, instead at the end of the recording Mike Peters and Jules Jones Peters go live for an impromptu chat and some live songs. Mike performs Gone Elvis, In The Poppy Fields and Spiritual acoustically
Season 3 Episode 5 – Broadcast as a live stream on Saturday 30th July 2021
Broadcast length : 1 hour 13 minutes
And then available on demand on The Alarm Central Platform for paid subscribers
The second episode covering 1984 and focusing mainly on the European festival and TV appearance for The Alarm
Songs performed :-
The Alarm – Sixty Eight Guns (Part 2)
The Alarm – Tell Me
The Alarm – Unbreak The Promise
The Alarm – We Are The Light
Videos shown :-
Rockpalast recording from Markthalle, Hamburg Germany 9th May 1984 – Howling Wind
Montreux Golden rose Festival, Switzerland 1st June 1984 – The Stand
Musik Convoy, Eins Festival, Arnsberg, Germany – 28th May 1984 – Interview and The Deceiver
Alabama, Munich, Germany 4th June 1984 – Reason 41
Roskilde Festival, Denmark 30th June 1984 – This Train Is Bound For Glory
Kloten, Zurich, Switzerland 24th July 1984 – Interview and The Chant Has Just Begun (alternative early lyric version)
Rockpalast recording from Lorelei Festival, St Goarshausen, Germany 25th July 1984 – What Kind Of Hell
Season 3 Episode 6 – Friday 6th August 2021.
The changed format without the recording process not streamed, instead at the end of the recording Mike Peters and Jules Jones Peters go live for an impromptu chat and some live songs. Mike performs Hallowed Ground, Right Back Where I Started From and the Bells of Rhymney
Season 3 Episode 6 – Broadcast as a live stream on Saturday 7th August 2021
Broadcast length : 2 hours 30 minutes
And then available on demand on The Alarm Central Platform for paid subscribers
Songs performed :-
The Alarm – We Are Majority
The Alarm – Absolute Reality
The Alarm – Blackside of Fortune
The Alarm – Happy Xmas Everybody
Videos shown :-
Ian Wilson talking about the affects of Declaration and the next steps
Alan Shacklock talking about meeting the band and starting to work with them, Abbey Road and Declaration recording
Pluto Studios, Manchester recording sessions for This Train IS Bound For Glory/The Bells of Rhymney presented by Gaz and Redeye includes a previously unheard version of Unbreak The Promise with additional version performed solo by Mike Peters
Alan Shacklock talking about working on the songs that followed on from Declaration he was involved in
The Chant Has Just Begun promotional video
The Tube TV program performing The Bells of Rhymney and Interview
Ian Wilson talking about the changes to IRS/AM and the business side of how that affected the band
Mike Peters tells the Rob Stewart Japanese football story
Lily Elsayed talks about discovering The Alarm in New York and Hammersmith Palais gig December 1984 and then travelling up to Prestatyn and being invited for Christmas dinner at Mike’s house
Season 3 Episode 7 – Friday 13th August 2021
The changed format without the recording process not streamed, instead at the end of the recording Mike Peters and Jules Jones Peters go live for an impromptu chat and some live songs. Mike performs Better Scream, part of The Air That I Breathe (sat on the sofa), small snippet of Streets of Fear into the chord structure creation for Sixty Eight Guns (sat on the sofa), The Normal Rules Do Not Apply, In The Poppy Fields, Red Wall of Cymru
Season 3 Episode 7 – Broadcast as a live stream on Saturday 14th August 2021
Broadcast length : 2 hours 34 minutes
And then available on demand on The Alarm Central Platform for paid subscribers
The episode covers the start of 1985 up to and including the Absolute Tour
Songs performed :-
The Alarm – Room At The Top
The Alarm – Reason 36
The Alarm – Caroline Isenberg
The Alarm – Strength
Videos shown :-
The Alarm – Majority a live performance from Europe-A-Go-Go UK TV show first broadcast on 5th January 1985
Ian Wilson talking about the challenges to the band in early 1985 from a business side with issues with the record labels and the decisions to release Absolute Reality as a single
The Alarm – Absolute Reality promotional video for the single
The Alarm – Saturday Superstore UK BBC TV show first broadcast on 2nd March 1985 performing Absolute Reality and Blaze of Glory alongside an interview
The Alarm – Oxford Road Show UKTV show first broadcast on 8th March 1985 performing live Knife Edge and Absolute Reality
The Alarm – No.73 UK TV show first broadcast on 16th March 1985 with performance of Howling Wind and Mike Peters taking part in the sandwich quiz completing with comedian Billy Connelly
Ian Wilson talking about going ahead with the Absolute Tour the follow up and business relationship to it
The Alarm – Absolute Tour opening night footage clip from The Astra, Llandudno, Wales broadcast on thew UK TV show Whistle Test. Footage of the band performing Knife Edge and an interview.
John Selwyn ‘Redeye‘ Edwards talking about his memories of the Absolute Tour including the Clash Leeds University event
Nick Shepherd of The Clash Mk II remembering the circumstances around that Clash busking gig outside Leeds University
Season 3 Episode 8 – Friday 20th August 2021
The changed format without the recording process not streamed, instead at the end of the recording Mike Peters and Jules Jones Peters go live for an impromptu chat and some live songs. Mike performs No Better Than This, Rescue Me and The Bells of Rhymney
Season 3 Episode 8 – Broadcast as a live stream on Saturday 21st August 2021
Broadcast length : 3 hours 20 minutes
And then available on demand on The Alarm Central Platform for paid subscribers
The episode covers the remainder of 1985 and the European Music Festivals The Alarm performed at, alongside the recording and release of Strength
Songs performed :-
The Alarm – Only the Thunder
The Alarm – One Step Closer To Home
The Alarm – Walk Forever By My Side
The Alarm – Spirit of ’76
Videos shown :-
The Alarm live at Rock am Ring, Nürburgring, Nuremberg, Germany 25th May 1985 performing Sixty Eight Guns and Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke?
The Alarm live at Neckarstadion, Stuttgart, Germany 26th May 1985 performing The Chant Has Just Begun and Dawn Chorus
Ian Wilson talking about the recording of the Strength album and the Croke Park, Dublin gig supporting U2
Liver Aid 13th July 1985 event held at Wembley, London where Mike Peters can be seen in three crowd during U2’s set
John Selwyn ‘Redeye‘ Edwards talking about working at the Live Aid event
Ian Wilson talking about the release of the Strength album and the tour that followed it
The AlarmStrength promotional video for the release of the single on 9th September 1985
The Alarm appearance on UK TV show Saturday Superstore to promote Strength
Mark Taylor talking about first meeting the band and joining them on the Strength tour
The Alarm performing Deeside live on the UK TV show Whistle Test 17th December 1985
The Alarm appearing on The Cutting Edge broadcast in December 12985 with live footage from the Hammersmith Apollo, London performing Sixty Eight Guns, Spirit of 76 and We Are The Light alongside interspersed interview footage
The Alarm promotional video for the UCLA, California, USA Spirit of 86 concert
Season 3 Episode 9 – Friday 27th August 2021.
The changed format without the recording process not streamed, instead at the end of the recording Mike Peters and Jules Jones Peters go live for an impromptu chat and some live songs. Mike performs My Town, Breathe, Rivers To Cross, One Guitar, Love Hope Strength and One Step Closer To Home
Season 3 Episode 9 – Broadcast as a live stream on Saturday 28th August 2021
Broadcast length : 2 hours 9 minutes
And then available on demand on The Alarm Central Platform for paid subscribers
Season 3 Episode 10 – Friday 3rd September 2021
Not Friday night Alarm Central Broadcast
Season 3 Episode 10 – Broadcast as a live stream on Saturday 4th September 2021
Broadcast length : 1 hour 17 minutes
And then available on demand on The Alarm Central Platform for paid subscribers
UCLA Spirit of 1986 Special Part 1
The broadcast this week was a special acoustic play through of the Spirit of 86 concert at UCLA by Mike Peters at The Community Hall, Dyserth, Wales. The songs were interspersed with short stories as Mike performed them. The full set of acoustic songs were :
Declaration/Marching On
Howling Wind
Knife Edge
Blaze of Glory
Absolute Reality
Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke?
Walk Forever By My Side
Spirit of 76
Sixty Eight Guns
Strength
Stairway To Heaven into The Stand
Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
We Are The Light
Season 3 Episode 11 – Friday 10th September 2021
No Friday night Alarm Central Broadcast
Season 3 Episode 8 – Broadcast as a live stream on Saturday 11th September 2021
Broadcast length : 3 hours 28 minutes
And then available on demand on The Alarm Central Platform for paid subscribers
UCLA Spirit of 1986 Special Part 2 The full video performance of the concert interspersed with memories and chat about the day
No live acoustic songs were performed in this episode
Towards the end of the broadcast Mike discusses his memories and thoughts about the event and the importance of it in the history of The Alarm
Videos shown :-
Spirit of 86 advert and introduction interview
The Alarm, Spirit of 86 concert UCLA, California, USA 12th April 1986 performance of Declaration and Marching On
Gareth Jones / Gaz Top talking about how he should have been at the event but a new TV job and no flights prevented it
The Alarm, Spirit of 86 concert UCLA, California, USA 12th April 1986 performance of Howling Wind
John Selwyn ‘Redeye‘ Edwards talking about Mike Peters’ health issues leading up to the event and the concerns relating to security and safety for the event to go ahead
Mike Peters talking about the bass drum incident with the American football
Pre-event footage of the crowd
The Alarm, Spirit of 86 concert UCLA, California, USA 12th April 1986 performance of Knife Edge
Interview on the day between MTV’s Martha Quinn and Alarm fans
Interview with Alarm fan Steve Fulton and his memories of attending the event
The Alarm, Spirit of 86 concert UCLA, California, USA 12th April 1986 performance of Blaze of Glory
Ian Wilson talking about the busies and logistic issues relating to the setting up and broadcast of the event
e Alarm, Spirit of 86 concert UCLA, California, USA 12th April 1986 performance of Absolute Reality
Tony Fletcher of Jammin’ Magazine about covering the event as a music magazine journalist
The Alarm, Spirit of 86 concert UCLA, California, USA 12th April 1986 performance of Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke?
Mark Taylor talking about his experience of playing at UCLA as a member to the band
The Alarm, Spirit of 86 concert UCLA, California, USA 12th April 1986 performance of Walk Forever by My Side
Tina Fanelli Alarm fan who is seen on shoulders during the performance of Walk Forever By Side and her memories of the day
Interview with Alarm fan David Garnett-Hughes who had travelled from Wales to California for the event
The Alarm, Spirit of 86 concert UCLA, California, USA 12th April 1986 performance of Spirit of 76
The background to the restoration of the original footage to a digital quality
The Alarm, Spirit of 86 concert UCLA, California, USA 12th April 1986 performance of Sixty Eight Guns
Slim Jim Phantom of The Strays Cats talking about being at the event and the after show activity at the hotel
Alarm, Spirit of 86 concert UCLA, California, USA 12th April 1986 performance of Strength
Alarm, Spirit of 86 concert UCLA, California, USA 12th April 1986 performance of The Stand
Alarm, Spirit of 86 concert UCLA, California, USA 12th April 1986 performance of Knockin’ Of Heavens Door
The episode ended with the audio recording of We Are the Light which was played but not broadcast on video for the event as the camera s had stopped rolling
(Page updated 17/11/2021)