Two years ago, the prospect of an Alarm performance stripped of Mike Peters’ signature clarion call would have seemed an impossibility. Yet, in the wake of Peters’ passing last year, original bassist Eddie McDonald has reconstituted the group as The Alarm 2.0—less a replacement, and more an act of preservation for the songs he co-wrote.
The evening opened with Billy Liberator, whose acoustic set provided a sturdy, melodic foundation. A veteran of the fan community, Liberator navigated the nostalgia with ease, delivering a rhythmic "Beat My Retreat" before a poignant cover of "Lie of the Land." Closing with "Only the Thunder," he provided the perfect primer for the heavy hitters to follow.
As the main event commenced, the compact King’s Cross stage was occupied by a formidable collective of post-punk aristocracy. Macdonald has stepped into the breach, trading his bass for a six-string and embracing the unenviable task of lead vocals. He was flanked by a lineup that reads like a "Who’s Who" of the 1980s underground: guitarist James Stevenson (Chelsea, Generation X), bassist Craig Adams (The Sisters of Mercy, The Mission), and drummer Steve "Smiley" Barnard (Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros). With keyboardist Dave Blackman rounding out the group, this was a gathering of long-term collaborators intimately familiar with the Peters songbook.
Opening with "Knife Edge" and "Absolute Reality," the vocal shift is noticeable. Macdonald lacks Peters’ piercing upper register, occasionally leaning into an almost spoken-word delivery. While he cannot replicate the almost spiritual fervor Peters held over an audience, Macdonald’s sheer sincerity carried the set through its transition.
The energy peaked early with "Where Were You Hiding When the Storm Broke," which retained the frantic, acoustic-punk urgency of the original Declaration recordings. Between songs, the set was punctuated with historical markers; Macdonald dedicated "Tell Me" to former guitarist Dave Sharp and "Strength" to the audience, noting the specific influence of Kirk Brandon (Theatre of Hate, Spear of Destiny), who watched on from the crowd.
The hits were afforded a fresh coat of paint: "Deeside" was partially reimagined with a leaner edge, while "68 Guns" held its own before resolving into the anthemic "Rescue Me."
The encore of "Spirit of '76" and "Blaze of Glory" transformed the room into a communal sing-along. For the converted in attendance, any lack of vocal perfection was secondary to the survival of the songs themselves. With a full reunion of the three surviving original members—Macdonald, Sharp, and Nigel Twist—already slated for August at The Garage, this performance served as a gritty, successful audit of the band’s enduring catalog. There is an undeniable ache in the absence of Peters, but at The Lexington, his collaborators proved they still have plenty of heat left in the fire.
Setlist
Knife Edge
Absolute Reality
Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke
The Stand/The Chant Has Just Begun
Rain in the Summertime
Strength
We Are The Light
Tell Me
Marching On
Deeside
68 Guns
Sold Me Down the River
Rescue Me
Encore
Spirit Of 76
Blaze of Glory
