Saxon Announce UK/Ireland Tour with Fastway and Girlschool

 

SAXON ANNOUNCE UK & IRISH DATES

FOR THEIR BATTERING RAM TOUR

 

Saxon

  

NWOBHM icons Saxon have announced 10 dates for the UK/Ireland leg of their upcoming Battering Ram World Tour. They will be joined by special guests Fastway and Girlschool for the much awaited shows, opening in Newcastle on 28th October.

 

“Gonna be a great tour with Fastway and Girlschool” – said frontman Biff Byford. “I think this line up is unique, you don’t wanna miss it.  Looking forward to battering some halls… Welcome to the metal church!”

 

Battering Ram, Saxon’s 21st studio album, was released in October 2015 reaching the UK Top 50 and #12 in Germany. It was described by frontman Biff Byford as “a natural progression from Sacrifice” with “a bit less rock’n’roll and a bit more ‘heavy’ on it”. Following its release Saxon hit Europe with Motorhead for their 40th Anniversary tour, accompanied by Girlschool. Sadly, the tragic passing of Lemmy in December put an early end to the tour, and the UK leg planned to begin on January 16th was cancelled – bar a Saxon headlining show in Brighton.

 

Joining Saxon and Girlschool on the new dates will be Fastway, the brainchild of ex-Motorhead guitarist Fast Eddie Clarke with UFO bassist Pete Way.  The current line up features Fast Eddie Clarke with Toby Jepson on vocals, Steve Strange on drums and Mama’s Boys’ John McManus on bass.  More info on http://www.fastwayofficial.com

 

Dates as follows:

 

DATE                           CITY                           VENUE

October

28th                             Newcastle                   O2 Academy

29th                             Glasgow                      O2 ABC

30th                             Belfast                        Limelight

 

November

1st                               Dublin                          Academy

2nd                             Manchester                O2 Ritz

3rd                              Bristol                         O2 Academy

5th                              London                        O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire

6th                              Wolverhampton         Wulfrun Hall

8th                              Sheffield                      O2 Academy

9th                               Nottingham                Rock City

 

Tickets go on sale on Friday 3rd June via myticket.co.uk and seetickets.com

Saxon released their self-titled debut in 1979, followed by Wheels of Steel” the following year, which reached #5 in the UK charts and gave fans two classics in the title track and 747. They established themselves as one of the icons of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal throughout the 80s. Later the band tried to attack the US market taking a more melodic direction with release of Destiny” in 1988, before going back to their original sound with 1991’s Solid Balls of Rock” , reaffirming their influence on the European metal scene. They continued touring and recording enjoying renewed success and released their current album Battering Ram in 2015.   They also recently released a 9 Vinyl album box set Eagles and Dragons containing the bands nine studio albums recorded between 1991 and 2009.

 

Saxon saw album sales topping 15 million worldwide including 8 UK Top 40 albums across their career. They are considered a seminal NWOBHM act and are known to have inspired the likes of Metallica, Megadeth, Pantera, Motley Crue and plenty more.

 

http://www.saxon747.com/en/

https://www.facebook.com/saxon

Twitter:  @Saxonofficial

About Louise Swift

I first went to a gig in 1981, Gillan at Leeds University. I've been a regular gig goer ever since. I haven't kept count of how many gigs I've been to over the intervening years, but it's a lot! My favourite bands are AC/DC then, in no particular order, Anti-Nowhere League, Slaughter and the Dogs, Towers of London and Dirt Box Disco. I tend to like Glam/Punk and rude offensive lyrics, not sure what that says about me but as Animal would say 'So What!' The question was recently put to me - did I write for any online publications? My reply - No, but I'd like to! Planetmosh was suggested and I found myself offering to review Aces High Festival. Easy peasy I thought! Well not quite, if a jobs worth doing it's worth doing well! I had sixteen bands to research. I found I actually enjoyed that and it kept me too busy to be making lunatic comments on Facebook! ;) Then I felt a bit inadequately qualified. I mean, who am I to comment on others, when my musical expertise extends to being able to play a mean Greensleeves on the recorder and a passable Annie's song on the flute! Haven't picked up either instrument for years! What I do have, however, is over 30 years of experience as a gig goer, so I can comment on what I like and what I don't! It's only my opinion and, if I don't like a band it doesn't mean they are bad, just not to my own liking. I admire anyone who has the guts to get up on that stage and have a go!