Live Review- Saxon- Manchester 02 Apollo Theatre-7th November, 2025

Photo courtesy of Anselm Anderson

Reviewed by Anselm Anderson

Legendary NWOBHM icons Saxon celebrated over forty years of their second album 'Wheels of Steel" last night at a jam-packed 02 Apollo Theatre in Manchester, England. I arrived on a moderately cold evening under dusky clouds to watch Biff and co. play the album in its entirety.

They were joined by former Accept frontman Udo Dirkschneider to celebrate forty years of 'Balls to the Wall,' along with a local band called Untamed Silence. It was the latter who kicked off the night with their version of modern blues and powerful soulful vocals. The female-fronted band earnestly tried to get the half-full, sleepless crowd on their feet. The heavily tattooed vocalist strutted around the stage, belting out vocals and smiling at a crowd that finally showed signs of life under the glossy blue lights and smoke-filled stage.

After a brief pause, the petite UDO took the stage, joined by guitarists Dee Dammers and Stefan Haufmann, bassist Peter Baltes, and drummer Sven Dirkschneider, igniting the crowd into a frenzy.The band delivered an energetic performance of classic songs from the album, including "Balls to the Wall," "Fight It Back," "Love Child," and "Losers and Winners." They showcased their skills with impressive dual guitar riffs, drum solos, and a mesmerising solo from Dammers and Baltes, accompanied by powerful seismic basslines. At one point, drummer Sven proudly invited the audience to join them in singing a German nursery rhyme called "Fast as a Shark."

Photo courtesy of Anselm Anderson

The evening came to a close with a stellar performance from the main act, Saxon. Biff strolled onto the stage to the resounding cries of English actor Brian Blessed's iconic voice before diving into "Hell, Fire and Damnation." Dressed like a general in a long black jacket, Biff waved his hands and performed with open arms in front of the giant TV screen that loomed over the stage. He thrilled the crowd with an array of tracks from his first few albums, sending them into a frenzy. He reminisced about performing "Backs to the Wall" on their first UK tour with Motörhead in 1979 and encouraged the audience to join him in cries of "Never surrender." Before performing "Sacrifice," "Power and Glory," and "Madame Guillotine," he took a moment to sign a young fan's jacket.

Saxon performed "Dallas 1 PM" alongside a video depicting that fateful day in 1963. At this point, I personally felt that the event almost descended into chaos as a group of fans formed a mosh pit, swirling around the audience like a whirlpool. However, it didn't ruin the evening, as Biff reminded us how life was better in the 1980s before delivering "Motorcycle Man." He looked like a man enjoying himself, especially alongside the blistering guitar skills of Brian Tatler and shirtless bassist Gibbs Carter and guitarist Graham Oliver. The band continued with classics from their album, including "747," "Strangers in the Night," "Wheels of Steel," and "Suzy Hold On." 

 

The evening closed with an enjoyable encore performance, during which Biff donned a Black Label Society biker's jacket, revving the crowd into chanting "Denim and Leather." He also revealed that they are recording a new album before finishing with the majestic anthems "Princess of the Night" and "The Bands Played On." This was a fun evening with two vocalists in their prime, still delivering top performances in their seventies while making each track from their iconic releases sound just like they did forty years ago.