Blaze Bayley Supported by Vice

Blaze bayley doesn’t rely on record companies and the corporate side of the music industry - instead ploughing his own furrow, touring seemingly relentlessly. The Tour of the Eagle Spirit lands in Glasgow tonight having touched South America and with Europe beckoning through the year.

Bayley recognises the need to support up and coming bands and he has brought Vice on his UK adventure. Vice are bright eyed and eager to make it amidst stiff competition in the UK but those who have seen them will know they have the ability and motivation.

As Vice had arrived early at the venue, they had already begun the celebrations for singer and guitarist Tom Atkinson’s birthday. Those who have seen the Motley Crue biopic The Dirt would probably expect something more rock n’ roll than the birthday cake that is shared with the venue staff and media journos…the new rock n roll perhaps?

Ivory Blacks is a favourite of Bayley and his right hand man Appleton and it’s easy to see why as the venue is a perfect size for his healthy crowd. Vice work hard to get the punters going in their own engaging manner which works with the growing crowd and builds a bond early in their short set.

Vice’s material has a hard edge and the energy of Summers on drums is equally matched by the facial dexterity of Lord on bass. The band are tight and punchy and they have no problem filling the space in tracks despite their being three of them. Atkinson’s guitar work is tasteful and sits well within the body of the songs and there is a nice counterpoint between his vocals and Lord’s, which are dark and guttural.

A solid support from a band who aspire to great things...and Greggs the bakers.

Bayley’s band are well versed in his material having played with for some time now. They are no strangers to the stage themselves but to deliver the quality of performance Bailey demands is no mean feat. Appleton, McNee and Schramm are waiting patiently side stage as the intro tape of Aerosmith’s Love In An Elevator nears its end and signals the arrival off the main man through the crowd from the back of the room. Those who have seen Bayley perform will know that focused steely look as he takes to the stage. Tonight’s motorbike ride from home to the venue hasn’t dented his energy as the band open with The Dark Side of Black.

Earlier in the night we had spoken with Bayley and he had explained the setlist was created to give his fans tracks that were lesser known from his Infinite Entanglement trilogy. He doesn’t hold back in his performance taking the time between tracks to explain the subject matter of many of the tracks.

Many artists with the pedigree of Bayley would perhaps avoid discussing or celebrating something as significant as being the singer in Iron Maiden. Bayley is honest however, in the opportunity he enjoyed and still includes Maiden tracks in his set. Tonight, we hear Virus, and later Man on the Edge but the night is all about his own works.

The performance tonight is relentless and taking the time to gauge the crowd, there is a fanaticism over Bayley and rightly so. This isn’t any old artist in a Glasgow venue - Bayley still pumps out the goods as if he were playing at Hampden Park, a few miles away.

Stadium theatre for a few quid? I hope you’ve bought a ticket for this tour!