The Alarm

They can perhaps best be described as U2’s younger brother that never quite kicked off, but was forced to remain in its elder brother’s giant shadow of success. Musically speaking, The Alarm are as every bit brilliant as many of their 80s contemporaries: they possess an authentic, 80s style swag for rock and every single member is a genius at his instrument. They are a delight to watch live and, although they never quite reached the dizzying heights of acts such as U2 and Bob Dylan (both of whom they have performed with), it nonetheless felt like I was watching a legend on stage, transported back from the 80s in a glorious haze. Opening with biggest hit, ‘68 guns’, The Alarm immediately established themselves as serious rockers, the likes of which are hard pressed to find today. Comprising of members Mike Peters, James Stevenson, Craig Adams Smiley and Mark Taylor, the band rocked it on stage in a way that let the audience know they were professionals: rock veterans. Their set, which can be described as a form of new wave or alternative rock, included hits such as ‘Rain in the summertime’ and ‘The stand’ which had the audience begging for more.