Gig Review: Saxon / Diamond Head – St. David’s Hall, Cardiff (14th November 2022)

It’s been almost 40 years since my first gig.  Saxon at St. David’s Hall on January 21st, 1983. Since then, I’ve seen the quintessential heavy metal band many times across the UK. Bristol, Oxford, Glasgow, London, Bloodstock, Download and Steelhouse as well as several times in various venues in the Welsh capital. They are a band who has never let me down. I was at Hammersmith Odeon in January for their delayed 40th anniversary celebration, as well as their triumphant return up the mountain at Steelhouse Festival in July. Both shows were phenomenal, but there’s something special about St. David’s Hall and as I arrived at the venue, to be greeted by fans of many generations, that first thrill when I was a mere slip of a lad was back. They are my band, through good times and bad. Solid, dependable, but bloody great entertainment. The very essence of UK metal.

Diamond Head (c) Gary Cooper

You don’t have to look far when Saxon are playing to find another band who were part of the NWOBHM movement. Yes, Diamond Head appear to have replaced Girlschool as the staple support act, having played on those January shows, as well as making their debut at Steelhouse. It’s never a chore to spend 45 minutes watching the band whose profile is most definitely in part due to a certain Download double headliner.  The auditorium is in no way full as Brian Tatler, Rasmus Bom Andersen, Karl Wilcox, Andy Abberley and new bassist Paul Gaskin make their way onto the stage but those there are certainly in the mood for a set which combines songs drawn from their excellent last two albums as well as a spread of classics. The band launch into “The Prince”, one of four drawn from the seminal Lightning to the Nations. It may have been made famous by Metallica, but Diamond Head have been rejuvenated since the arrival of Bom Andersen almost a decade ago and he owns the song like it’s his own composition. Bom Andersen twists, turns, and simply cannot stand still for a second. He’s a tog’s dream, with pose after pose on the monitors as he sings. He’s electrifying to watch, the ideal foil for the more sedate Tatler, who is content to move around the stage cutting the occasional shape with his trademark Flying V.

Diamond Head are heavy, much heavier live than on record, and that’s partly due to the sheer power with which Wilcox attacks his drums. The man is a powerhouse, pummelling seven shades out of the kit, locked in tight with Gaskin and Abberley. “Bones” and “The Messenger” pass in a blur, the band tight and on point. Tatler is a sublime guitarist. Clad all in black with his long hair blowing out from the fans placed on stage. It’s needed, as the venue warms up terrifically within minutes. Bom Andersen cajoles, interacts with the front rows with high fives and most of all, wins over new ones with his high-octane approach. The crowd is getting more animated, with some having the temerity to stand up in their seats, and a few old school fans mouth every word to the band. “It’s Electric” is just that, but all roads inevitably leave to the set closer “Am I Evil”. Bom Andersen screams “Cardiff, are you evil?” and Tatler hits the riff he wanted to be heavier than “Symptom of the Universe”. Those who may have been slightly passive so far are up on their feet, singing along and playing air guitar. A fair percentage present would have memories of doing the same four decades earlier, but there are also those hearing it live for the first time. It’s an overplayed song, but live, it still sends goosebumps down the spine, especially when the final part kicks in. 45 minutes is gone in a flash. Huge cheers and the lack of pit allows fans to shake hands and fist bump the band. There are smiles on the stage and in the audience. Diamond Head are still alive and kicking and as live band’s go, always amongst the most entertaining.

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With Diamond Head’s gear removed, the stage suddenly doubles in size. Two massive banks of Marshall amplifiers flank Nigel Glockler’s huge kit. It’s backed by a huge red Saxon backdrop, with ‘Seize the Day’ emblazoned on it. On either side of the stage, hang red drapes with ‘Carpe Diem’ on them. It’s easy to forget that Saxon released their 24th studio album in February but tonight Biff Byford and the boys will serve up a healthy portion of songs from Carpe Diem, as well as few deeper cuts. They roar onto the stage to a heroic welcome. Few remain seated, and those that do are generally forced to because of age, health or mobility challenges. Biff playfully chides them later on in the evening, demanding that they all stand for a glorious version of the band’s anthem “Denim and Leather”.

Saxon (c) Gary Cooper

Before that we are treated to an additional 18 songs which starts with “Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)”. Nibbs Carter is his usual hyperactive self, running across the stage, climbing the short staircase to Glockler’s kit before jumping back to the front to add backing vocals. He’s a man possessed. Flanking Byford, guitarists Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt, who allow Carter to do the heavy lifting whilst they effortlessly shred, sharing solos adding breadth and depth. Byford remains the central pillar of the band. His mere presence is impressive, in his now standard black tunic and blond hair flowing. He banters with the crowd throughout, reminding us that we are in the land of song. And then there’s the engine room. Glockler sits behind his gleaming kit, complete with double bass drum in the Saxon livery. His power and precision are incredible. He misses not one note. Not bad for a man rapidly approaching his 70th birthday. He hits hard, and loud. The lighting is fabulous, banks of reds, blues, greens and yellows light up the stage. Smoke pots fire at regular intervals, transforming the stage into a fog.

We get an early “I’ve Got to Rock (To Stay Alive) from 2007’s The Inner Sanctum, and “The Thin Red Line” from Unleash the Beast before Saxon drop four decades and roll out the first singalong song of the evening, the evergreen “Dallas 1PM”. It’s an anthem that has the crowd clapping along with vigour. “Do you want something fast and heavy?” Biff asks. A roar of approval provides the answer, and we all fill our heads with a ferociously fast “Heavy Metal Thunder”. Probably the deepest cut sees Saxon blast through a blistering “Metalhead” from the 1999 album of the same name. It’s a welcome addition to the setlist, although there are a few bemused faces on those who have only come for anything pre-1986. A bit of cabaret follows, with Biff asking the crowd for a song choice. “The Eagle has Landed” or “Broken Heroes” which is on the printed setlist. It goes on as Biff laughingly lists song after song. “We should do a residence here” he says. “Seven nights at St David’s Hall!” Few around me would object. It’s “The Eagle …” that gets the nod, and I’m transported back to that first time in 1983 once more.

Inevitably, the second real singalong comes during the elongated “Wheels of Steel”, with Biff filming the audience for the band’s Facebook page. “Fucking wonderful” he roars. We agree. It brings the main set to a close, but we know there is more to come. A short pause in intensity, and the band are back with the final song from Carpe Diem, the majestic “The Pilgrimage”, which surely replaces “Crusader” in tempo and delivery. The band have been going for 90 minutes by the time they hit “747 (Strangers in the Night)”. They are still full of energy. So are the crowd. The chap in front of me races to the stage and throws his denim cut off to Biff, who proceeds to wear it, as tradition dictates, for the previously mentioned “Denim & Leather”. It’s returned a few minutes later, fresh with Biff’s signature on the inside. Cue back slaps from those around him, and one beaming fan. It’s time for one final song, and Paul joins Biff centre stage as the riff to “Princess of the Night” roars through the venue. One last chance to sing, bang the head, punch the air or simply admire the quality that has been delivered.

As the band take a triumphant and deserved bow, Biff assures us that Saxon will be back. They look fit, they look healthy, and, on this performance, the only question is when do the tickets go on sale? They never let you down, and on this night, Saxon reminded 2000 Welsh fans that they aren’t in anyway finished. Long live Saxon. There’ll always be a welcome in South Wales.

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Pics by Gary Cooper

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