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As British metal
bands go they don't get any bigger and better than the mighty Saxon who
have remained true to their NWOBHM roots and although they haven’t always
been flavour of the month with the so called music media, they have always
had a strong die-hard following of fans who have remained with the band
through the good times and the bad, and even through the spit which saw
two Saxon’s doing their own versions of the classic metal band.
But to many, me
included, the real Saxon will always be the one containing original
members Biff Byford, Paul Quinn and Nigel Glockler, along with now
stalwart members Nibbs Carter and Doug Scarrat, this for many years now is
the Saxon we know and love so much.
This tour was
originally booked for earlier this year but due to unforeseen
circumstances the tour was postponed for a later date. Fortunately
the support act Masterplan were also available to take up the support slot
again for these new dates. With both bands having new albums to
promote this would give the fans of both bands a chance to hear the new
material in the live arena.
First up on
tonight’s bill were Masterplan, who themselves have recently had a few
band member changes, with new boys Mike DiMeo and Mike Terrana taking over
the vocal and drum roles respectively.
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There has been
much said about the departure of Jorn Lande and Uli Kusch and I won't be
repeating what is already common knowledge. Those of you who
wondered whether DiMeo was up for the task as new frontman, should not
only check out the new album 'MKII', but also if you get the chance catch
the band live, as tonight he well and truly laid down the gauntlet to
those doubters and gave us one hell of show.
We were speaking
to Jan in the bar before the show and he said the band were a little
nervous of playing, but as they made their way on to the already cramped
stage (mainly due to the huge drum kit of Terrana which took up nearly a
third of the relatively small Academy 2 stage), the nerves weren’t on show
as they ripped through a storming set. Opening up
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‘Spirit’ from Masterplan's self titled debut album the band instantly
won over the near capacity crowd as DiMeo showed what a powerhouse
vocalist he is and with Roland Grapow simply reigning supreme on
guitar. |
They kept things
going with another song from the first album, this time it was ‘Enlighten
Me’ which was given the DiMeo treatment, as once again he made this song
his own.
Next it was time
for something off the new 'MKII' album and one of my favourites ‘Lost And
Gone’, which is superb on the album but live it's taken to another level
as DiMeo really got his teeth into this live performance.
As DiMeo
announces the fact it’s good to see an English speaking audience and
introduces the band “WE ARE MASTERPLAN!” then it's back to business as the
crowd clap along to the outstanding version of ‘Crystal Night’.
It's now time
for Grapow and Terrana to get the next song ‘Soulburn’ underway. To
some DiMeo had some mighty big shoes to fill replacing Lande, but fill
them he does and much more as he once again shines on this Masterplan
classic.
Terrana finally
gives his monster drum kit a good thrashing with an awesome drum solo,
which only underlines his prowess as one of the finest metal skins men
around.
It's time to go
to the ‘Aeronautics’ album for ‘Back For My Life’ and after the band
introductions and the Saxon thank you's the band finish of their short but
impressive set with ‘Kindhearted’.
The band left
the stage to rapturous and well deserved applause and one I'm sure has won
them a great many new fans among the Saxon faithful. I really hope
this marks a bright and prosperous new era for the band. Let's hope
it's not too long before we see them on these shores once more.
Now for the main
event the band that refuse to die and keep delivering the sort of Heavy
Metal that made this country the leading exponent of the genre, the mighty
Saxon.
As the lights
went out the chants of "SAXON! SAXON!" rang out it was clear that the
first night of the UK segment of the tour was going to set the standard
high for the rest, as the well wired crowd waited in anticipation of their
hero’s.
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They didn’t have
long to wait as the intro opened up the set it was straight into the new
album with ‘State of Grace’ and the band were back and on a mission to
show they still had what it takes to whip a crowd into a frenzy.
There might be snow on the roof of Byford but there is still plenty of
fire in his belly as he ripped out the vocals with all the power of a man
half his age.
After a short
apology to Choke Hold the band who were supposed to open up the show but
due to time difficulties were unable to perform tonight.
Then it was back
to the new album for the thunderous ‘Let Me Feel The Power’ before the
first of the classic material as the tempo was retained with ‘Motorcycle
Man’, which saw the
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| crowd
erupt into a mass of fists and devil horns as they saluted the band in
the way only true Heavy Metal fans can, as Paul Quinn showed he can
still rip it up with the best of them aided and abetted by Doug Scarrat. |
It was back to
the new album ‘The Inner Sanctum’ for the first single off the album ‘If I
Was You’, before another classic was opened up by Nibbs, ‘Strong Arm Of
The Law’, which also gave the crowd a chance to exercise their vocal
chords once more as they sang along to the chorus. All powerful
stuff with the older material still standing the test of time.
The band brought
the tempo down just a touch with ‘The Thin Red Line’ then the crowd were
given the choice by Biff for either a slow song or a fast one, and as one
the crowd shout "FAST!" and their wish is fulfilled as the band ripped
into ’20,000 ft’. Then it was time for a track I myself had never
heard played live before, as the band went back to the ‘Metalhead’ album
for ‘Are We Travellers In Time’. Tremendous!
Then Biff
announced that is was good to be back on English soil for their 50th
show, which got a huge cheer from the crowd who were doubly delighted the
band were back in the UK. This prompted a track from the 'Lionheart'
album ‘Witchfinder General’. The metal just kept coming at breakneck
speed as a leather jacket was thrown on stage shortly followed by another.
The heat being generated by this lively concert was obviously too much for
some to bare!
The set carried
on with another classic from the 'Strong Arm' album, this time the
storming ‘To Hell And Back Again’, before it was back to the new album for
little tempestuous piece of metal with ‘Red Star Falling’. The pace
was then picked up again with ‘Princess of the Night’ as Quinn led out the
old guard with another superb piece of British Metal done as only Saxon
can.
Paul Quinn
continued to let his talents loose with the intro into the outstanding
‘Crusader’, another obvious crowd favourite, then it was time to finish
the main set with the new single ‘I’ve Got To Rock (To Stay Alive)’, a
song that many of the crowd could relate to judging by their reactions.
There was a
minimal break in the proceedings then Biff and the boys returned with the
monstrous ‘Atila The Hun’, also taken from the new album before we
returned to the classic crowd pleasers. Starting off with a track
that symbolizes the 80’s metal scene for me then it was ‘747 Strangers In
The Night’, this was followed by real couple of monsters ‘Heavy Metal
Thunder’, with only a quick mention of Mr Harvey Goldsmith, who's name got
an instant response from the crowd as they booed loudly at the very
mention of the man, then it was into ‘The Bands Played On’. But what
Saxon gig wouldn’t be complete without the one that got the whole ball
rolling, the mighty ‘Wheels Of Steel’ and the metal anthem ‘Denim and
Leather’. Finishing off one of the best shows not only by this band,
but this year, the band put the cherry on the top of tonight's cake with
‘Ashes To Ashes’, also taken from the new album.
Tonight I
witnessed a 24-carat British Metal performance that even a goldsmith would
find hard to forge and long may it continue. |
