I’ve tried getting into Saxon many times, but the timing was never right. They’ve always been on my radar, yet something never clicked. Solution? See them live—if so many recognize their greatness, maybe I’m just missing the spark.

Grand Slam kicked things off. And no, this has nothing to do with Wimbledon, Roland-Garros, or the US & Australian Opens. They hit the stage six minutes early, bringing their pre-Thin Lizzy sound, courtesy of Phil Lynott and Laurence Archer. One of the first things I noticed was the Deep Purple-style keyboard tones coming from a hidden player tucked behind the speakers. What can I say? I enjoyed it a lot! Even though I’m not heavily into this genre, his delivery made the performance enjoyable.

But the real standout was Laurence Archer’s guitar work. His solos were on fire, with stylish licks and effortless tapping. “Saruman” behind the drum kit held it down solidly, however the bass could’ve been more prominent in the mix. They powered through a six-song set that included Nineteen by Phil Lynott, Military Man from Gary Moore, and an epic rendition of Whiskey in the Jar that needs no introduction.

Girlschool was a bit of a concern due to reported issues at their Örebro gig. After a remarkably quick 10-minute setup, a Blackstar amp on an empty stage started playing a simple power chord through the PA. It initially felt like an intro, but once the band took the stage, they launched into a rough line check before officially starting.

The mix was muffled, the vocals were at times too low, and there were monitor issues throughout. They sounded louder than Grand Slam—typical for second billing—but to me they shouldn’t have followed them in this lineup. Their material came off as primitive pub-punk, like a group of strangers jamming at a bar. It definitely wasn’t my cup of tea.

Compared to these, Saxon was a huge contrast. On my way into the venue, I noticed an extra truck parked outside Rockefeller—not a nightliner, but equipment. The stage setup made sense as soon as the intro began: smoke everywhere, flashing red lights, and a multi-level fog effect that made the small venue feel massive.

They opened with Hell, Fire and Damnation, then Dogs of War, and then ultra-charismatic Biff Byford announced a song that was “composed around 140 years” as the next one: Backs to the Wall. The first songs were rich for smoke machine effects, which was very impressive, and Biff’s vocals sound exceptionally good. But once again about the stage lights. It was a very smart setting, and literally the best lights I have ever seen in Rockefeller. The light engineer is a genius! Every time there is a solo, all the white lights point on the musician. Very powerful sound mix, a bit dry, but memorable solos from both Doug Scarratt and Diamond Head’s Brian Tatler - Rockefeller is full and on fire! This was way better than I could have expected.

After a very cool effect with all lights out, Motorcycle Man is announced: “It is very fast, it is very heavy. It is from the 80's".

A quality long setlist, 22 damned songs! Saxon do not need a warmup. They are so energetic I refuse to believe Biff is 74! Go see them if you can.