The Moshville Times - Gig Review: Saxon / FM / Wayward Sons – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow (18th October 2018)

After almost 40 years in the metal world, true legends Saxon are still going strong. Hot on the heels of their latest release, the awesome Thunderbolt, the band are kicking off the UK leg of this tour to a sold out Barrowlands in Glasgow. The denim and leather clad masses are here for a night of heavy metal thunder, and Saxon are certain to provide.

Opening the gig are hard rockers Wayward Sons who walk out to an ever-increasing crowd. The set is only a short half-hour but the band waste no time cramming the set full of catchy numbers. The initial reception is rather lukewarm but as the crowd grows, so do the cheers and claps. The sound is good this early on in the night serving the band’s classic sounds (with vibes reminiscent of AC/DC, Dio, Saxon and Foo Fighters) well, as they rock out onstage. With the announcement of another album and tour next year, Wayward Sons are definitely a band to watch.

Next up are 80s AOR merchants FM. The pace is overall brought down with the generally slower tunes and the reaction from the crowd is certainly lesser than that of the previous band. The band themselves perform well, bringing pop-rock classics like “That Girl” as well as newer numbers. The sound is good and clear, especially with the melodic vocal harmonies and punchy drums. Despite a lack of crowd response during each song (with the exception of the odd clap-along) there’s plenty of applause in between them. Maybe the crowd are saving their energy for the headliners? We’ll soon see…

The time has come for Saxon and the crowd erupts as each member takes the stage. Opening with the title track from the latest album, the band are on good form. Frontman Biff Byford’s voice has barely aged, as he powerfully belts out each anthem. Bassist Nibbs Carter is headbanging like a maniac as the rest of the band rock out. The set is primarily a mix of new songs sandwiched between classics. The crowd are cheering, clapping and singing along with particularly energetic renditions of tunes like “Motorcycle Man”, “Power and the Glory” and “They Played Rock and Roll”.

After applause following a rousing “Strong Arm of the Law”, Byford asks if the crowd are fans of the band’s old stuff. The response is cheers and he retorts jokingly with “typical”. Byford’s sense of humour is on show tonight as he jokes that it won’t be time for “Heavy Metal Thunder” until his hair is messy from performing. More Saxon hits follow and the roaring from the crowd doesn’t stop. The encore featuring the aforementioned “Heavy Metal Thunder” alongside the band’s signature chant-along “Wheels of Steel”, and anthemic “Denim and Leather” comes, and the Barrowlands is left having had a hard rocking show. Saxon know how to put on a heavy metal gig and never disappoint. Given there are plans for some big 40th anniversary celebrations next year, let’s hope Saxon bring the party back to Glasgow.

Setlist: