Saxon and Dirkschneider at Hammersmith 2025, review and photos by Dawn Osborne

Dirk Schneider opened and Udo was full of memories as the last time he played a solo gig at Hammersmith supporting Ozzy in 1989! The set was, as advertised, exclusively Accept.

Udo was backed with a new and young energetic band including his son Sven on drums.

The guitarists had all the moves and were flying the flag for the Balls To the Wall album by having it emblazoned on their guitars.

It’s the 40th anniversary of that album and a huge backdrop made that fact impossible to ignore with an image of a huge wrecking ball hitting brickwork from the re-recorded version released earlier this year.

It was great to see UDO back in the saddle. Udo still makes all the notes, including the long high ones. The sound wasn’t great and so his vocals weren’t as prominently in the mix as they should have been, but the place was heaving early as so many people had made it their business to be there for his set, and if anyone minded you couldn’t tell.

Udo continually engaged the crowd so even when they were playing deeper less well known cuts the band kept the attention of everyone in the room.

Saxon are back with the ‘Hell, Fire and Steel’ tour. The name reflects the name of the latest album ‘Hell Fire and Damnation’ with a twist at the end as it’s the 45th anniversary of the ‘Wheels Of Steel’ Album.

Biff Byford is also back in the saddle despite recent health challenges. The good news is he is looking very well, if anything even fitter than usual and sounding as good as ever. By staying the course for a mammoth 21 songs every night he is demonstrating that he still has what it takes .. and then some! He also is full of memories and tells the crowd that the first time he played Hammersmith it was 1979.

The set is indeed in three parts, starting with a taster across several classic Saxon albums with the album covers resplendent in digital graphics behind the band. The whole show kicked off with the title track of the new album and this first part of the show also featured firm favourite ‘Madame Guillotine’ already proving itself to be the stand out track from the new songs.  These were included amongst other classics such as ‘Never Surrender’ and ‘Dallas 1pm’. The digital screen behind the band revisited the times of Marie Antoinette and took everyone high above the clouds in an airplane in an immediate way where traditionally the band name and eagle would have been.

Doug Scarratt and Brian Tatler bring the big riffs and are still a tight team. Nigel Glockler drummer since 1981 showed no signs of slowing down.

Visually Brian was looking smart in a military dress jacket (which compliments Biff’s military great coat) with the lower buttons carefully removed so as not to scratch his gear, getting his priorities right.

Before playing the ‘Wheels Of Steel’ album in its entirety Biff takes everyone back to 1980, asking who was not born in 1980, and adding a bit of comedy by saying “I don’t believe some of you”. They do indeed then play the whole album in order including tracks rarely played. In general, by playing the deeper cut tracks instead of just the more accessible commercial ones, the effect is to take the band heavier with frenetic drums and blinding solos.

For the title track ‘Wheel Of Steel’ there’s an extended singalong and amidst the cover of the album spinning with ai-assisted panache the audience is projected onto the screen and encouraged to go crazy, especially when they are reminded that this show is being recorded.

The end of ‘Machine Gun’ signalled a return to a greatest hits encore. Battle vests were thrown onstage for the band to wear and the crowning glory was performances of ‘Denim and Leather’, ‘And The Band Played On’, ‘Strong Arm Of The Law’ and ‘Princess Of The Night’. The recent addition of Brian Tatler means the front stage is now completely a sea of blonde hair when the synchronised headbanging ensues.

Saxon are still bringing everything to the stage as they always have. Biff is looking healthier than he has for a long time and there have been no compromises in delivery. “Never Surrender!” Indeed!

Dawn Osborne

 

 

 

 

 

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