Saxon (Salzburg - Rockhouse - 04.04.03)
Written by: Aleš Podbrežnik

Tanqueray was first support. A young perspective group from Salzburg is playing a crossover of a classic heavy metal stuff and folk music. They offer a balanced conversation between heavy riffing and folk elements. Guys on violin and acoustic folk guitar wore Scottish kilts. As a support act they had respectable sound and offered to us very intensive and correct gig. In the beginning they hold back a bit, but after receiving good pulse from the audience, they lost all their fears and put their show in upper gear. They went over my expectations. Most of the songs are based on typical folk rhythm lines. Stage performance was shoving that guys are very well tuned. This concerns especially violin and electric guitar twin harmonies and great drumming. One of songs included also polka rhythm that connects this group somehow with their alpine homeland (Austria). Johnny I Hardley Knew Ya was a highlight of Tanqueray's gig, with its main theme that carries this song in a country direction. But nevertheless everything spiced up with sharp heavy riffs. Good singing and good playing. Nothing more left for me to point out here. They used opportunity as a support group on a best possible way. Music style should be interesting for fans of Skyclad and Fiddler's Green.

Brainstorm delivered of course a complete different experience. I called them thrash with vocals that brought a melody inside mainly half tune oriented song structures. A complete devastation lasted about 40 minutes. Sharp thundering sound begins to fill the hall. Great double palm muted riffing grabbed audience under its flag immediately. Cca. 500 crazy maniacs that went mad under tunes of Brainstorm visited Rockhouse. All guys gave their maximum on stage. Sound was superb, and the crowd breathed along with guys on stage through entire show. A set list contained mainly songs from "Metus Mortis" album, but among them also Maharaja Palace found its place, where headbanging fans completely lost their minds. After main gig was over, they came back on stage, to do their encore. Faithful crowd really deserved to fill their ears with tunes of Meet Me in the Dark. It was a pure coincident when my friend Milan who was standing in front row after Brainstorm finished their gig showed to Milan Loncaric on stage (Brainstorm guitarist) his name in passport. It looked like two old pals were after a long time gathered together again, after they both found out that they are actually "blood brothers" deriving from Croatia.

I was very disappointed over Saxon after visiting their gig in München's Babylon on 20th of January this year. We asked Biff before the show, what was happening to a band on that evening. He simply replied without thinking much very diplomatically: "I was probably ill!" And I was really fighting inside my mind whether to go this time to Salzburg or not. But this time feelings were much different. Even before the gig, band members simply joined people in Rockhouse and talked with them. We got the opportunity to say hello to always very shy bands drummer Fritz Randow who after a question how was Sinner's gig in New Jersey, explained that actually Klaus Sperling from Primal Fear changed him on drums for that special occasion, and Fritz stayed at home due to some obligations. There was something good in the air. We weren't freezing as we did in München. Spring was here, days were getting longer and the sun was shining bright once again for all of us.

And from the first tune that band fired out on stage I felt this will be completely different gig. As usual the band didn't forget to prepare surprising set list. They opened the gig with Heavy Metal Thunder, and than continued with Killing Ground that wasn't included on set list in the winter dates of Heavy Metal Thunder Tour 2003. After they fit us to some boogie, the band slowed down with King Crimson's song Court of the Crimson King. Mood took Biff so deeply, that he almost forgot to end his "Ah" theme before Fritz's splitting drum bridge joined in. Biff woke up at the last moment and left room for Fritz untouched. This time the whole band was completely renewed, punching out pure positive energy that is built up from their sincere love to music. That night Saxon were convincible 110%. All members were in great shape and perfectly synchronized on stage. I always loved this band, and when I was watching them live in November 2001 at Vienna's Planet Music, they really seemed unmatchable on stage. Well, after München's bitter experience, I've began to loose my faith in Saxon. But I was wrong. Rockhouse devastation was a gig that I can claim as one of the best live gigs that I've got the opportunity to anticipate in my life. And this time Nibbs was not the only one who has been alive on stage. Accompanied with Paul and Doug side by side guys showed much more aggression by moving here and there across the stage all the time. Soulful guitar soloing and tuned riffing was perfect all the way. Sound was superb. Thundering blasting beats of Fritz's double bas drum high-class work ripped the air. How phenomenally this incorporation of double bas drum work comes into the light especially in Saxon's older classics like Motorcycle Man, 20.000 ft or Princess of the Night. Songs got real wings and I could feel very well how my pants were moving through entire gig. Fritz's work was outstanding especially in Cut out the Disease. Here Fritz stood in centre. But this was only a "warming" time. Fritz explode and went on fire during his drum solo (included inside Battle Cry), by rolling his drum sticks and for a moment I was really thinking that he's going to smash his drum kit to pieces. Thank you Fritz for incredible performance!

Biff went on full with his vocals, by adding some phenomenal screams that really sent shivers down my spine. He apologized to audience that Saxon came without their famous eagle set on stage. "But I promise that in Vienna we wont forget about that!" added Biff having in mind a two days festival on 23rd and 24th of August. A problem is that Rockhouse is too small for having Saxon's eagle on stage. But on the other hand a very pleasant club place to be with exception of one thing. I'll explain this to you later. I think that band got that club feeling. And they were looking really relaxed. Maybe one of the reasons was that they didn't have to worry about eagle. They could be focused on their singing and playing and on the headbanging audience.

If I went mad when they stroke Ride like a Wind in München, this time Saxon launched me in seventh heaven with The Thin Red Line. This was surprise of the evening for me. I felt that I'm gonna explode. I haven't sung so much for a long time and I completely lost my voice after the show. The killing piece was also Metalhead that changed Song of Evil on the band's winter set list. Set list was a bit shorter and eagle wasn't included on stage, but performance was far better in all points of view when comparing it with München's gig. And that counts.

The band winded up the Rockhouse with Solid Ball of Rock. After intro on keys (done by Nibbs) that set the main rhythm beat, the whole band felt as one into song by providing once again powerful high voltage stage performance. Just unbeatable. Guys didn't forget about landing of an eagle and a man who crusades. Princess of the Night ended the main part of the gig. After quick cooling down with liquids (was it just water or something else, use your imagination here), the legends returned to fire out two encores. First was Denim and Leather. In the middle of the song, Biff asked audience to sing along chorus and to put some balls into it. After that the band played on. When we were waiting for the next piece to attack, Doug performed a short solo break that faded into Wheels of Steel. Crowd got what they desired. The second encore included one piece. Of course another cult classic called Strong Arm of the Law. What a way to go! Saxon set complete Rockhouse on fire. This time guys really paid their asses off. Gutsy all the way. Crawling monster is alive more than ever and prepared for new battles on the horizons. How could I have doubts? After being under influence of "so - so" experience in München, Saxon convinced me once again who's the boss on stage. Two hours of pure heavy metal thunder straight between my eyes included a great performance, a great set list and a great sound. Just unforgettable. Thank you guys!

After gig, when we were standing in front of a tour bus, my friend asked Nibbs if he remembers a gig in Kobjeglava (Slovenia) before exactly eight years ago on 4th of April in 1995 ("Dogs Of War" tour). And Nibbs confirmed that: "Yes, I bought there that special built Saxon's "S" body shaped bass guitar!" I think that Nibbs ordered a special bass guitar to be made for him (it might be built by Sever, a famous worldwide guitar producer from Slovenia). Okay, this is actually a part of my own guessing game.

Ups, I almost forgot on that one. Rockhouse working team gave us a midnight special. During Saxon's gig two guests in a crowd received from a team that works in Rockhouse all their respect, kindness and love. One of those motherfuckers (Rockhouse's mad-man-dogs) went with no shame across the stage in the middle of a gig and began beating my friend Milan and his thirteen years old son Lemmy all over their heads. I think that the reason was because guys were having their hands stretched over one of the speakers on the stage. Those of you, who went through an experience of being smashed in the front row, will understand that you could be lucky to set free at least your hands somehow. And there was no place left in front row to put your hands elsewhere but to stretch them over the stage. Mood took both die-hards completely in and before they even realised that somebody terrorises them, Paul Quinn who was one step away didn't miss his goal. He kicked a guy in his fuckin' ass, and I could read words that went out of Paul's mouth, who was very upset because of meeting a bad company on stage: "Get away!" Upsetter lost himself off stage immediately. This was quite a shocking incident. Than also Biff who looked to Paul in a way: "What happened?" showed some signs of frustrations and felt sorry for that to happen with his look full of regret spotted on both fans, who received that special Rockhouse bonus. So don't expect from those Rockhouse employees any kindness. They should change that word beginning with "Rock", because it is obvious that they just can't get it right what rock scene is supposed to mean. The truth of this insight could kill them. I don't mind for them. And I also do not believe that Rockhouse owner is so stupid to pay his people for beating guests who came to visit a show. How distasteful methods... But anyway, we had a great time, a big rock'n roll time! We were eternal winners once again.

Tanqueray set list:

1. Intro
2. Tanqueray
3. With a Smile
4. Matty Groves
5. The Beggar
6. Keeping 'em Rolling
7. Johnny I Hardley Knew Ya
8. Babylon Burns
9. Sympathy for the Devil (orig. Rolling Stones)

Brainstorm set list:

1. Metus Mortis (intro)
2. Blind Suffering
3. Crush Depth
4. Shadowland
5. Maharaja Palace
6. Checkmate in Red
7. Hollow Hideaway
8. Under Lights
---------------------------- Encore
9. Meet me in the Dark

Saxon set list:

1. Heavy Metal Thunder
2. Killing Ground
3. Still Fit to Boogie
4. Court of the Crimson King
5. The Thin Red Line
6. Motorcycle Man
7. Broken Heroes
8. Metalhead
9. 20.000 ft
10. Cut out the Disease
11. Battle Cry (incl. the theme from Warrior)
12. Drum solo (F. Randow) fades into end of Battle Cry
14. Solid Ball of Rock
15. Crusader
16. The Eagle Has Landed
17. Requiem (We will remember)
18. Princess of the Night
----------------------------------------------- First encore
19. Denim and Leather
20. Wheels of Steel
----------------------------------------------- Second encore
21. Strong Arm of the Law
___________________________ End