Tonight was the first show of a lengthy UK tour for veteran metal titans SAXON, who are about to unleash their latest feast of classic British metal, with studio album number 19, ‘Call to Arms’. Perhaps to ensure the wheels of steel are well oiled for the rest of the tour, tonight’s show was an intimate affair, with the small town of Leamington Spa treated to some Saturday night SAXON fever.

Despite the small venue, SAXON didn’t short change their fans as they blasted through a 2 hour set, packed with over 20 songs covering their ever durable career. Fans old and new seemed to lap up every moment, as the likes of ‘Never Surrender’ and ‘Solid Ball of Rock’ blasted out of the impressively powerful PA system.

The Leamington fans were the first in the UK to hear material from the new album, other than awesome set opener ‘Hammer of the Gods’, which has been made available as an online single. Four other new songs were played, with album title track ‘Call To Arms’ and ‘When Doomsday Comes’ both sounding like potentially instant SAXON classics. On tonight’s evidence, I for one will be banging down the HMV doors come 23rd May to get my hands on a copy of the new record.

Like a fine wine, SAXON seem to mature with age. Every time you see them, they just seem to get better. Biff Byford’s voice is as strong as it was back in 1979, and the rest of the band display an on stage energy which defies their evergreen ages.

The majority of SAXON’s biggest hits were reserved for the encores, with the likes of ‘Wheels of Steel’, ‘Princess of the Night’ and ’747 (Strangers in the Night)’ all getting an airing. As well as the hits though, it was great to hear lesser played songs from the 80′s such as ‘Hungry Years’ and ‘Broken Heroes’. With a strict curfew already broken, SAXON finished the show with a 3rd encore, wrapping things up with ‘Motorcycle Man’.

Given the majesty of tonight’s performance, the ‘Call to Arms’ tour is set to be something very special, and all metal fans should indeed heed SAXON’s call. Credit also to FURY UK for another blistering support slot, just as they delivered in support of Y&T at the end of last year. With WOLFSBANE also on the rest of tour, each night really does promise to be memorable. It’s great to see the mighty SAXON roll on into 2011 as they continue to rule the roost as one of the greatest metal bands of all time.

View Setlist Here

Rating: 4.7/5.0

Full tour details are:-

April 2011

Sat 9th Leamington Spa – The Assembly
Sun 10th Nottingham – Rock City
Mon 11th Whitehaven – Civic Hall
Wed 13th Manchester – Academy 2
Thurs 14th Glasgow – O2 ABC
Fri 15th Newcastle – O2 Academy
Sun 17th Leeds – O2 Academy
Mon 18th Wolverhampton – Wulfrun Hall
Tue 19th Bristol – O2 Academy
Thurs 21st Falmouth – Princess Pavilion
Fri 22nd Bournemouth – O2 Academy
Sat 23rd London – O2 Shepherds Bush Empire