Not a gig review as such, so I'll post it here, rather than there!
"Saxon Returns", indeedy-doody, and in fine form too. At the risk of sounding blase, the thing about a band like Saxon is that you know exactly what you are going to get, and they deliver every single time. Guaranteed. So, no great surprises, just another blinding show (and the blinding Eagle).
Kicked off with Lionheart, can't really recall what the order was after that but included Never Surrender, Backs To The Wall, If I Was You, 747, Dogs of War, Motorcycle Man, I've Got To Rock, Eagle Has Landed, Solid Ball of Rock, Strong Arm of The Law, Need For Speed, Metal Head, Princess of the Night, Denim & Leather, HM Thunder, To Hell & Back Again, And the Bands Played On, Crusader, and of course, Wheels of Steel.
It would be stupid to whinge about the classics left out, because it's not as if they replaced them with shit numbers. Every one was a winner. A 100% excellent Saxon show.
Loved the Macs and those LED motorised colour changers, technology has certainly leapt forwards - no more bars and bars of nasty heavy Par64 cans. Probably get the whole rig into one truck!
The negatives - Weeeeeell, there were a few, and in the interests of a balanced look at things I'll put them in.
Not really that well attended, and the space between the front stalls and the middle section had a distinct whiff of being filled with either production crew or heaven forbid, bods off the street, just to fill it out a bit. Biff didn't help things by inviting everyone down the front. There wasn't a pit, all seated, so he only succeeded in getting everyone packed into a couple of aisles, I'm sure the cameras got some great views of rows of empty seats recently vacated, whereas when they came on there was a good coverage of punters, no vast empties. Never mind though, it was a Saxon gig, the filming was secondary!
Also, according to the people sitting around me - " Who the fuck is that twat holding up his jacket all night?" Hmm, yes, I thought so too. Wouldn't have been so bad if the painting on the back had been fantastic, it was pretty average, certainly not worth holding up for half the show. Maybe that's why the band judiciously avoided it!
Special mention to a certain Scottish member here, you thought you were cool jumping onstage and loitering. The people sitting near me (inc myself) thought you were a tosser and a camera slag! Next time, take a tip from the youngster who jumped up, and get off again PDQ. We paid to see the band, not you drunkenly hanging off Biff like a lovelorn schoolgirl, trying to have a little chat with him, and having to be prised off by a roadie.
Villain of the Evening. - Most definitely the FOH engineer. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, he is shite. Maybe it's not the same guy I have criticised in the past, but the sound was appalling, still suffering the same faults - too much kick and bass, vocals fine, guitar too low in mix.
This time there were friends with me who ventured the opinions unheeded - YOU CAN'T HEAR THE FUCKING GUITARS!!!! It's not good when you have to "hear" solos in your head from memory and watching Paul & Doug's fingers rather than hearing them through the PA. It sounded like they were relying on backline. And when Paul lost his guitar a couple of numbers in........well, it turned into a drum & bass night.
I listened to a crowd of lads outside afterwards saying the guitars were non-existent too, so it's not just my ears!
Somebody, please sack the FOH engineer!!!!!!
Anyway, well worth the trip, Saxon, you returned in style!!!!! Bring on the tour! (Just change the engineer)
PS. Why was Paul Quinn dressed like Ali G????
"Saxon Returns", indeedy-doody, and in fine form too. At the risk of sounding blase, the thing about a band like Saxon is that you know exactly what you are going to get, and they deliver every single time. Guaranteed. So, no great surprises, just another blinding show (and the blinding Eagle).
Kicked off with Lionheart, can't really recall what the order was after that but included Never Surrender, Backs To The Wall, If I Was You, 747, Dogs of War, Motorcycle Man, I've Got To Rock, Eagle Has Landed, Solid Ball of Rock, Strong Arm of The Law, Need For Speed, Metal Head, Princess of the Night, Denim & Leather, HM Thunder, To Hell & Back Again, And the Bands Played On, Crusader, and of course, Wheels of Steel.
It would be stupid to whinge about the classics left out, because it's not as if they replaced them with shit numbers. Every one was a winner. A 100% excellent Saxon show.
Loved the Macs and those LED motorised colour changers, technology has certainly leapt forwards - no more bars and bars of nasty heavy Par64 cans. Probably get the whole rig into one truck!
The negatives - Weeeeeell, there were a few, and in the interests of a balanced look at things I'll put them in.
Not really that well attended, and the space between the front stalls and the middle section had a distinct whiff of being filled with either production crew or heaven forbid, bods off the street, just to fill it out a bit. Biff didn't help things by inviting everyone down the front. There wasn't a pit, all seated, so he only succeeded in getting everyone packed into a couple of aisles, I'm sure the cameras got some great views of rows of empty seats recently vacated, whereas when they came on there was a good coverage of punters, no vast empties. Never mind though, it was a Saxon gig, the filming was secondary!
Also, according to the people sitting around me - " Who the fuck is that twat holding up his jacket all night?" Hmm, yes, I thought so too. Wouldn't have been so bad if the painting on the back had been fantastic, it was pretty average, certainly not worth holding up for half the show. Maybe that's why the band judiciously avoided it!
Special mention to a certain Scottish member here, you thought you were cool jumping onstage and loitering. The people sitting near me (inc myself) thought you were a tosser and a camera slag! Next time, take a tip from the youngster who jumped up, and get off again PDQ. We paid to see the band, not you drunkenly hanging off Biff like a lovelorn schoolgirl, trying to have a little chat with him, and having to be prised off by a roadie.
Villain of the Evening. - Most definitely the FOH engineer. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, he is shite. Maybe it's not the same guy I have criticised in the past, but the sound was appalling, still suffering the same faults - too much kick and bass, vocals fine, guitar too low in mix.
This time there were friends with me who ventured the opinions unheeded - YOU CAN'T HEAR THE FUCKING GUITARS!!!! It's not good when you have to "hear" solos in your head from memory and watching Paul & Doug's fingers rather than hearing them through the PA. It sounded like they were relying on backline. And when Paul lost his guitar a couple of numbers in........well, it turned into a drum & bass night.
I listened to a crowd of lads outside afterwards saying the guitars were non-existent too, so it's not just my ears!
Somebody, please sack the FOH engineer!!!!!!
Anyway, well worth the trip, Saxon, you returned in style!!!!! Bring on the tour! (Just change the engineer)
PS. Why was Paul Quinn dressed like Ali G????
) The boys then decided they fancied another drink...only to find a notice up saying that the bar was shut for a private meeting, but we could have a drink in Reception...which we did. Then, as they were just deciding what to have, the film crew from the gig walked in, and it turned out that the bar was closed so they could have exclusive use! 
