Saxon are no strangers to the Wacken Open Air Festival. The metal titans have played Germany’s biggest metal festival several times – now into double figures – and have been an almost permanent fixture since 2001.
2016 saw the band returning yet again, this time in support of their twenty first studio album ‘Battering Ram’, released in October 2015.
For their early evening set, the band are in fine form, kicking off with the title cut from their most recent LP, and aside from a brief visit to another recent album fill the rest of their performance with greatest hits and regular crowd pleasers. It seems that unlike Iron Maiden – a band who insist on filling every other tour with newer materials – Saxon really understand what makes a great festival set…and they’re happy to wheel out the classics for fans and casual onlookers alike. As always, it’s hard not to get swept along with Biff Byford’s enthusiasm…
Read a review of Saxon’s live set at Ramblin’ Man here.
Read a review of Saxon’s ‘Call To Arms’ album here.