The Eagle Has Landed

With CD sales ever-declining, veteran rock bands have taken to the road, playing concerts to draw revenue. Unlike the old days when artists complained that big, elaborate concert tours actually lost them money, today, those same bands are able to make a profit. The more popular artists of the hard rock and heavy metal genre (Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Heaven and Hell) still have elaborate stage shows, but they also charge a very premium ticket price to make up the difference. Smaller bands charge a small fee, and play small venues, with no stage show whatsoever, just hoping we'll come see them, and maybe buy a t-shirt. So, on Saturday, May 23, these circumstances brought Saxon into town.

I hadn't seen them since 1982, so I jumped on tickets for myself, Clarence and Justin. Arriving early, we got right up front of the stage, with just one row of heads between us and and raucous, heavy metal thunder. They played quite a generous serving of new songs from their latest CD, "Into The Labyrinth." All the gems were there, too, including "Strong Arm Of The Law,"The Power And The Glory," "Wheels of Steel," and "Dallas 1 pm."

When you hear lead singer Biff Byford talk, and see the band perform like they were half their age, you know they're still hungry.

Said Biff, in the middle of the show, "We have a new album out. You can buy it, steal it, download it off the Internet, we really don't give a ****, as long as you get hold of it." Later, to a guy pointing a cell phone at him, he sarcastically announced, "For the next song, whatever you do, don't put it on YouTube, because we don't want anybody to know about it."

Clearly, the band just wants to be heard, and have a go at making a living, even if it means playing a dive like the Meridian to 300 people.

Biff took requests at the end, asking the crowd to chime in with what they wanted to hear. Of course, they yelled many titles, which caused Biff to remark, "So much for the setlist," to which he ripped it in two, wadded it up, chewed on it, and then threw it toward the drumkit. That little nugget made for a fine souvenir when I requested it after the show from a stage hand! (See the pictures below, and be sure to click for bigger versions!)

Justin got himself a guitar pick, too, and we got to meet a few band members, in a post-concert meet-and-greet. Witness autographs from guitarist Doug Scarratt, and drummer Nigel Glockler. Check out the photos of Justin getting an autograph and then posing with a famed drummer!