UFO and Saxon with Jared James Nichols

When I first heard the news of UFO and Saxon touring together, I was stoked. Here are 2 of my favorite bands of all time, on one stage in one night. I was counting down the days leading up to this one and the end result was hands down one of the greatest touring packages I've ever seen, starting with the opener.

On the Arcada Theater website, Jared James Nichols was described as an "up and coming blues guitarist". Little did I know that this 26 year old Wisconsin native would have stolen the show had he been opening for any other act. More than a mere "blues player", Nichols played his heart out for 30 minutes, looking and sounding like the bastard spawn of Ted Nugent and Pat Travers. Most impressive of all is the fact that this guy is a finger picker! And I don't mean Chet Atkins type finger picking. This guy shreds! When his set came to a close, the people who were in the theater were on their feet and their jaws on the floor. There's no reason why within a few years, Nichols won't be one of the biggest guitarists out there alongside the likes of Joe Bonamassa and Gary Clark Jr.

Next up was NWOBHM gods, Saxon. This was my first time seeing them and they lived up to all of my expectations. My only wish is that they could have played longer. With "The Eagle Has Landed", "Dallas 1 PM", and "Motorcycle Man" amongst others making up the setlist, it was a headbanging, hell of a time. The energy they bring to the stage is remarkable. My personal favorite part of the night came during their set. Near the end, Biff says, "You're an amazing crowd St. Charles! Get up! Let me see you!". Biff did this several times during the set. He was aiming to get the lazy balcony section to stand for the last couple songs and for the most part he succeeded. I was front row in the balcony and decided to make the most of this opportunity. I stood up and held my battlejacket, Wheels of Steel backpatch and all, over the railing. Biff looks up, points to me, and says, "That's a nice fuckin' jacket! Put the light on him!". The spotlight goes on me and everyone turns around to look. People cheer and Biff says, "This next song is dedicated to you man! This is "Denim and Leather"!". Holy crap!!!! I had to pinch myself!!!! Had this really happened? Yes. Yes it did. The set ended with a blazing rendition of "Princess of the Night" which made me wonder, how was UFO going to top this, let alone come close?

Sure enough, UFO equaled Saxon in energy and brilliance that night. This was my first time seeing them since I was 12. In other words, a very long time. To hear "Let it Roll", "Too Hot to Handle", "Only You Can Rock Me", and all the other classics that helped me embark on my metal journey as a young boy, was remarkable and brought me back to those good old days. Phil Mogg's voice has aged like wine and the band plays tighter than ever. Vinnie Moore's kickass guitar work, especially on "Rock Bottom", made the crowd go, "Michael who?". With their 50th anniversary next year, UFO will keep rocking this galaxy and all the others. They are timeless.