SAXON + DIRKSCHNEIDER @ HAMMERSMITH APOLLO – 15TH NOVEMBER 2025
Tonight, Hammersmith Apollo hosts the London date of Saxon’s “Hell, Fire and Steel” tour, marking the release of their album Hell, Fire and Damnation, and featuring a full performance of their second album Wheels of Steel. Before these aural delights, we are treated to an opening set of real pedigree.
What an opener it is: Dirkschneider, one of the bands led by former Accept vocalist Udo Dirkschneider (the other being U.D.O.). Tonight, they perform Balls to the Wall in its entirety. Udo is now 73 — can he still reach the notes he hit over forty years ago? The short answer: absolutely. His voice is in fantastic shape; aurally, it’s as if the years fall away. The album is played in order, and while there are no surprises, the stage sound is thrillingly authentic. There is showmanship too: a backdrop of the album sleeve and giant inflatable balls launched into the crowd. Udo and his band know how to have fun.
Apparently, the last time Udo Dirkschneider played here was 1989 — far too long away from such an iconic room. He’s warmly welcomed, with chants of “Udo! Udo! Udo!” between songs. He wears white gloves — the reason unclear, but they look sharp. His band is impressive, with both guitarists sharing lead duties and tight, powerful drumming throughout. Turn Me On gives Udo ample room to show off his still enviable range. Closer Winterdream has moments reminiscent of Ennio Morricone. It occurs to me that some of Udo’s bandmates were probably not even born when Balls to the Wall was released in 1983. After finishing the album, they leave briefly before returning for Fast as a Shark from Restless and Wild — a song fast enough to give prime-time Motörhead a run for their money. This has been a treat. Proof that age really is just a number.
Or is it? Whitesnake’s David Coverdale recently retired at 74. Saxon vocalist Biff Byford is also 74, yet shows no sign of slowing down. Much has changed since I last saw them here in 2022. Guitarist Paul Quinn retired from touring, though he remains active in the studio. Brian Tatler of Diamond Head joined initially as a touring member and is now a full member. The band also released Hell, Fire and Damnation last year — and tonight’s set begins with its title track, preceded by The Prophecy, a spoken-word piece read by Brian Blessed.
Biff Byford is in fine voice, and Brian Tatler is on fire. It’s instantly clear how much energy he has breathed into the band. Not that Saxon were pedestrian in 2022, but tonight they have the onstage enthusiasm of thirty-five years ago. The stage design is leaner than before — all muscle, no fat. Tatler fires off one superb solo after another. Rows of Marshall stacks line the back, though none are mic’d — everything appears to be DI’d directly to the desk.
Saxon first played the (then) Hammersmith Odeon in 1979, supporting Motörhead. They perform Backs to the Wall from their debut — almost fifty years old yet sounding fresh — and it inspires the first crowd surfer of the night. Biff announces that tonight’s show is being recorded. The surfer may wish it were filmed. After a challenging year health-wise, Biff introduces the very apt Never Surrender. Nibbs Carter delivers an enormous bass intro to Madame Guillotine. Lead guitar duties are shared between Doug Scarratt and Brian Tatler, though Tatler perhaps edges it. The audience sings along unprompted to Dallas 1PM, as footage of the event plays behind them — still shocking more than sixty years on.
It’s time for the full run of Wheels of Steel. Biff Byford introduces it by listing things that did not exist in 1980 — the internet, smartphones, satellite TV — making the era sound almost prehistoric. The album is played in sequence and packed with classics. Motorcycle Man is a storming opener. Stand Up and Be Counted shares a riff with ZZ Top’s Tush, but works nonetheless. 747 (Strangers in the Night) is an absolute stone-cold classic — quite possibly Saxon’s finest moment. It’s followed by Wheels of Steel, one of the band’s most beloved songs, though — confession time — it has never quite done it for me. I’ve always found it a little dull, almost a “will this do?” riff repeated for five minutes. Its popularity remains something of a mystery to me.
Thankfully, the remainder of the album — both on record and here tonight — packs far more fire. The playing is inventive, enthusiastic and razor sharp. Live, this might even be Saxon’s best-ever line-up. Machine Gun is a blistering closer to both album and set, played faster than the studio version, and accompanied by moving First World War footage. Doug Scarratt throws his guitar to Biff as the band exit — but not for long.
They return with Biff announcing, “We’ve locked the doors so you can’t leave.” Excellent — I’m happy to stay till morning. The band don leather jackets with denim cut-offs covered in patches borrowed from the audience. The next song, of course, is Denim and Leather. They follow with the very apt And the Bands Played On. The Strong Arm of the Law comes next, before the final encore, Princess of the Night, accompanied by footage of steam locomotives. Curfew must sadly be obeyed. Biff jokes that the borrowed jackets “will be returned to their owners for a small fee of £20!”
The band take their bow, followed by Biff and drummer Nigel Glockler taking one together — the two longest-standing members onstage tonight. What a gig. The last time I saw Saxon here, it felt like the end of something. Tonight, it feels like the beginning of a new chapter.
WORDS: MARK KELLY PHOTOS: ROBERT SUTTON
GALLERY
