Heavy Metal Thunder – Saxon still know how to ROCK 

Saxon 20th December 2011 - Koko, London

Wow is it really 31 years since Saxon graced Top of the Pops screens with "Wheels of Steel"? and is it really 30 years since the release of “Denim & Leather”? The answer is yes to both and tonight we celebrate.

Tonight’s gig is the culmination of a world tour that started way back in April and finished before our very eyes in London. Saxon’s “A Call to Arms World Tour” has taken them many places but it would be hard to see them getting a better crowd reaction than they did tonight. Mixing new songs from their current album with old favourites and some rarely played gems, it really is a pleasure to watch a band that have been there, done it and got the T-shirt.

First song of the night is “Hammer of the Gods” which is quickly followed by “Heavy Metal Thunder”, Oh jeezz don't peak too soon I say to myself. New and old songs come and go as if there is no tomorrow, “Motorcycle Man”, “Back in 79”, “Solid Ball of Rock”, “Chasing the Bullet”. “Never Surrender” is greeted with huge cheers as it’s the first song to be played from the album Denim and Leather, which leads into “Fire in the Sky”, “Midnight Rider”, the Donington inspired “And the Bands Played On”. Was it really 1981 when this album first appeared? Next up is “To Hell and Back Again” followed by the title track from Saxon’s 2011 album “Call to Arms”.  With drum and guitar solos aplenty the band are really at the top of their form when they launch into “Play it Loud” (in my opinion the best song of the night) from Denim and Leather this is quickly followed by the remaining 4 songs from that album “Rough and Ready”, “Out of Control”, Denim and Leather” and “Princess of the Night” 

A well-earned break for the band ensues and gives the crowd the chance find their breath, but with any headlining band the encore is really a chance to play what the fans want and we weren’t disappointed, “Crusade”, “Power and Glory”, “747 (Strangers in the night), “Strong Arm of the Law” and the wonderful “Wheels of Steel”.

What a night, what a gig, what a band – here’s to the next 3 decades of Saxon