W.A.S.P + Armored Saint @ Hammersmith Eventim Apollo – 28th September 2025
W.A.S.P. have always been tremendous showmen, and though the theatrics and shock rock of the past have gone, they are still more than able to put on a great rock and roll show. This was W.A.SP. Live, no gimmicks, stripped back and in the raw.
That doesn’t in any way detract from their performance. One thing about W.A.S.P. is that they always had Blackie’s great songwriting ability and the musicality to raise them above the other bands coming out of the strip in the eighties. They’ve never shunned hard work and ensured that the fans come first. Tonight was no different.
With the show being advertised as W.A.S.P. performing their Entire Debut Album from Start to Finish, on the 2025 Album ONE Alive World Tour in Europe, it was always going to be interesting turning back the clock once more. Having seen W.A.S.P. at their Lyceum show back in 1984, it was always going to be a memorable night with special memories attached.
However, despite the intention, there was one song missing from the original album, being Animal (F**k like a beast), which, in recent years, main man Blackie Lawless has distanced himself from. Subsequently, the set started with the second track from the album I Wanna Be Somebody, which, true to itself, still retains its anthemic power, and was the perfect rabble-rousing start to the show. With the apocalyptic intro tape ringing in our ears, the familiar chords set the night on fire, and no one looked back from that moment.
The original W.A.S.P. album is an absolute classic and subsequently the audience were treated to classic anthem after classic anthem. L.O.V.E Machine. School Daze, Hellion, the band had the Apollo audience eating out of their hands.
The Flame was a head-down, high-energy, high-voltage tour de force.
With the showmanship cranked up another level, backdrop screens took us back down memory lane with footage from the early days (daze) emblazoned across the stage. With said screens depicting the past debaucheries that they were known for, this was the only indication of the old Sunset Strip hellion days.
The only downside of playing the solitary album as the main set was the limited extent of said set. With Blackie announcing, ‘Thank you and Good night’ after forty-five minutes, there were a few frowns and mutterings. Yet they stormed back after a brief break with an encore that lasted as long as the main set.
That said, the initial approach to the encore was to play some songs in the form of a medley. The first medley comprised Inside the Electric Circus / I Don’t Need No Doctor / Scream Until You Like It, and then this was followed by The Real Me / Forever Free / The Headless Children. Personally, in view of the timing of the main set, I would have preferred to have seen and heard these songs played in their entirety. I think it would have added another level to the show, but perhaps I’m just being picky.
Certainly, there was no dissension as following these medleys Blackie stood centre stage, just the man and his guitar, he began the early strains of Wild Child in a semi-acoustic manner. After the first couple of verses, the rest of the band kicked in and took the song to its full vociferous crescendo. By then, it seemed as though W.A.SP. were here for the night, and after a strong semi-socio-political speech that was well received by the adoring fans, they fired into a high-octane rendition of Blind In Texas, with Blackie showing his fitness by riding his microphone stand ‘Elvis’. Gone are the back complaints that have been highlighted in the past, and we now have a fully fit and functioning Blackie.
That brought up the ninety minutes, and they were gone, but what a show. At times, it seemed as though we might be shortchanged, yet by the end, the audience was buzzing, and it was clear that we had just witnessed yet another W.A.SP. triumph.
Roll on the new album and next tour.
Set List
- I Wanna Be Somebody
- L.O.V.E. Machine
- The Flame
- B.A.D.
- School Daze
- Hellion
- Sleeping (In the Fire)
- On Your Knees
- Tormentor
- The Torture Never Stops
Encore:
- Inside the Electric Circus / I Don’t Need No Doctor / Scream Until You Like It
- The Real Me / Forever Free / The Headless Children
- Wild Child
- Blind in Texas
Armored Saint
As support to W.A.S.P. long-time compatriots Armored Saint brought a storm of classic thrash-tinged heavy metal to the Apollo. With a limited fifty-minute set available, they provided a masterclass in their back catalogue, intermixing a number of old classics as well as introducing many to some of their more recent material. They provided the perfect opening to the show.
Musically, they could do little wrong. The Saint are a strong metal band who have been in existence in many forms since the mid-80s. At times, they have been considered to be thrash crossover, and though the songs played here at times showed those attributes, there was also enough melody and hooks for any mainstream metal band to embrace.
The band entered via drummer Gonzo Sandoval, bedecked in a top hat and flowing robe, in a cross over of Alice Cooper and Rick Wakeman. Dispensing with his attire, he piled like a powerhouse into the opener, the title track to the March Of The Saint album.
Unfortunately, and of no fault of the band, they were cursed with technical problems, particularly impacting on lead singer John Bush’s microphone, leaving him having to utilise the mics of his fellow band members.
For many bands, the frustrations that arose and were clear to all watching, yet did not appear to have a negative impact on the band’s performance and drove them on harder to make a point; and the reaction by the audience, seeing them overcome these issues, was one of total respect for their dedication.
Addressing the audience, Singer John Bush commented on the name of the venue. It’ll always be the Hammersmith Odeon to rock fans, and pointing out that, finally, after forty years, they finally got to play this iconic stage.
Playing Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants from their last album, Punching The Sky, it is clear that this band remain as relevant today as they have ever done in the past and are more than adept at writing storming rock and roll tunes, and with the double lead guitars of Phil Sandoval and Jeff Duncan in perfect synchronicity, they unleashed some dynamic dual solos.
They closed out the set with long-time favourite Reign Of Fire from the Symbol Of Salvation album, which had an ecstatic Apollo audience going crazy.
Certainly, there were already many fans here tonight for Armoured Saint, and quite clearly, many others were won over by this performance.
Set List
- March of the Saint
- End of the Attention Span
- Long Before I Die
- Last Train Home
- Left Hook From Right Field
- Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
- Win Hands Down
- Can U Deliver
- Reign of Fire
WORDS: ADRIAN STONLEY PHOTOS: CRIS WATKINS
