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... for the 25th time?! hmmm, to be honest, I don't know anymore, how
often I've seen this lot playing live on stage. Fact is, the first time
was in 1984. And since then, apart frome some line up changes and a few
more new songs, nothing has changed at all. And of course we all got older.
But otherwise everything is the same like 23 years ago. It starts with the
show and ends with Biff's hairstyle and the usual coat, whom he doesn't
take off even there are 90 degrees in a venue. Probably that belongs to
the usual image care, - so what?!
One thing I can say about Saxon for sure, and that's the fact, the the
belong to the most steady and still exisiting Heavy Metal Acts, or should
I better say the New Wave of Heavy Metal, which started out in the early
eighties in the UK and rolled soon over the rest of the globe. Sayxon
always delivered and still do - a solid rockshow without weak points. To
be honest, I've never seen a bad Saxon Show so far.
Tonight the come in a foursome package, whereby the first act 'Dead Means
Nothing' is a local capacity, who only come up here in Munich. Number 2 is
Hellfueled, who are on the whole track. But I have to confess, I missed
them both. (thanx Doug!)
.
First when number 3
comes on stage I'm here to shoot some pics. And they are Masterplan, the
baby of Roland Grapow, who we all know from the german Heavy Metal scene.
Yep, he is proud about his current band, although they suffered a tragic
loss recently by loosing their frontman Jorn Lande, who is going to
follow his own path. He is one of the best shouters around. The new guy is
Mike DiMeo and hasn't got such a reputation like Jorn yet. But therefore
Roland has recruited Mike Terranan, who certainly is the best drummer in
the country. He is a capacity for his own and he shows this within the set.
With a new album 'MPII' in the back, Grapow and Co. are encouraged to win
the attention of a broughter audiance now and convince the fans, that they
are still good despite the changes. Okay, they partly do so.It is rather
interesting, that people either luv it or hate it. There is no inbetween.
Maybe that is due to the fact, that they are nothing new, but only an
average Heavy Metal band, not bad but also not brillant or extroordinary.
No more no less.
Just like mentioned
before the drum performance is a true highlight and underlines Mikes
brillant reputation as a drummer. (apart from that, he'd be a great actor
as well) However, if Masterplan come on a clubtour on their own one day,
like Mr. Grapow told me, then I surely will be back again to check 'em
out. Because between a supportrole and a headliner gig there are worlds
inbetween.www.master-plan.net/
And here we go again....
Saxon once again for the 175th
time, or is it the 228th time. Who cares, it's showtime and general Biff
storms the front of the stage of our Elserhalle. Halluja inclusively tons
of Dry ice (my camera hates you for that) buth here the lights truly take
a cold shower, and Daddy says hello with a dead serious face. Meanwhile
the venue is boiling - I mean boiling in the real sense. Because the room
temperature has risen up to about 100 degrees. I haven't felt this heat
very often yet, and it is really exhausting indeed. The sales of water and
beer is steadily increasing, and I have almost the impression the whole
situation is a matter or purpose. Onyl one person keeps an iron mind and
wouldn't take off his coat up there. He even holds it together in the
front, as if he wants to hide something.It's not just me having this
feeling. My god, whether you got a beerbelly or beeing bold, who cares, as
long as the performance is great. Don't care about the image. And apart
from the instable acoustic conditions, the gig once again is very solid,
stable and just great.
Saxon, or better
Biff, proves again, that you can still rock with fifty something not
suffering any critical condition. Also the other one's in the band are
doing well, though the youngest member has gone beyond his fourties.
Thanks to his aura, movement and naked chest, he is a nice vision for the
female eye as well. All time guitarist Paul Quinn dressed in a fashionable
pirate hat, plays his parts in exchange with Doug Scarratt, who also
belongs to the establishment for quite a few years now. By the way, he
seems to be the only one, who doesn't care about the heat not showing any
sweat on his face or so compared to the rest of the band. It must be full
torture for them, much more than for us down there in the audiance.
Hoever, 'Crusader' goes down great as well as the new material from the
current album 'The Inner Sanctum'. Beeing a bit insecure whether this new
record goes well down on the fans, now the guys don't have to worry about
it anymore, because the album has been completely accepted.
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The encores are, how
could it be anyhow else - '747' and of course 'Wheels Of Steel'. And it's
gonna stay like that 'till the end of their days.
That's it, finished, time to go for another NWOHM. And Saxon say good Bye
for now, looking foward to a shower and a cold beer. They do deserve this
indeed, as well as the 1.000 fans tonight (it's getting more and more over
the years now) And I say thank you for - nothing new but therefore even
better than ever - entertainment ala' Saxon. See you next time for the
26st time or is it 27... hmmmm ?!
This review is dedicated to Thomas Jensen, who has helped me with my
duties. And thanx to Doug for this long term friendship...
Hope to see you all soon again...
http://www.saxon747.com
Click
Diary
for Before- and Aftershow Snapshots
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