SAXON have announced the second European leg of their "Gods Of Thunder" world tour: 17 shows across mainland Europe and Scandinavia from March 1 to March 24, 2027. The run follows the band's UK and Ireland dates in February, where ARMORED SAINT join them.
The headline for longtime fans is the return of the Eagle. The 30-foot mechanized lighting rig was first built in the early 1980s, as SAXON prepared to tour Denim And Leather, by Midlands company LSD — using airport runway landing lights. It will fly again at four shows: Brussels, Zurich, Cologne and Tilburg.
"We're bringing the 'Gods Of Thunder' tour across to Europe. It's gonna be awesome!" says frontman Biff Byford. "Can't wait to open the heavens and bring on the metal."
Tickets go on sale in stages: Tuesday, October 27 for the Italian shows, Wednesday, October 28 for Zurich, Thursday, October 29 for Oslo, and Friday, October 30 for everything else.
SAXON — "Gods Of Thunder" European tour, March 2027:
| Date | City | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 1 | Brussels, Belgium | Ancienne Belgique * |
| Mar 3 | Hamburg, Germany | Grosse Freiheit 36 |
| Mar 5 | Copenhagen, Denmark | Amager Bio |
| Mar 6 | Helsinki, Finland | House Of Culture |
| Mar 8 | Oslo, Norway | Sentrum Scene |
| Mar 10 | Erfurt, Germany | Central Erfurt / B2B |
| Mar 11 | Prague, Czechia | Archa+ |
| Mar 12 | Budapest, Hungary | Barba Negra |
| Mar 14 | Nuremberg, Germany | Löwensaal |
| Mar 16 | Stuttgart, Germany | Im Wizemann |
| Mar 17 | Zurich, Switzerland | Volkshaus * |
| Mar 18 | Milan, Italy | Alcatraz |
| Mar 19 | Florence, Italy | Viper Theatre |
| Mar 20 | Munich, Germany | Kesselhaus |
| Mar 22 | Berlin, Germany | Huxleys Neue Welt |
| Mar 23 | Cologne, Germany | E-Werk * |
| Mar 24 | Tilburg, Netherlands | Poppodium 013 * |
* with the Eagle ("Castles & Eagles" production)
The tour backs Gods Of Thunder, SAXON's new studio album, out January 22, 2027 via Silver Lining Music. Byford produced it, and longtime collaborator Andy Sneap mixed it. Ten songs lean on Byford's love of history and myth: "The Bloody Tower (The Ballad Of Anne Boleyn)" retells Anne Boleyn's execution, "Medusa" rides a tight, hypnotic riff, "Remember The Alamo" charges in early-'80s NWOBHM style, "Temple Of Rock" puts the twin guitars of Doug Scarratt and Brian Tatler up front, and closer "MI5" goes back to the Berlin Wall and Cold War spycraft. "This is gonna be one to beat!" Byford says of the record.
It follows Hell, Fire And Damnation (January 2024) and comes after a hard couple of years for the singer, who finished chemotherapy for bowel cancer last October following surgery in 2025.
SAXON's current lineup is Biff Byford (vocals), Doug Scarratt and Brian Tatler (guitars), Tim "Nibbs" Carter (bass) and Nigel Glockler (drums).