Big Country/Mike Peters

October 17, 2024 0 By Jon

O2 Academy, Bournemouth

With a couple of notable changes within the Big Country camp, tonight’s gig at Bournemouth’s O2 Academy should be quite an interesting affair. Back in 1984 on this very same date the band’s original line-up featuring the much missed Stuart Adamson performed just down the road at the Bournemouth International Centre as part of the original Steeltown Tour.

Exactly 40 years to the day later the band return to Bournemouth to celebrate the very same number one album. This time though the band features just one original member; guitarist Bruce Watson along with his son, fellow guitarist Jamie. The band also features Gil Allan on bass and recently recruited from Big Country tribute band “Restless Natives” frontman Tommie Paxton. The other breaking news is that original drumming legend Mark Brzezicki has decided to step away from the band and with really short notice Dunfermline band Moonlight Zoo’s Reece Dobbin has been recruited to take over.

Mike Peters 1–2–3–4–5–6

Before the new look Big Country take to the stage, former Big Country frontman and founder member of The Alarm – Mike Peters is tonight’s support. What this man is currently going through is something that very few men could cope with, let alone go on tour and perform to audiences every night. Living with Cancer is every person’s worst nightmare, but Mike seems to have a superpower in coping. With his wife Jules and his two sons and his extended Alarm family rooting for their hero, this cancer doesn’t have a chance. Despite all this Mike takes to the stage and begins strongly with opening number “Return”, with his big heart beating through his chest his voice lifts all in attendance and his voice remarkably sounds as powerful as ever.

With the sound bolstered with foot controlled percussion, some electronic pedals give the songs a fuller feel rather than just the usual acoustic sound. We are treated to classic tracks like “The Stand” and “Rain In The Summertime”. During newer number “Transition” Mike gives a powerful speech about how the “Love Hope Strength” charity has been saving lives and how ironic it is that with a stem cell donor from the charity might well end up saving his own life. The final two tracks are nothing short of powerful and emotive with Mike putting everything into his performance, I even confess to a tear in the eye during “Spirit of 76” as the whole crowd sang the words along with the people’s hero. The legend takes a bow to a massive amount of noise from the well entertained crowd; Mike trundles back stage back into the loving arms of his rock, his wife Jules.

I think most of us long term Big Country fans are quite troubled by all the changes that are going on within the band. We are quite precious about Stuart Adamson’s legacy and want ideally the band to continue in the right way. The lights dim, the intro music starts and the five lads to be known as Big Country from now on appear and launch into the unmistakable sound of “Flame of The West”. From the rumble of Gil’s bass intro to the unmistakable sound of the Watson’s guitars, Tommie joins with his considerable vocal along with Reece’s drumming.

I’m not sure how they have managed to do it in the short space of time, but the sound is analogous and is possibly as close as it could be. The fans in Bournemouth all react in a positive way with tracks like “East Of Eden”, “Where The Rose is Sown” and “Tall Ships Go” taking us back to when we first heard them in 1984.

Big Country 1–2–3–4–5–6–7–8–9–10

Bruce show’s off his supreme guitar skills by showing us some nicely executed slide guitar on a delta blues version of “Rain Dance” while Tommie displays his own guitar skills and gets his e-bow out creating that unmistakable Stuart Adamson sound. Reece indeed has big shoes to fill and in any other band he would be touted a fantastic drummer. He displays his obvious talents here tonight and will always draw compressions from one of the best sessions drummers from the UK. I’m so impressed with the way he has learnt the band’s set so quickly and he clearly fits into this line-up so well.

Towards the end of their set the band deviate from the Steeltown playlist with some of the band’s big singles “Look Away”, “Chance” and of course “In a Big Country”. The atmosphere in this old atmospheric building goes up a notch and the audience made up of old and young all sing the words together with abandonment. “Fields of Fire” which it has to be said is one of the band’s best ever tracks is dedicated to Stuart and the band even introduce some of Thin Lizzy’s “Whiskey in the Jar” to the track, possibly with a nod to the fact that they were a big influence on the band and certainly one of the bands played on Adamson’s record deck.

The band leave the stage and the crowd scream for more and are treated with a customary encore with the much loved film soundtrack tune “Restless Natives”, a great tune that provides all the pomp and aura of Big Country’s unique sound. The band take their bows after a fantastic night’s work under difficult circumstances and the fans leave the venue satisfied that all is good with the band.

SetLists
Big Country
Flame of the West
East of Eden
Steeltown
Where the Rose Is Sown
Come Back to Me
Tall Ships Go
Winter Sky
Rain Dance
The Great Divide
Just a Shadow
Look Away
Chance
In a Big Country
Wonderland
Fields of Fire / Whiskey in the Jar