A conversation with Robert Jon Burrison from Robert Jon & the Wreck

Saxon finally returned to Paris, nearly two months after having had to cancel at the last minute because a pipe burst and flooded the venue... And we all know what water does to Metal. Thankfully, any notion that Saxon might have been rusty quickly dissipated when the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal veterans took the stage by storm with  the opening track of their excellent new album Carpe Diem.

The first time we saw Saxon was six years ago in this very venue and we hadn't seen them since a gig at the Bataclan two years later. Without any props or over the top theatrics, but with a stunning light show (and a few smoke bombs here and there), Saxon once again delivered the goods. For 100 minutes, the veteran band played a set that alternated between classics and newer tracks and the crowd was just as enthusiastic for both. That's because, since their late-nineties resurgence, Saxon has been releasing quality albums on par with their early eighties masterpieces.

Propelled by the kinetic drumming of Nigel Glockner, a Saxon concert is a celebration of all things Metal; the sights, the sounds, the smells... At 71, Biff Byford's voice is as strong as ever and bassist Nibbs Carter is the same headbanging maniac as he was when he joined the band nearly 35 years ago. The guitar duo of Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt is made of the same stuff as Glenn Tipton and KK Downing in Judas Priest or Adrian Smith and Dave Murray in Iron Maiden.

Another excellent gig by a band that only seems to get better with age.