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The music website with more fatLive: Blaze Bayley – The Rigger, Newcastle Under-Lyme – 06/12/2007
The set was a great mix of the best songs from BLAZE's 3 studio records, and smithering of highlights from the 2 albums he recorded with metal legends IRON MAIDEN in the second half of the 1990's. No WOLFSBANE material was played and this probably has something to do with the recent reunion of the band and the fact that Blaze will front WOLFSBANE in two weeks time on tour in the UK with THE WILDHEARTS (a show not to be missed!). Blaze's band personnel seems to change on a weekly basis these days, and even the guy who played guitar on the acoustic tour wasn't on stage tonight. The BLAZE BAYLEY band now includes only 1 lead guitarist who plays all the solos, with a rhythm guitarist to support him. The band are a younger breed than the main man and certainly look the part, and more importantly, they do a more than adequate with the music. As for names, sorry I don't have a clue, as Blaze didn't announce the band members – perhaps we'll have to wait to read the booklet in next year's new album! It was great tonight to hear so many songs from the 'Silicon Messiah' album – Blaze's first release after his departure from Maiden. For me, this is one of the very best metal albums of the decade and songs like 'Identity', 'Ghost in the Machine', 'Stare At The Sun' and the haunting title track 'Silicon Messiah' are all nothing short of masterpiece standard. In his only bad error of the night, Blaze got mixed up between 'Futureal' and 'The Brave', singing the former's words to the latter's music – it was so funny, even Blaze couldn't help himself from laughing. The Bayley penned Top 10 hit 'Man on the Edge' sent the crowd into a frenzy and was the perfect ending to a tremendous evening of balls out entertainment. No matter where he plays, be it the Dog and duck or the Brixton Academy, BLAZE BAYLEY will always give 100% and any true fan of metal who goes away from one of his gigs disappointed, seriously needs their head looking at. Roll on the Big Bash at Dudley on the 15th! BLAZE BAYLEY Setlist: Leap of Faith / Speed of Light / The Brave / Futureal / Virus / Look For The Truth / The Launch / Lord of the Flies / Stare at the Sun / Regret / Ghost In The Machine / Kill and Destroy / Silicon Messiah / Tenth Dimension / Alive / Identity / Ten Seconds / Soundtrack of My Life / Born as a Stranger / Man on the Edge Rating 4.6/5.0 Review by James Allman Photography by Alexander Shaw
Returning to the Rigger less than 3 months after his well-received acoustic performance, BLAZE BAYLEY was here with his full band line-up this time, looking to warm up for his 'Big Bash' shows later in the month. On a horrible night weather wise, a relatively decent crowd showed up and they were duly rewarded with an in your face, 2 hour assault of the very finest heavy metal.
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