Saracen Live Review (The County Chesterfield) 04/11/11

Here goes, it’s been a while, not only since yours truly has written a gig review but it’s also been a while since Saracen released their seminal album, ‘Heroes, Saints and Fools’. Thirty years to be precise since I engaged the stylus of my stereo into the vinyl grove

of twelve inches of sheer genius. Tonight at The County, a packed out pub on Saltergate in Chesterfield the faithful have gathered in force to be part of the rare experience of witnessing a live Saracen show. With past band members and road crew in the audience there’s an atmosphere of an old regimental reunion with lots of great rock n’ roll stories being bandied about. Legends such as Rob Bendelow (Pictured with GD) and Richard Lowe are present meandering around the place, while the current live line-up prepare for an intimate show. After many a posed for photograph and much signing of old album covers it’s time for the highlight of the evening…

Opening the show with Crusader, Rock of Ages and Horsemen of the Apocalypse a trio of songs from the aforementioned ‘Heroes’ album Saracen continue apace with a really old song Follow the Piper and Meet Me at Midnight a song from their 2006 album ‘Vox In Excelso’. I was reliably informed before the show by Paul Bradder, the current keyboard player that the band had rehearsed very little before tonight’s performance, well you wouldn’t know it and with a brand new song in the set Wither the Wind Blows from the recently released 2011 album ‘Marilyn’ Saracen ‘nail’ it with ease. There’s a lot of different line-ups for Saracen these days the recording personnel differ from the band that go on tour, tonight on stage is the aforementioned Paul Bradder (keys), Simon Roberts (lead guitar), Tris Alsbury (drums), Paul Highfield (bass) and from the US of A (the Uther Side of Alfreton) the ever present Steve Bettney (lead vox). Steve possesses amazing vocal gymnastic skills, how he still hits all those high notes after thirty odd years is any ones guess. Saracen in recent years have performed at festivals across Europe and have reinvented themselves reaching out to a new generation of rock fans, with new albums and songs so it’s no surprise when they play a free gig in their home town of Chesterfield it’s almost impossible to get through the doors.

Finishing tonight’s set with the title track from their ‘Heroes, Saints and Fools’ album an epic in any ones book, Saracen then bow out with an encore of Ready to Fly… Higher and higher and higher! Which is the very least this talented NWOBHM band deserve to reach in all their future efforts. Next time these guys play live, come and stand on the rock of ages with me… GD.


Below... Vintage Saracen Re-united...