Artist: Saxon & Masterplan

Venue: Academy 2, Manchester  

Date:  14 May 2007 

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.

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 with ‘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.

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 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.

 

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