Photos by Andy Argyrakis

Many consider Britain to be the birthplace of hard rock/heavy metal, and for well over a half-century, Uriah Heep’s been a consistent force in the scene with the equally formidable Saxon following closely behind.

Joliet’s crown jewel, the Rialto Square Theatre, got the best of both worlds as it turned up the volume well past eleven for the “Hell, Fire & Chaos” Tour, which found each veteran act offering full sets of melodically-crafted musical mayhem, prior to pulling into the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles on Sunday, May 19.

Closers Uriah Heep, led by original guitarist Mick Box and longtime singer Bernie Shaw, plus drummer Russell Gilbrook, bassist Dave Rimmer and stand-in keyboardist Adam Wakeman (son of Rick), certainly lived up to the band’s reputation of running right alongside Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple throughout the 1970s.

However, the guys have been recording ever since, making sure “Save Me Tonight,” “Hurricane” and “Hail The Sunrise” off 2023’s “Chaos & Colour” were just as thunderous as what came before.

Though it was impossible to squeeze even a single track from all of its 25 studio albums into to a single evening, Uriah Heep nonetheless packed in as much as possible, including the staples “Stealin’,” “Gypsy,” “July Morning” and “Easy Livin’” as fists regularly flew through the air.

Starters Saxon may have come up in the next wave of metal men about a decade later, but ran in similarly formidable circles alongside Iron Maiden and Def Leppard, while also rubbing off on future superstars Metallica and Pantera.

Founding front man Biff Byford, near lifer drummer Nigel Glockler, bassist Nibbs Carter, guitarist Doug Scarratt and newly acquired axe-slinger Brian Tatler demonstrated unceasing strength in the present thanks monstrous material off the band’s 24th long-player, “Hell, Fire & Damnation,” such as the title track, “There’s Something In Roswell” and “Madame Guillotine.”

Like its co-headliners, Saxon also delivered the older “Never Surrender,” “Denim And Leather,” “Wheels Of Steel” and “Princess Of The Night,” all representing the genre’s textbook imagery and giving a revved up Rialto another jolt of intensity.

For additional information on Uriah Heep and Saxon, visit Uriah-Heep.com and Saxon747.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at the Rialto Square Theatre include Brad Williams (May 19); Classic Seger (May 22); Maddie & Tae (Jun. 6); Night Ranger (Jun. 9); “Wheel Of Fortune” Live! (Oct. 10); Illinois Rock & Roll Museum Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony (Oct. 20); “Haunted Objects” Live! (Oct. 23); Marc Maron (Oct. 24); 1964 The Tribute (Nov. 8); Kansas (Nov. 9); Nurse Blake (Nov. 11); “Menopause The Musical 2” (Nov. 12); Dean Z (Dec. 14) and Hairball (Dec. 27). For additional details, visit RialtoSquare.com.

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