Two of heavy music's most celebrated acts brought London's Hammersmith Apollo back in time on Sunday night [28th September 2025] with a show stopping display of metal that recalled the genre's early heyday. Featuring W.A.S.P. and Armored Saint, the bill ignited a feast of retro memories.
Photo; Adrian Hextall Mindhex Media.
A Sunday night double bill of '80s metal is something not to be missed, and taking place in the sacred grounds of the Hammersmith Apollo, it's even more special. And while headliners W.A.S.P. have a history at the venue stretching back to 1986 - with the venue even the location for the recordings of the live b sides of their 'Forever Free' single in 1989 - Armored Saint are tonight, giddy with excitement to be making their debut.
"We're stoked we're playing the Hammersmith Odeon", revealed singer John Bush in a chat with eonmusic just a few week's prior to the show; "Armored Saint has never played Hammersmith Odeon, and I know it's called something else now, but we're super excited about doing it. I mean, come on, that's where the Motörhead record ['No Sleep 'til Hammersmith', 1981] was made, and every legendary band has played there!"
It's fair to say then, that the opening act are as up for it as the crowd arriving into the venue, and though it's cliché to claim that 'the band arrived without fanfare', in this case, it would be untrue, as that's exactly what heralded their entrance.
Where W.A.S.P. will later stick to their glory years, with no single song performed coming from beyond 1989, Armored Saint mix things up, with their nine-song set split almost evenly between their initial '80s period, and their excellent reunion-era albums.
Kicking off with anthem 'March of the Saint' before a frenetic 'End of the Attention Span', thing's seem to be going exactly as planed, with the five-piece putting everything into their long awaited Hammersmith debut. However, no sooner has Bush declared; "London! Let's go!", that the gremlins arrive, with the singer's mic giving up and leaving the man who possesses one of the strongest voices in metal, all but silenced.
Battling his way through the next few numbers, ever the pro, he leaps onto guitarist Jeff Duncan's mic until the problems are resolved, in time, ironically, for 'Left Hook From Right Field' before someone on the crew receives one.
It's a testament to the band that the continuing ussies don't overshadow the night, and back on course, they close out with a brace of classics in 'Can U Deliver' and 'Reign of Fire', ending their short set triumphantly.
Taking to socials in the days that follow, bassist Joey Vera gushes; "Bucket list Check! First time playing the legendary Hammersmith Odeon as it’s known to many. Despite our technical difficulties, London you have given us a lifelong memory. Thank you!"
"We're stoked we're playing the Hammersmith Odeon", revealed singer John Bush in a chat with eonmusic just a few week's prior to the show; "Armored Saint has never played Hammersmith Odeon, and I know it's called something else now, but we're super excited about doing it. I mean, come on, that's where the Motörhead record ['No Sleep 'til Hammersmith', 1981] was made, and every legendary band has played there!"
It's fair to say then, that the opening act are as up for it as the crowd arriving into the venue, and though it's cliché to claim that 'the band arrived without fanfare', in this case, it would be untrue, as that's exactly what heralded their entrance.
Where W.A.S.P. will later stick to their glory years, with no single song performed coming from beyond 1989, Armored Saint mix things up, with their nine-song set split almost evenly between their initial '80s period, and their excellent reunion-era albums.
Kicking off with anthem 'March of the Saint' before a frenetic 'End of the Attention Span', thing's seem to be going exactly as planed, with the five-piece putting everything into their long awaited Hammersmith debut. However, no sooner has Bush declared; "London! Let's go!", that the gremlins arrive, with the singer's mic giving up and leaving the man who possesses one of the strongest voices in metal, all but silenced.
Battling his way through the next few numbers, ever the pro, he leaps onto guitarist Jeff Duncan's mic until the problems are resolved, in time, ironically, for 'Left Hook From Right Field' before someone on the crew receives one.
It's a testament to the band that the continuing ussies don't overshadow the night, and back on course, they close out with a brace of classics in 'Can U Deliver' and 'Reign of Fire', ending their short set triumphantly.
Taking to socials in the days that follow, bassist Joey Vera gushes; "Bucket list Check! First time playing the legendary Hammersmith Odeon as it’s known to many. Despite our technical difficulties, London you have given us a lifelong memory. Thank you!"
Photo; Adrian Hextall Mindhex Media.
W.A.S.P. thankfully, suffer no such sound issues, and tonight we're all going to party like it's 1984. With the tour dubbed 'Album One Alive' in celebration of their debut album, it's easy to predict the set list, but this isn't an issue when it's this strong.
Kicking off with their best-known song, 'I Wanna Be Somebody', things hit a high from the off, and stay there until the closing notes of 'Blind in Texas' well over an hour later.
With 'L.O.V.E. Machine' following, it's three songs in before some of the deeper cuts arrive. Greeting the crowd, and echoing sentiments made in eonmusic's May 2025 interview, main man Blackie Lawless confesses; "it's been so long since we did these, I wasn't sure it would work again", but he needn't have worried, as rarities 'The Flame', 'B.A.D', and 'School Daze' are flawless in their execution.
The line-up may be unrecognisable from those who played with Lawless at the band's debut at the Lyceum in 1984 - which Blackie will later make reference to, both verbally, and with the footage playing behind the band on the big screens - but guitarist Doug Blair, bassist Mike Duda, and drummer Aquiles Priester pull off their parts perfectly, with the former shining on set highlight 'Sleeping in the Fire', in particular.
Blackie's unique voice however, remains the band's greatest instrument, as evident on the evergreen 'On Your Knees', and 'Tormentor', which, before this tour, was last featured in a W.A.S.P. set way back in 1985. The period footage of the 'Tormentor' video which plays along in the background meanwhile really adds to the sense of nostalgia, making it hard to believe that it's been over four decades since the album's original release.
With Lawless uncustomarily switching to a Gibson Les Paul for the 'Inside the Electric Circus' and 'Headless Children' medleys, all that'sleft - save for an impassioned speech about the erosion of freedoms - is the closing 'Wild Child' and 'Blind in Texas' to send the crowd off singing into the night.
The 'Album One Alive' tour represents a milestone for W.A.S.P., and with new material looking unlikely, it's anyone's guess where Blackie takes things next. But if celebrating anniversaries by playing albums in their entirety is where we're headed, '29 & Headless' sure sounds good.
With thanks to Adrian Hextall of MindHex Media for all photos.
Kicking off with their best-known song, 'I Wanna Be Somebody', things hit a high from the off, and stay there until the closing notes of 'Blind in Texas' well over an hour later.
With 'L.O.V.E. Machine' following, it's three songs in before some of the deeper cuts arrive. Greeting the crowd, and echoing sentiments made in eonmusic's May 2025 interview, main man Blackie Lawless confesses; "it's been so long since we did these, I wasn't sure it would work again", but he needn't have worried, as rarities 'The Flame', 'B.A.D', and 'School Daze' are flawless in their execution.
The line-up may be unrecognisable from those who played with Lawless at the band's debut at the Lyceum in 1984 - which Blackie will later make reference to, both verbally, and with the footage playing behind the band on the big screens - but guitarist Doug Blair, bassist Mike Duda, and drummer Aquiles Priester pull off their parts perfectly, with the former shining on set highlight 'Sleeping in the Fire', in particular.
Blackie's unique voice however, remains the band's greatest instrument, as evident on the evergreen 'On Your Knees', and 'Tormentor', which, before this tour, was last featured in a W.A.S.P. set way back in 1985. The period footage of the 'Tormentor' video which plays along in the background meanwhile really adds to the sense of nostalgia, making it hard to believe that it's been over four decades since the album's original release.
With Lawless uncustomarily switching to a Gibson Les Paul for the 'Inside the Electric Circus' and 'Headless Children' medleys, all that'sleft - save for an impassioned speech about the erosion of freedoms - is the closing 'Wild Child' and 'Blind in Texas' to send the crowd off singing into the night.
The 'Album One Alive' tour represents a milestone for W.A.S.P., and with new material looking unlikely, it's anyone's guess where Blackie takes things next. But if celebrating anniversaries by playing albums in their entirety is where we're headed, '29 & Headless' sure sounds good.
With thanks to Adrian Hextall of MindHex Media for all photos.