Saxon is nothing if not dependable. No matter how many times their brand of typically English working class heavy metal has fallen in and out of favor over the years, Biff Byford and the boys reliably come out with great records and killer live shows. Thankfully, they have been on an upward trajectory for the past decade and a half, after a few lean years in the nineties and early-naughts, and they can now play venues such as Le Zénith (albeit in its small configuration) which allows them to indulge in the bombast inherent to the genre.
The setlist is built for lifers, with Wheels of Steel performed in full, a generous helping of Denim and Leather, all of the the expected anthems, and even a few deeper cuts. Compared to most of their fellows in the NWOBHM scene, their sound is a little more rock n' roll, leaning slightly closer to Motörhead than to Iron Maiden. Epic, but grounded. None of the operatic excess favored by some of their peers but crunchy riffs, rollicking solos and first-pumping choruses anchored by the might of punishing rhythm section.
Frontman Biff Byford's voice remains astonishingly strong and, judging purely from his singing, you would never guess that the man is now in his mid-seventies. His affable, relatable stage presence is a big part of what makes a Saxon show such a communal experience. One of the traditions is having audience members throw their battle jackets on stage for Byford to display, cementing the bond between performers, the audience and the entire heavy metal community. This is quintessential heavy metal, for the people, by the people.
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