PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
What better way to kick off Christmas than with a gig in fact tonight was my final gig of 2011 and it also just so happens to be two of my favourite bands Gothenburg, Sweden’s awesome power metalers Hammerfall and Yorkshire, England’s legendary Saxon.
I am unfortunately ( I say unfortunately but it wasn’t really) confined to the balcony at KoKo tonight as I had a bit of drunken falling over at Hard Rock Hell and managed to fracture my ribs however from the safety of the very top level in KoKo and the luxury of a leather sofa, a table for my drink, a couple of mates (who very kindly said they would keep me company) and a cracking view of the stage I have never before experienced a gig in this way, sure I have been on balcony’s and seated before but never on a lovely leather sofa!
Starting off with Hammerfall, they kick off their set with “Any Means Necessary” from 2009’s “No Sacrifice, No Victory” very well received and from my view in the gods I can see the crowd getting stuck in right from the first note they followed on with “Heeding the Call” from 1998’s “Legacy of Kings” and next came one of my personal favourite songs “Renegade” the title track of their 2000 album and they energetic crowd sing along with chorus as do we from our spot gazing down on the packed out KoKo. Overall Hammerfall were polished and packed a punch slightly disappointed that there were no tracks from their first or most recent albums however they finished on a high with the ever popular “Hearts on Fire”
Full Set list: Any Means Necessary ,Heeding the Call, Renegade, Bang Your Head, Blood Bound, Last Man Standing, Let the Hammer Fall, One More Time, Hearts On Fire.
Overall rating: 8/10
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Change over time and time to grab a quick “fresh air break” and I bump into some friends who were downstairs for Hammerfall had a quick catch up then back inside in time for Saxon to hit the stage, opening up with the first song from their latest album “Call to Arms” which is “Hammer of the Gods” Biff jumps right in with his fabulous kick ass vocals and the crowd are with him all the way, moving on to “Heavy Metal Thunder” from their 1980 album “Strong Arm of the Law” and they guys keep up the pace, Quinn, Glockler, Carter and Scarratt all playing their part of the massive metal machine.
Next it was back to the most recent album for the brilliant “When Doomsday Comes” which was recorded for the forthcoming movie “Hybrid Theory” staying with “Call to Arms” we are served up with “Chasing the Bullet” then it’s time to be transported back to 1980 once again for “Motorcycle Man” which incidentally stayed in the Japanese charts for over five months when it was originally released there, and so the 1980/2011 flip flop continued with “Back in 79” and then it was “Solid Ball of Rock” from 1991.
I had heard rumours that this show was to be a performance of “Denim and Leather” in its entirety with a smattering of other hits added in and our first glimpse of this was delivered in the form of “Never Surrender” and as it turned out this was one first of four tracks from “Denim and Leather” and was followed by “Fire in the Sky”, ”Midnight Rider”, “And the Band Plays On” then Saxon continued to pull out classics both new and old with a superb drum solo from Glockler which was sandwiched inbetween “Rock the Nations” and “Mists of Avalon” the audience and I were not disappointed in the rumour of the complete “Denim and Leather” as “Play it Loud” was stuck in and the main set finished with “Denim and Leather” to much crowd participation and “Princess of the Night”.
Immediately the crowed were baying for the encore and Biff and the boys re-took the stage with “Crusader” followed by a solo from Scarratt and then “Power and the Glory” and “747 (Strangers in the Night)” and that was the queue for the second encore commencing with a bass solo from Carter rolled into “Strong Arm of the Law” and “Wheels of Steel” almost two solid hours of classic and modern Saxon has truly beaten me into a pulp and it’s now time for a pint or two! So nice to end my 2011 gigs with so many familiar faces and two of my favourite bands, here’s to plenty more in 2012!
Full set list: Hammer of the Gods, Heavy Metal Thunder, When Doomsday Comes, Chasing the Bullet, Motorcycle Man, Back in ’79, Solid Ball of Rock, Never Surrender, Fire in the Sky, Midnight Rider, And the Bands Played On, To Hell and Back Again, Call to Arms, Rock the Nations (Drum Solo), Mists of Avalon, Broken Heroes, Play It Loud, Rough and Ready, Out of Control , Denim and Leather, Princess of the Night.
Encore 1: Crusader (Guitar Solo Doug Scarratt), Power and the Glory, 747 (Strangers in the Night).
Encore 2: Bass Solo Nibbs Carter, Strong Arm of the Law, Wheels of Steel.
Overall rating: 9/10
You can also hear my interview with Saxon’s Biff Byford from earlier in the year by clicking here
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