My list of places that I must go before I am too damn old, makes for strange reading. Let me think, there is Istanbul, Marrakech, and a fantastic venue in Switzerland known as Z7.
Now, having just watched Blaze Bayley’s two disc DVD, The Night That Will Not Die which was filmed at the Z7 in Prateln, Switzerland in December 2008, I feel as though I’ve already been there. It is the uncomplicated, straight-on, camera work and pounding sound that helps create the feel of being part of the event. All that was missing was the sweat and opportunity to buy the tee-shirt.
You may remember that last year Eurorock reviewed the double CD of the same gig. In my fevered article I wrote, “it is the ability to control that Blaze has by the arena load. He dominates the charged up audience, projecting his undeniable stage presence not only to the back of the venue but out into the street, down through the town, and up over the hills.”
For once I have to agree with myself as this DVD brings to life all that aforementioned Blaze generated power and delivers it right into your vibrating TV set. He makes a characteristically dramatic entrance and by the time his excellent band take the stage the audience are all but salivating at the prospect of a night of solid metal.
Drummer Lawrence Paterson delivers more machine gunning energy than your average nuclear power station. Meanwhile Blaze, resplendent in compulsory black leather trousers, instantly proves that his incredible voice is still very much intact. This is despite a demanding career that has seen him deliver hard core metal throughout his years with, and without, Iron Maiden.
Nicko Bermudez and Jay Walsh provide a solid wall of guitar whilst bass player David Bermudez prances across the stage like a man possessed. Together the band fires on all cylinders and with Nicko ripping out fiery solo after fiery solo it sets the scene for an exhilarating gig.
Blaze happily dips into his past and delivers excellent versions of Maiden’s “Man On The Edge”, “Futureal”, “Edge Of Darkness”, and “Lord Of The Flies” within a set that happily contains a good wedge of his solo work.
Kicking off with “The Man Who Would Not Die”, they hardly pause for breath before firing out “Blackmailer”, and “Smile Back At Death” in a breathless, and relentless triple salvo. The latter is the perfect showcase for Blaze’s rich, impossibly powerful lungs to belt out his trademark passion.
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