A wonderful evening of classic rock at Eventim Apollo (that’s the Hammersmith Odeon in English), and well attended it was too, having the aura of a sellout. And after Saxon vocalist Biff Byford’s recent health scare (now clear of cancer), situation normal was more than welcome.

German vocalist Udo Dirkschneider (formerly of Accept), who has gone out as both UDO and Dirkschneider, opened, playing the classic Balls To The Wall album. Udo’s band has revisited this as part of the album’s 40th anniversary, and the reimagined Balls To The Wall Revisited features a host of guests, including Biff on one. The show was loved warmly by the crowd and I have to admit to not being au fait with the music, but was very pleasantly surprised. Power metal with both blistering and anthemic moments, an amazing warm up.

The Saxon fraternity is rather like a massive family, and from the outset there was a lot of love for Biff from the crowd.

A massive roar as Saxon to the stage, and ‘Hell, Fire & Damnation’ (the title track of their 2024 opus) kicked off at a pace; ‘Madam Guillotine’ from the same album went down equally well.

With each track came graphics at the back of the stage and a full lightshow to boot.  That also included circa 1979 Motorhead tour dates where Biff reminisced about the first time Saxon played this venue.

‘Power And The Glory’, ‘Backs To The Wall’ and ‘Never Surrender’ took us back, and 2013’s ‘Sacrifice’ (the title track) also rocked – would have loved to have heard more from this era. Classic Saxon.

The pulsating rhythm of Dallas 1pm then led into ‘Wheels Of Steel’, the album. The album’s 45th anniversary, so well worthy. The audience loved it, an easy crowd pleaser. The album beginning to end, so as well as ’747 (Strangers In The Night)’ and the title track, we get ‘Motorcycle Man’, ‘Suzie Hold On’ and the rest. Biff sane well throughout and added is usual humour, joking that many present were born after the original album’s release.

New guitarist Brian Tatler fitted in well, he and long time Doug Scarratt a fine dual guitar. The band were loose without being sloppy, music flowed easily and everyone loved it.

‘Denim And Leather’, ‘And The Bands Played On’, ‘Strong Arm Of The Law’ and ‘Princess Of The Night’ rounded things off nicely.

The performance was excellent. However surrounding a 1980 album, no matter how classic, with so much more early material immediately disposes of some of the band’s best material. ’85, ’95 and 2005 were all Purple patches for the Boys From Barnsley.

That aside, Saxon always put on a good show and never disappoint. This was no exception, and a catch up with old friends Doug Scarratt and drummer Nigel Glocker after show was icing on the cake.

Review by Joe Geesin
Photos by Andy Nathan

Saxon Setlist

Hell, Fire and Damnation
Power and the Glory
Sacrifice
Backs to the Wall
Never Surrender
Madame Guillotine
Heavy Metal Thunder
Dallas 1 PM

Motorcycle Man
Stand Up and Be Counted
747 (Strangers in the Night)
Wheels of Steel
Freeway Mad
See the Light Shining
Street Fighting Gang
Suzie Hold On
Machine Gun

Denim and Leather
And the Bands Played On
Strong Arm of the Law
Princess of the Night

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