“Are you afraid of the fire?” asks Wytch Hazel man Colin Hendra. He’s probably not—assuming his cape is fire-retardant.
That said, “The Fire’s Control” and “I Am Redeemed” are proof that this brilliantly turned out Lancaster mob play metal in its purest form.
That’s all work like “Still We Fight” is too—brilliant riffing, brilliantly done. They’re probably battling for metal, but they’re winning. They could slay with the power of lead guitar alone.
“Archangel”—from 2020’s Pentecost—chugs along pleasingly, and if we’re being honest, all of these songs could inspire fists in the air at any moment. “Dry Bones” is the personification of that energy.
Hendra reckons he wrote “The Devil Is Here” “when I were about 15 years old.” It’s better than my teenage missives about whatever girl I fancied at school, for certain. The twin guitar alone could open the gates of Hades.
New track “Woven” has lyrics that are more tender, perhaps, but the music remains as timeless as ever. Another new one, “Elements,” hints that the upcoming record might just be a bit of a cracker.
Everything they touch has a kind of alchemy to it. “Spirit and Fire” and the slower, more Green Lung-like “Healing Power”—which closes the upcoming collection—are both solid gold.
Sometimes all you need is the sound of electric guitar, bass, and drums. Keep it simple. Keep it old-school. But my God, Wytch Hazel are brilliant at it.
“Ladies and gentlemen, will you welcome Michael Schenker with My Years in UFO,” says the voice on the PA. That’s kind of all you need to know.
This is the German maestro knocking out the classics from that most classic of British bands.
That means “Natural Thing,” “Only You Can Rock Me,” and “Hot ‘N’ Ready” before you’ve even blinked—and the tone is set.
It helps that singing tonight is Erik Grönwall. The fella has never been on a stage he doesn’t believe he owns. He’s a star—and he knows it. You need to be to carry off the song Iron Maiden start every gig with, and all the rest.
And the rest is basically a greatest hits set from a great band. All the while, the man playing the guitar in his furry hat is the coolest guy in the damn room.
The dark riff of “Mother Mary,” the ballad “I’m a Loser”—which just explodes—are wonderfully done. They all are, in truth.
Schenker enjoys his moment on “This Kid’s,” and while they’re all his moments, he shares the spotlight tonight—particularly with keyboardist (and rhythm guitarist) Steve Mann, who channels his inner Jon Lord.
The bundle of Swedish energy on vocals bounds back in for “Lights Out,” and they carry off the lovely instrumental “Lipstick Traces / Between the Walls” just as well.
They segue brilliantly into “Love to Love,” and that sort of kicks off the set’s third act, if you will. The race to the finish begins in earnest with “Let It Roll” and “Can You Roll Her”—which I’m not sure I ever saw UFO do, but they should’ve. “Reasons Love” has been given a heavy sheen too.
Then there’s the ending trio—the three most would save for the encore. Not here. Not this show. “Rock Bottom” features the Schenker solo. He proves he’s in the Premier League—lest there be any doubt—and he enjoys it so much, he gets his camera out.
The shooting (see what I did there?) includes “Shoot Shoot” next, and “Too Hot to Handle”—dedicated here to Pete Way and Paul Raymond—reminds us one last time how special these songs not just were, but are.
It says a lot about his 60 years in rock ‘n’ roll that Michael Schenker could do this sort of show for loads of bands (as well as his brilliant solo albums). But for now, be glad he chose to celebrate 50 years since some of these songs. Those days in UFO were the glory years—on this evidence, anyway. As Bruce Springsteen might have said.
