The NWOBHM icons will be taking to the stage in Dublin’s Academy as part of their ‘Battering Ram’ tour . Tickets on sale this Friday June 3rd at 9am and are available from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide as well as Sound Cellar priced at€28 (inc booking fee).
“Gonna be a great tour with Fastway and Girlschool” – said frontman Biff Byford. “I think this line up is unique, you don’t wanna miss it. Looking forward to battering some halls… Welcome to the metal church!”
Battering Ram, Saxon’s 21st studio album, was released in October 2015 reaching the UK Top 50 and #12 in Germany. It was described by frontman Biff Byford as “a natural progression from Sacrifice” with “a bit less rock’n’roll and a bit more ‘heavy’ on it”. Following its release Saxon hit Europe with Motorhead for their 40th Anniversary tour, accompanied by Girlschool. Sadly, the tragic passing of Lemmy in December put an early end to the tour, and the UK leg planned to begin on January 16th was cancelled.
Joining Saxon and Girlschool on the new dates will be Fastway, the brainchild of ex-Motorhead guitarist Fast Eddie Clarke with UFO bassist Pete Way. The current line up features Fast Eddie Clarke with Toby Jepson on vocals, Steve Strange on drums and Mama’s Boys’ John McManus on bass. Click here for more information.
Saxon released their self-titled debut in 1979, followed by Wheels of Steel the following year, which reached #5 in the UK charts and gave fans two classics in the title track and “747”. They established themselves as one of the icons of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal throughout the 80s. Later the band tried to attack the US market taking a more melodic direction with release of Destiny in 1988, before going back to their original sound with 1991’s Solid Balls of Rock , reaffirming their influence on the European metal scene. They continued touring and recording enjoying renewed success and released their current album Battering Ram in 2015. They also recently released a 9 Vinyl album box set Eagles and Dragons containing the bands nine studio albums recorded between 1991 and 2009.
Saxon saw album sales topping 15 million worldwide including 8 UK Top 40 albums across their career. They are considered a seminal NWOBHM act and are known to have inspired the likes of Metallica, Megadeth, Pantera, Motley Crue and plenty more.
SAXON WITH SPECIAL GUESTS: FASTWAY + GIRLSCHOOL
Live at The Academy, November 1st – Tickets €28 includes booking fee
On sale this Friday at 9am
Oran O’Beirne
© OVERDRIVE 2016
