5th Fat Tire Laax 2001 - Flims Switzerland Saturday 18 August 2001
Saxon gig review by Stefano 'Steven' Ricetti - Italy
SETLIST : 0) INTRO 1) METALHEAD 2) MOTORCYCLE MAN 3) DOGS OF WAR
4) SOLID BALL OF ROCK 5) SONG OF EVIL 6) STRONG ARM OF THE LAW 7) THE EAGLE HAS LANDED
CONQUISTADOR 1ST PART / FRITZ DRUMS SOLO / CONQUISTADOR 2ND PART 9) CRUSADER10) PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT 11) WHEELS OF STEEL 12) DENIM AND LEATHER
Started at 23.50 PM
Finished at 1.15 AM
Duration 1 Hour and 25 Minutes
Fat Tire Laax , an appointment for a lot of crazy bikers mainly from Switzerland ( obviously )
Liechtestein , Germany , Italy , Austria and from Europe in general.
Location was incredible : in a plain at 1629 meters above sea level in a USA Western City ,
near a Indian Tent Camp - a main stage indoor - 2 sunny days... - attainable with bike
or with cable railway only - no car - security assured by HELLS ANGELS.
On Saturday most of the people were there for our idols : the granite Saxon !.
I was in "pole position" in the first row of the pit since 23 AM.
After a little introduction by a guy INTRO started shared with white smoke and so the athmosphere
became surreal and the feeling hot.
A black shape is moving forward wearing a coat ... this is one of living heavy metal legend :
Mr. Peter 'Biff' Byford from Barnsley !!!.
METALHEAD started and the sound was very good ; Biff introduced MOTORCYCLE MAN and the audience
became crazy in fact MOTORCYCLE MAN is since ever a hymn for bikers all over the world also with
songs such BORN TO BE WILD , CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' et cetera.
DOGS OF WAR and SOLID BALL OF ROCK kicked ass and after SAXON played the insipid ( this is my
own opinion of course ! ) SONG OF EVIL.
Fortunately Paul Quinn started with the immortal STRONG ARM OF THE LAW and after with EAGLE HAS
LANDED. Biff remembered to the people that in September will arrive the new album KILLING GROUND
and CONQUISTADOR began. In the middle of this song Fritz Randow did a poweful drums solo in fact
he played with 3 cymbals ( one in his mouth ) and he did a sort of clown performance putting cymbals
on the air simultaneus at a terrificant double bass drum.
Audience appreciate it and final part of CONQUISTADOR started.
CRUSADER and PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT ran fluenty and Biff announced the myth WHEELS OF STEEL ; during
the song , like ever Biff incited the crowd screaming for tree times tha classical YEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHH
.... after the first the bikers sang by himself YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHH and Biff smiling sat down
in front of the Fritz's Drum and waited a moment .... he stand up and "conducting the orchestra"
for a little bit ... he exclaimed "fantastic people tonight !!!!" thank you !!! and WHEELS finished.
Last DENIM AND LEATHER was the right anthem to conclude the show , all people yell and the
performance was excellent !!!.
The only one regret in my opinion is that they didn't play HEAVY METAL THUNDER , one of my favourite
but at the end of the day the gig was excellent , the sound clear and the athmosphere Fu@#ing great.
Thanx SAXON , Thanx SWITZERLAND , Thanx bikers , THIS KIND OF HEAVY METAL WILL NEVER DIE !!!!!!!!!!!.
An Epic Hail Stefano 'Steven' Ricetti