On the completion of the UK leg of the Strength Tour The Alarm continued the tour in Europe with Mark Taylor on keyboards. The tour kicked off in Norway and ended up in Holland before then moving to the USA. Wire Train were the support for the whole tour
Prior to the first date of the tour the band appeared on Kanal 1 a Norwegian TV Show Humia 9th January 1986
Click image to view the video
Flew into Oslo very early in the morning and some interviews in the hotel and then onto the TV Studio. The show was called Kanal 1 and at first we thought it was going to be a bit of a joke, but we realised it would be the equivalent of Wogan back in the UK. The other acts were like Danny La Rue and Divine was on. We played The Stand and I started on it by paint spraying the poppy on a corrugated iron sheet. We also played Spirit of 76 and all the old people started dancing, it was very funny. We did a little interview and tried to speak some Norwegian. Anyway after the show we we had a meal and then went for a few drinks and already you could sense we had made an impact as people were calling our name in the streets and in the clubs. It was very exciting – Mike Peters Strength Tour diary 1986
12th January 1986 : Grieghallen, Bergen, Norway
Supported by Wire Train
13th January 1986 : Figgjohallen, Stavanger, Norway
Supported by Wire Train
Slept on the bus overnight the gig as it took such a long time to travel because of the bad weather. The gig is quite nice, a sports centre. The show went really well and afterwards we had a game of footer – Mike Peters Strength Tour diary 1986
14th January 1986 : Ibsenhuset, Skien, Norway
Supported by Wire Train
Got off the bus and had a sandwich in the gig. Dave phoned the UK, single enters at 29. Brilliant. Smash Hits are to fly out tomorrow to do a feature on us. Tonight’s gig is sold out. A nice little theatre venue should be a good show. the gig went really well, the sound was incredible. Nigel Luby taped the show and the quality of sound was brilliant. Did a live radio interview which was good as well. Traveled overnight to Oslo – Mike Peters Strength Tour diary 1986
Nigel Luby Live sound engineer
15th January 1986 : Skedsmohallen, Lillestrøm, Norway
Supported by Wire Train
I remember the incident of Dave Sharp falling into the crowd really well. We had just come on stage and launched into ‘Marching On’. Dave was trying to make a big impression obviously, and came running from the back of the stage to the front, tripped over the monitors and headlong into the crowd. At first, he tried to play on but soon ended up going down like a sinking ship into the ocean of fans! It took quite a while to rescue him and get his guitar and amps sorted out. The fans were extremely bemused and weren’t sure if this was supposed to be a part of the show or not. We should of gone off and started again as we had a hard time getting the gig back on track after that. It would have made a killer ‘youtube’ moment if it had happened today – Mike Peters Strength an Oral History 2019
17th January 1986 : Eriksdalshallen, Stockholm, Sweden
Supported by Wire Train
Set list : Deeside, Declaration/Marching On, Howling Wind, Knife Edge, Dawn Chorus, The Deceiver, Absolute Reality, Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke?, Walk Forever By My Side, Spirit Of ´76, Blaze Of Glory, Strength, Sixty Eight Guns, Stairway To Heaven/The Stand, We Are The Light
Got up at 10 a.m. and did a photo session in a studio and some outdoors in the snow for our next tour programme, then did some radio interviews and another press conference and then on to soundcheck. Started playing some new songs which sound very promising even at such an early stage. the concert went well even though I was a bit worried whether my voice would make it after all the interviews and still no real day off. Double the size of the audience from last time. Traveled over night to Hultsfred, rest of the band travel on train next day – Mike Peters Strength Tour diary 1986
18th January 1986 : Hagadal Sportcentrum, Hultsfred, Sweden
Supported by Wire Train
Set list : Deeside, Declaration/Marching On, Howling Wind, Dawn Chorus, The Deceiver, One Step Closer To Home, Knife Edge, Walk Forever By My Side, Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke?, Strength, Spirit Of ´76, Blaze Of Glory, Absolute Reality, Sixty Eight Guns, Stairway To Heaven/The Stand/The Chant has Just Begun 
(Photographs provided by John Conse and Ola Lagström)
Fan memories –
My first ever concert. 13 years old. Strength-tour, 18th of January ’86 in Hultsfred, Sweden. Got totally squeezed against the fence up front. Deliriously happy and terrified at the same time. Opened with Deeside. Wire Train supporting. Saw them again in Stockholm on the Hurricane & Change-tours. Forever a fan – Johan Conse
19th January 1986 : Konserthuset, Gothenberg, Sweden
Supported by Wire Train
20th January 1986 : Saga, Copenhagen, Denmark
Supported by Wire Train
22nd January 1986 : Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany
Supported by Wire Train
The band fly back to the UK to film Spirit of 76 for broadcast on Top of The Pops.
Got up at 5 o’clock and left the hotel and flew in a Citation jet to London. We drove to the BBC spent the day doing rehearsals. Did the show itself at 7 o’clock and got the all clear to go. Immediately we got in cars and left for the airport, Flew to Hamburg and where picked up in 2 cars, got straight into the club and straight on stage at 12.15. The audience a bit upset alreday it was so late and slaughtered them. During 68 Guns I leapt off the drum riser and thought I’d broken my foot. Finished the gig on one leg and then went to hospital, fortunately no break. Got strapped up and went to bed the time 3.15am – Mike Peters Strength Tour diary 1986
23rd January 1986 : Rotation, Hanover, Germany
Supported by Wire Train
Work up at 1 o’clock and did a phone interview with radio in Berlin. Drove to the gig in Hanover, Gaz had arrived went back to the hotel. Got changed and then did the show. It was probably the best we have played in Germany and the audience was great. At last it feels like things are happening for us in this country. Left the show on he bus to Berlin, had a crash on the way just skidded across the road on black ice, Rodders did really well to control it. There were cars off the road further along. We the crossed the border into East Germany. Got woken up at the border between East / West Berlin. As we drove through no man’s land we saw the tank that was said to be the first tank into Berlin during the war, it is also rumoured to contain the remains of the Russian soldiers killed as the Germans took the tank out of action – Mike Peters Strength Tour diary 1986
25th January 1986 : Quartier Latin, Berlin, Germany
Supported by Wire Train
26th January 1986 : Alter Wartesaal, Koln, Germany
Supported by Wire Train
27th January 1986 : Music Hall, Frankfurt, Germany
Supported by Wire Train
Went to the soundcheck and did some interviews. The gig is a big discotheque place with a really high stage. The kind I don’t really like. Anyway gig went well apparently. Some people are liking this to a Springsteen tour of 1980. They say that they’ve never seen Germans react to a band in this way for a very long time. Anyway tomorrow is Sharpy’s birthday so C.B.S. have a reception for us and they have made a guitar cake for him. Eddie stays upstairs writing a new song when he comes down he’s in really high spirits. Listen to song later and is really good. on to Munich- Mike Peters Strength Tour diary 1986
28th January 1986 : Alabamahalle, Munich, Germany
Supported by Wire Train
On arrival Spirit has dropped to 27. never mind. Soundcheck proves to be very inspirational, I manage to finish a song I’ve been messing about with since Christmas called “Shadowlands”. Play it to great response from everyone. Everyone in great mood despite single in Britain. The gig was superb. everyone drives onto Switzerland for some skiing. Oh yeah we bought a cake on stage for Dave’s birthday and sing happy birthday, the place went wild. Who needs hits! – Mike Peters Strength Tour diary 1986
30th January 1986 : Volkshaus, Zurich, Switzerland
Supported by Wire Train
31st January 1986 : Teatro Tenda, Bologna, Italy
Supported by Wire Train
Set list : Declaration/Marching On, Howling Wind, Knife Edge, Deeside, Dawn Chorus, The Deceiver, One Step Closer to Home, Absolute Reality, Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke?, Walk Forever By My Side, Spirit Of ´76, Blaze Of Glory, Strength, Sixty Eight Guns, The Stand, We Are The Light
1st February 1986 : Tenda Planeta, Rome, Italy
Supported by Wire Train
Set list includes : Declaration/Marching On, Howling Wind, Dawn Chorus, The Deceiver, Walk Forever By My Side, Spirit Of ´76, Strength
Part of the gig is available on your tube – Click this link for youtube audio
2nd February 1986 : The Rolling Stone, Milan, Italy
Supported by Wire Train
Set list : Declaration/Marching On, Howling Wind, Knife Edge, Deeside, Dawn Chorus, The Deceiver, One Step Closer to Home, Absolute Reality, Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke?, Walk Forever By My Side, Spirit Of ´76, Blaze Of Glory, Strength, Sixty Eight Guns, Stairway To Heaven/The Stand
(checks required for dates below)
4th February 1986 : (venue tbc), Lyon, France
Supported by Wire Train
5th February 1986 : (venue tbc), Marseilles, France
Supported by Wire Train
Full gig video link + interview in French
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RNUNzTxsEw&t=6s
6th February 1986 : (venue tbc), Toulouse, France
Supported by Wire Train
7th February 1986 : (venue tbc), Tours, France
Supported by Wire Train
8th February 1986 : Salle de la Cite, Rennes, France
Supported by Wire Train
10th February 1986 : 4C+” France – TV Show appearance
11th February 1986 : Théâtre de la Mutualité, Paris, France
Supported by Wire Train
12th February 1986 : Manhattan Club, Lueven, Belgium
Supported by Wire Train
13th February 1986 : Dutch radio – interview
13th February 1986 : The Arena, Rotterdam, Holland
Supported by Wire Train
Set list includes : Marching On, Howling Wind, Knife Edge, Dawn Chorus, The Deceiver, One Step Closer to Home, Absolute Reality
Audio link – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd9PhS2IQXU
14th February 1986 : The Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland
Supported by Wire Train
(Page Updated 21/02/2024)