Dave Sharp was recently asked by one of his favourite venues, Rockers in Glasgow, if he'd like to perform some Alarm songs for an upcoming evening concert. Surprisingly Dave agreed to the event.
"I've always felt that it would be spiritually challenging for me to play the Alarm's music without the four of us being together and so, until now, I've turned down hundreds of offers to do so.
Late last year I had an opportunity to spend a little time with Mike when we met for the voice-overs for the Spirit of 86 re-release DVD.
I think both of us were pleasantly surprised to find how well we got along whilst re-visiting The Alarm's UCLA gig and the times surrounding it.
We were able to talk through so many things we'd not had an opportunity to discuss after the accrimonious split of the band in 1991, and watching the performance together with Mike was a very healing, cathartic and positive experience for me.
I was appoached by "H" and the folks at Rockers recently, who have been a very supportive venue to both my solo career and my work with the Alarm. They have often asked if I would like to perform some Alarm songs in concert for them and when they approached me this time, following the Spirit of 86 dvd release, I was surprised to find myself warming to the idea and even more surprised to find myself agreeing to consider it...
The Alarm and The Tartan has always been a magic mix!!!
Mike and I recently had a very positive discussion about my playing Alarm songs again after all this time. I voiced my concerns that folks should not see this upcoming concert as an intrusion into all the great work Mike has been doing in keeping the name and spirit of the original band alive.
Mike was very supportive, positive and encouraging so I'd like to take this opportunity to emphasize that this project is in no way intended to be a replacement for the original band and to say also that I truly hope it will be something that will add positively to all the good work Mike is doing so effectively with The Alarm mmviii.
I contacted an old friend, drummer Simon Smith, and asked him to help me to put together a band of intuitive musicians who are able to express themselves through the chemistry and spirituality of the music.
He introduced me to Wayne Perry (lead vocalist with Omkara), Dave Brown (bass player with One Way System and Tom Szakarly (keyboard player with Shanghai and occasionally Keith Emerson).
I decided to chose the name "AOR" for the project, an acronym for "Alarm Oriented Rock" which I thought would be appropriate.
The focus of the show will be a selection of The Alarm's album songs.
I'm most definitely excited and looking forward to playing electric guitar on The Alarm's music again.
I do hope all who choose to attend the show will share a wonderful and joyous evening of music and that it will reflect the harmony and friendship I feel towards Mike, Ed and Nige.
Above all I hope the evening will do justice to the memory of the wonderful times we all shared with the best rock & roll band in the world... "The Alarm."
God Bless us all.
Dave"
The performance will take place at Rockers in Glasgow on Friday 18 April.
The Hard Travelers are please to confirm their debut live show.
The Hard Travelers are please to confirm their debut live show.
Dave Sharp, Henry McCullough (Wings, The Grease Band), Zoot Money (The Animals, Big Roll Band), Gary Fletcher (The Blues Band) and Colin Allen (Bob Dylan, John Lee Hooker) have all individually made their mark on the history of Rock & Roll. Collectively as The Hard Travelers they hold the promise of a major force to be reckoned with.
From the British blues boom of the 1960s on through the Woodstock era and
Punk Rock to the present day The Hard Travelers make their live debut at The Cellars, Southsea on Tuesday 22nd January 2008. This is a celebration of the music of Woody Guthrie performed by a band comprising some of the most talented musicians in UK music.
To commemorate this supergroup’s first gig, you can be part of this historic event AND receive an EP to remember the whole experience! Every audience member on the night will be eligible to receive an exclusive live bootleg CD of the gig recorded on the night, all included in the ticket price.
Get your tickets early, this is a very special event!
Full details at
www.hardtravelers.org
http://www.alimartin.com/thecellars.co.uk
Upcoming Shows
22 Jan 2008 20:00
The Cellars- Southsea Eastney, Southsea
26 Jan 2008 12:00
Skegness Rock and Blues Festival Skegness, Lincolnshire
27 Jan 2008 12:00
Skegness Rock and Blues Festival Skegness, Lincolnshire
1 May 2008 20:00
Komedia Brighton
2 May 2008 20:00
The Tivoli Theatre Wimborne Minster Dorset
3 May 2008 20:00
The Corn Exchange Newbury
8 May 2008 20:00
St. Davids Hall Cardiff, Wales
19 Jul 2008 12:00
Abertillery Blues Festival Abertillery Park The Met Abertillery
25 Jul 2008 0:00
Trowbridge Village Pump Festival Trowbridge
Just a short note to say that Dave Sharp's first gig of 2008 will be at The Lord Protector in Hartford, near Huntingdon this coming Sunday, 13th January. It's an afternoon show, at time of writing Dave due on stage around 2pm but please call venue to confirm exact time before travelling.
We expect be able to confirm the date of The Hard Travelers debut show in the next day or so.
In the meantime, Troopers may be interested to know that Los Angeles band Stewboss are heading over to the UK for a tour between 23rd January & 9th February. Regular readers will know that Stewboss feature Frank Lee Drennen on guitars, mandolin, harmonica & vocals. Frank is a great friend of Dave's from the New Orleans days. Dave got up & played a couple of songs with Stewboss on their last UK tour.
Full details at http://www.myspace.com/stewboss
Keep on rockin'
www.davesharp.org
www.hardtravelers.org
Dave Sharp will be joining former Alarm bandmate Eddie Macdonald at his gig early next month.
Dave Sharp is delighted to confirm that he will be joining former Alarm bandmate Eddie Macdonald at his gig early next month.
Eddie's new band Westway To The Clash are playing The Half Moon, Herne Hill, London on Friday 2nd November and we can now confirm that they are to be joined on the bill by Dave Sharp & The Li'l Travelers (featuring members of Sploginessabounds).
Although both Westway & Dave Sharp played at this year's Strummercamp festival, they played different days & missed each other. Dave & Eddie are delighted to have the chance to rectify this.
>From Eddie Macdonald:
WESTWAY are delighted to announce that joining us on the bill at the Half Moon on Friday 2nd November is Eddie Macdonald's former Alarm bandmate Dave Sharp and his band The Lil Travellers.
Needless to say we are hugely excited by this, and this is going to be a night that no Alarm fan is going to want to miss.
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The Half Moon, 10 Half Moon Lane, Herne Hill, London, SE24 9HU
The fun kicks off at 8pm.
http://www.myspace.com/westwaytotheclash
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In other news, Dave will also be in London the following week. He will be appearing at a Sex Pistols aftershow party at Jamm nightclub on Friday 9th (actually early on morning of 10th). Plenty of time for those lucky enough to have tickets to Brixton Academy to see Rotten & co and get on over to catch Dave - stage time at Jamm is expected to be 2am!
JAMM is notorious for being THE place to come before and after Brixton Academy shows. Rock up from 5pm and spend a few hours gorging on some great live music and DJ action before catching the main event up the road. Then make a full night of it and immerse yourself in an all-night music fest before catching the first tube home next morning. There will be DJ's and films during the Academy show times for those of you unable to get tickets for that!
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Also remember that Dave Sharp plays Manchester University (Club Academy) this coming Saturday, supporting the reformed Big Country.
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For further info on Dave Sharp, please visit
