Saxon Roundhouse London 19-10-18

In front of a rapidly filling venue Wayward Sons led by Toby Jepson came on for a 30 minute set taken from their first cd last year's Ghost Of Yet To Come and played the following 7 tracks.
Alive
Ghost
Don't Wanna Go
Killing Time
Crush
Small Talk
Until The End

Playing the heavier end of the cd was a good call and the crowd responded in kind with Sam Wood on lead guitar to Toby's right a blur of hair and fingers.
Great to see Toby back on the bigger stages and next year's second cd can hopefully take them to the next level.
Catch them head lining country wide in November.

FM were a late replacement for Y&T when Dave Meniketti injured his back and as a life long fan I was wondering how they would fare in front of a room of metal heads.

No worries on that front as the seasoned professionalism of the band shone through with Jim Kirkpatrick on lead guitar really attacking from the off set and his lengthy solo and add libbing on Crosstown Train was a set highlight.

Steve Overland on vocals and second guitar was as always exemplary and there was even a bit of a sing along for the whoa whoa's in set closer Killed By Love before a healthy applause at the end of their 45 minute set where they played the following.
Black Magic
I Belong To The Night
Bad Luck
That Girl
Life Is A Highway
Crosstown Train
Wildside
Tough It Out
Killed By Love

Saxon was my second gig way back in October 1982 so taking my son Matt was another band off his list and they didn't let any one down with a 2 hour set where they played.
Thunderbolt
Sacrifice
Nosferatu (The Vampires Waltz)
Motorcycle Man
Predator
Strong Arm Of The Law
Battering Ram
Power And The Glory
Solid Ball Of Rock
The Secret Of Flight
Dallas 1pm
And The Bands Played On
Never Surrender
747  (Strangers In The Night)
Sons Of Odin
Crusader
Princess Of The Night
Encores of
The Eagle Has Landed
Heavy Metal Thunder
Wheels Of Steel
20,000 Feet
Denim And Leather

Thunderbolt is the latest in a long list of high quality albums the band have been putting out and their live show legacy is only enhanced as is their legendary status as they approach their 40th year.
 The stage was huge with a light rig to match and the sound was superb after an initial double bass drum assault and Nigel Glockler perched high mid stage amongst a seas of Marshall's was as ever the band driving force.

Nibbs Carter on bass and backing vocal's was a headbanging blur with twin guitarist's Doug Scarratt and Paul Quinn a match made in heaven whether riffing or soloing in unison or alone.

Biff Byford was in great form with this the latest in a European tour where the crowds grow from strength to strength.
His vocals soared and his stage craft borne from years experience was superb goading the crowd to give their all.

New song,classic,new song,classic.The band have so many songs they could play all night and they sit proudly side by side as the band's input has stayed uniformly high.

For me you can't beat Dallas 1pm or The Eagle Has Landed and the light malfunction where they played 747 in the dark with Biff saying we can play the whole set in the fooking dark was fantastic.

Every song was a highlight and the crowd didn't let up for a second.

Saxon never play bad shows and let's hope they carry on for many years to come.

Superb.