Nestled in the Temecula Wine region of Southern California, lies an all too familiar family owned Vineyard, the sort you might see in the lazy Tuscany Hills of Italy, you know, the ones known for their easy like a Sunday Morning vibe, newspapers to be read, maybe a casual stroll to pick up a few necessities for the day, with that longing feeling of laying in a hammock the aroma of the fresh warm grass and grapes ripening on the vine, maybe drifting in and out of consciousness as the daytime luminescence of our favorite globe coaxes us to casual obscurity.
The Wiens Family Cellars owned and operated by Doug Wiens and his brothers since he opened the Temecula location on Oct 14th 2006, sits in the shadow of the much larger more gaudy yet somewhat imposing Ponte Cellars, at 35055 Via Del Ponte Temecula CA 92592. His goal as stated on their web site says he wants to achieve the "best" Reds in the business, "in bocca al luppo" my friend.
I've plugged the address into my Sat Nav and i'm pretty sure, I made the last correct turn, though second guessing myself and arguing with the very polite though stern ladies voice is always a great game to play, so, as I wend myself eastwards through the beautiful backwoods desert of San Diego County up past the Casinos that pop into view like the cactus flowers squeezing there way towards the sun, before flagging due to dehydration, i'm not really on a deadline, but I do like to get there on time, today it would seam i have time, yay me.
I am headed to this beautiful venue this evening, not for their libations, exquisite scenery or spectacular sunsets, though I will be treated to all of the latter as a bi-product of tonight's escapade.
Added into their summer dates for the latest Sigma Tour 2019 Mike Peters and his band The Alarm have yet again added this venue to the list. I'm not sure why, I've seen the Alarm in much larger venues, and their energy in a smaller club or concert hall would be apparent as they bounce their sound off the walls and they have two to three thousand voices screaming back at them.
Yet here we are, all four hundred of us at best. I discovered them at this venue by accident a few years ago, and have made a point to bookmark my time with Mike and his family, here in Temecula as a not to be missed experience, as opposed to their probably much louder House of Blues outing in downtown San Diego.
For those not as familiar with Mike's journey to this show tonight and the whys and wherefores of how special this is versus just another show.
The original Alarm ceased to exist after Mike surprised everyone and announced
from the stage at Brixton Academy in 1991 he was leaving the band and literally went out in a blaze of glory...
Forming the Poets of Justice with his wife Jules, they bounced around for a few years until 2000 when they released a box set of Alarm songs and Mike went on tour as The Alarm MM++.
In an effort to see if the Alarm were still relevant they pulled off the biggest hoax in British rock history when in February 2004 they went undercover to see how his latest song would fare, calling themselves The Poppy Fields, they released 45 rpm and it shot into the top 30 ...
In 2005 Mike was diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia, not giving up he formed the Love Hope Strength foundation and between bouts of chemo fought the disease three times and bounced back to be cancer free... in an unfair real life story, you cant make this up, his wife Jules in 2016 was diagnosed with breast cancer, and underwent major surgery and chemo, even I didn't know as I saw her perform at Wiens a year later with the band, she wore a wig and a hat and had the energy of a twenty year old.
Please do look up their story and the Love Hope Strength foundation, I call them my friends, I've met them, followed them on Instagram, etc. i'm a fan sure, but more than that, they have my admiration and respect and love XX
I'm used to the show scene by now, nervous anticipation, support bands you don't know trying to win you over. This time round I'm curious as The Alarm have teamed up with two other 80's bands, "Gene Loves Jezebel" and "Modern English", this means Mikes set will be shorter, that's OK, lets see what we have here.
Its still 80 degrees when Jay Aston walks his Gene Loves Jezebel onto the stage, wearing a bright pink ladies T shirt and black panama hat, he sings and dances and seams encouraged, though to be honest, no ones listening or watching, I'm sat about thirty feet from the stage, in the cheap seats as it ever so much were, my legs propped up against a tree and I watch as they smoothly go through songs I know and don't, "Motion of Love" and "Desire", I respect their effort and as if I blinked they were over at the merch table selling their wares, its about twenty feet behind me, I'm not stirred.
Now here's the reason I ever so much wasn't going to write anything about this experience, I love the Alarm, that's why I am here, and should the guys decide they have nothing better to do on the tour bus than read this ( here's hoping actually) ....
I await the next set, crowd gazing, I don't remember getting older but as I look round at my fellow music aficionados we are now of a certain age, then there's a certain number of us I am sure have torn themselves from their couches and early bedtimes, and yet another other sector fascinates me, maybe its a So-Cal thing as you see a larger than normal, mutton dressed as lamb group, you know the types with the the nips and tucks and enhancements! they shop at forever 21 and H&M but realistically should be arrested for even looking in the window, I digress. Welcome to the party ...
Modern English decide its their turn, I know you are all thinking it, I am too, they have one song and its obviously going to be their party piece to end the set.
Robbie Grey walks the band on stage takes one look at us, in our out of this world location, and clearly defined age group and decides he will go with, How the F*** are you? do we look like we are 16?? OK, faux par, I get it, but then you stall, take a look around again and say "Interesting... yeah i'll probably use that word a lot tonight. Interesting.." what are we a bunch of Trolls out here?
They start their set thinking they are the hep cats, you know everything and a bag of chips, their misplaced direction is clear and have a hard time keeping the crowd, and insulting us doesn't help, then asking us to sing, and telling us it was S*** , great encouragement!! their music seams like a complete rip off of other bands and notably, David Bowie's "Hero's" that's not an homage that's blatant rip off, and honestly, dated, do you need to sing that many forgettable tunes from the "After the Snow" album? finishing up as expected with "I Melt With You" we as a crowd raise our cell phones and sing along, Hey 1982 called and wants their money back...
Now the sun has set sail and we have a warm balmy evening, the removal of the debris from the stage to leave us with the familiar, three mic's left, right and center for Mike, with single drum at the front of the stage, the backdrop tonight is simple, creation itself ...
With the energy of a teenager Mike bounds on stage, silver jacket, black pants, chain holding his wallet, and silver fronted sigma guitar slung around his neck.
I have some work to do now myself, as I am still sitting in the cheap seats.
The winery set up is simple, the hoity, toity sit front and center with bottles of wine, champers and nibbles, the rest of the working class are held back in the general admission and in this class enforced environment, this kid from Bolton Lancashire has to find a way. So sauntering up and standing next to the "rest" of the band at the mixing desk, I have a great view, great sound and I love hearing the dulcet tones of the harmonica and the safe sounds of lyrics I can sing all the way through, and new songs, yes new and relevant songs from the band that has survived everything and is still reinventing itself, "Blood Red Viral Black" and "The Stand" all followed by "Rescue Me", "Knife Edge" and "Sold Me Down the River', they know me now, I've been singing, dancing, clearly I need to be invited to the ball, the inner sanctum. We British are a polite reserved bunch and as I watch folks try to jump fences, sneak, poke and other wise seduce their way through, I assess what my course of action is, I so badly want to be front and center with the madding throng as they bounce around the poppy fields....
Best foot forward, "excuse me would you mind terribly... etc.?"
I am now two or three feet from Mike as he sprays us with water from his water bottle, I love feeling the rain in the summertime, now as the Mersey lights shine bright in the distance we are shouting like teenagers for them to come back on stage, who am I transformed to?
There is something magic about seeing a live show and you just immerse yourself to the experience and, we very much could be a 1960's Glasgow street gang as we follow the 68 guns...
Love and hate divide us, and we may well be on the other side of the barricade, its as if Mike knows this and despite our size in numbers, he is inspired to forge the two rivers and I find myself shoulder to shoulder with Mike, as he has now moved from stage to crowd, and we sing into his microphone, hug him, pat him on the back, its a flurry of excitement, thrilled, I glance to the stage and I see Jules smiling at her husband...
This is NOT an unsafe building,he is more than safe, he is with family, I want to say thanks for sharing, I want to, but they are now back to being Instagram images, one day, one day, I will give them each a hug of encouragement, the lights are on now, there's no one on stage, for now the music has stopped, I'm energized, he gave it all to us, with love and understanding, from the other-side of the barricade.
The Alarm with Modern English and Gene Loves Jezebel at Wiens Family Cellars Friday July 26th 2019
#bennysantiniproductions #grahamsataconcertagain
#thealarm #jules_peters @jules_peters
pictures by Benny Santini Productions taken at the show, (except for the one of Jules and Mike that's snipped from Instagram)
I've plugged the address into my Sat Nav and i'm pretty sure, I made the last correct turn, though second guessing myself and arguing with the very polite though stern ladies voice is always a great game to play, so, as I wend myself eastwards through the beautiful backwoods desert of San Diego County up past the Casinos that pop into view like the cactus flowers squeezing there way towards the sun, before flagging due to dehydration, i'm not really on a deadline, but I do like to get there on time, today it would seam i have time, yay me.
I am headed to this beautiful venue this evening, not for their libations, exquisite scenery or spectacular sunsets, though I will be treated to all of the latter as a bi-product of tonight's escapade.
Yet here we are, all four hundred of us at best. I discovered them at this venue by accident a few years ago, and have made a point to bookmark my time with Mike and his family, here in Temecula as a not to be missed experience, as opposed to their probably much louder House of Blues outing in downtown San Diego.
For those not as familiar with Mike's journey to this show tonight and the whys and wherefores of how special this is versus just another show.
The original Alarm ceased to exist after Mike surprised everyone and announced
from the stage at Brixton Academy in 1991 he was leaving the band and literally went out in a blaze of glory...
Forming the Poets of Justice with his wife Jules, they bounced around for a few years until 2000 when they released a box set of Alarm songs and Mike went on tour as The Alarm MM++.
In an effort to see if the Alarm were still relevant they pulled off the biggest hoax in British rock history when in February 2004 they went undercover to see how his latest song would fare, calling themselves The Poppy Fields, they released 45 rpm and it shot into the top 30 ...
Please do look up their story and the Love Hope Strength foundation, I call them my friends, I've met them, followed them on Instagram, etc. i'm a fan sure, but more than that, they have my admiration and respect and love XX
I'm used to the show scene by now, nervous anticipation, support bands you don't know trying to win you over. This time round I'm curious as The Alarm have teamed up with two other 80's bands, "Gene Loves Jezebel" and "Modern English", this means Mikes set will be shorter, that's OK, lets see what we have here.
Its still 80 degrees when Jay Aston walks his Gene Loves Jezebel onto the stage, wearing a bright pink ladies T shirt and black panama hat, he sings and dances and seams encouraged, though to be honest, no ones listening or watching, I'm sat about thirty feet from the stage, in the cheap seats as it ever so much were, my legs propped up against a tree and I watch as they smoothly go through songs I know and don't, "Motion of Love" and "Desire", I respect their effort and as if I blinked they were over at the merch table selling their wares, its about twenty feet behind me, I'm not stirred.Now here's the reason I ever so much wasn't going to write anything about this experience, I love the Alarm, that's why I am here, and should the guys decide they have nothing better to do on the tour bus than read this ( here's hoping actually) ....
I await the next set, crowd gazing, I don't remember getting older but as I look round at my fellow music aficionados we are now of a certain age, then there's a certain number of us I am sure have torn themselves from their couches and early bedtimes, and yet another other sector fascinates me, maybe its a So-Cal thing as you see a larger than normal, mutton dressed as lamb group, you know the types with the the nips and tucks and enhancements! they shop at forever 21 and H&M but realistically should be arrested for even looking in the window, I digress. Welcome to the party ...
Modern English decide its their turn, I know you are all thinking it, I am too, they have one song and its obviously going to be their party piece to end the set.
Robbie Grey walks the band on stage takes one look at us, in our out of this world location, and clearly defined age group and decides he will go with, How the F*** are you? do we look like we are 16?? OK, faux par, I get it, but then you stall, take a look around again and say "Interesting... yeah i'll probably use that word a lot tonight. Interesting.." what are we a bunch of Trolls out here?
They start their set thinking they are the hep cats, you know everything and a bag of chips, their misplaced direction is clear and have a hard time keeping the crowd, and insulting us doesn't help, then asking us to sing, and telling us it was S*** , great encouragement!! their music seams like a complete rip off of other bands and notably, David Bowie's "Hero's" that's not an homage that's blatant rip off, and honestly, dated, do you need to sing that many forgettable tunes from the "After the Snow" album? finishing up as expected with "I Melt With You" we as a crowd raise our cell phones and sing along, Hey 1982 called and wants their money back...
Now the sun has set sail and we have a warm balmy evening, the removal of the debris from the stage to leave us with the familiar, three mic's left, right and center for Mike, with single drum at the front of the stage, the backdrop tonight is simple, creation itself ...
I have some work to do now myself, as I am still sitting in the cheap seats.
The winery set up is simple, the hoity, toity sit front and center with bottles of wine, champers and nibbles, the rest of the working class are held back in the general admission and in this class enforced environment, this kid from Bolton Lancashire has to find a way. So sauntering up and standing next to the "rest" of the band at the mixing desk, I have a great view, great sound and I love hearing the dulcet tones of the harmonica and the safe sounds of lyrics I can sing all the way through, and new songs, yes new and relevant songs from the band that has survived everything and is still reinventing itself, "Blood Red Viral Black" and "The Stand" all followed by "Rescue Me", "Knife Edge" and "Sold Me Down the River', they know me now, I've been singing, dancing, clearly I need to be invited to the ball, the inner sanctum. We British are a polite reserved bunch and as I watch folks try to jump fences, sneak, poke and other wise seduce their way through, I assess what my course of action is, I so badly want to be front and center with the madding throng as they bounce around the poppy fields....
Best foot forward, "excuse me would you mind terribly... etc.?"
I am now two or three feet from Mike as he sprays us with water from his water bottle, I love feeling the rain in the summertime, now as the Mersey lights shine bright in the distance we are shouting like teenagers for them to come back on stage, who am I transformed to?
There is something magic about seeing a live show and you just immerse yourself to the experience and, we very much could be a 1960's Glasgow street gang as we follow the 68 guns...
Love and hate divide us, and we may well be on the other side of the barricade, its as if Mike knows this and despite our size in numbers, he is inspired to forge the two rivers and I find myself shoulder to shoulder with Mike, as he has now moved from stage to crowd, and we sing into his microphone, hug him, pat him on the back, its a flurry of excitement, thrilled, I glance to the stage and I see Jules smiling at her husband...
This is NOT an unsafe building,he is more than safe, he is with family, I want to say thanks for sharing, I want to, but they are now back to being Instagram images, one day, one day, I will give them each a hug of encouragement, the lights are on now, there's no one on stage, for now the music has stopped, I'm energized, he gave it all to us, with love and understanding, from the other-side of the barricade.
The Alarm with Modern English and Gene Loves Jezebel at Wiens Family Cellars Friday July 26th 2019
#bennysantiniproductions #grahamsataconcertagain
#thealarm #jules_peters @jules_peters
pictures by Benny Santini Productions taken at the show, (except for the one of Jules and Mike that's snipped from Instagram)
You were on a roll with this one! 👍🏻
ReplyDeleteThanks .. I Think :-)
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