BLAZE BAYLEY @ The Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes - Former Maiden Frontman Unstoppable As 25 Years Of 'Silicon Messiah' Celebrated

Blaze Bayley at the Craufurd Arms, MK [photo: Riley Edmett]

It's been a hot minute since I've been to the legendary Craufurd Arms in Milton Keynes, last attending a gig here back in 2023 (Bloodywood, with Lake Malice supporting), but the venue is exactly as I remember it. The crowd is lively, the sound is superb, and the overall atmosphere is just something to soak in. Everyone is here tonight to celebrate 25 years of 'Silicon Messiah', the first solo album from former Iron Maiden vocalist BLAZE BAYLEY. This is my fourth time seeing the vocalist live; I am confident it'll be far from the last.

First on is WHITE RAVEN DOWN, delivering groovy riffs in heavy dosages - think Black Stone Cherry's distant cousin from Essex.

For only a three piece, the sound is incredibly tight and well refined - frontman/guitarist Stu Bailey admittedly takes some warming up, but it isn't long before he has full control of the crowd. Throw in an unexpected cover of "Ace of Spades", and the band's set is roughly 40 minutes of pure, groovy fun. This is what classic hard rock should be.

White Raven Down: pure, classic rock [photo: Riley Edmett]

A dancer adds flair and theatrics to the performance, joining the band on stage a few times throughout their set - a light up cape here, flag bearing there, and ending the set in full raven wings. It's an interesting take on the 'mascot' role often associated with classic rock and metal bands, and makes for a unique performance.

Putting the 'raven' in White Raven Down [photo: Riley Edmett]

Next on is BLAZE BAYLEY. The band are down a member, with bassist Karl Schramm announcing his surprise departure from backing band Absolva back in April, but everyone is absolutely on their A game tonight. It's hard to look at the man on stage tonight and see him as the same person who underwent quadruple bypass surgery just over two years ago.

'Blood and Belief' track "Ten Seconds" warms up the crowd, and then the next 50 minutes or so are spent playing through the entire 'Silicon Messiah' album - after all, this is its 25th anniversary tour. It's great hearing regular live staples 'Stare at Sun' and the title track, and it's nice getting to hear some of more underrated tracks from the album.

[photo: Riley Edmett]

The setlist is a blistering mix of the aforementioned album and tracks from Bayley's tenure in Maiden - an acoustic rendition of often forgotten 'X Factor' track "2 AM" surprises the most - and Bayley very much has the crowd in his palm. His gratefulness and appreciation is worn on his sleeve, smiling throughout and clearly having a great time.

One thing is clear, this is Blaze Bayley at his absolute strongest. This is a great celebration of a great album, fronted by a man with genuine appreciation of those around him. In every sense of the word, Bayley is well and truly unstoppable.