He’s not the Messiah, he’s a Metal behemoth. A little over a year after being politely nudged out of Iron Maiden in 1999, Blaze Bayley embarked on his solo journey with debut album Silicon Messiah. Tonight, up close, personal, and very bloody loud, we get to hear the whole thing.
Blaze Bayley
Whelan’s, Dublin – 5 February 2026
Words: Brian Boyle
Photography: Ryan Boyle
Just a couple of days ago, Blaze Bayley announced that due to health concerns and the odd soulless autograph hunter, he would be stopping his free pre- and post-gig meet and greets. And bearing in mind Blaze is the most humble and welcoming rock star you are ever likely to meet, it would take the wankiest of wankers to begrudge him this heavy-hearted action.
It might sound cheesy, but his fans genuinely love the bones of him, and as he made his usual slow walk to the centre of the stage, he was welcomed like a returning soldier from war.
After a near-fatal heart attack and subsequent quadruple bypass surgery just a few years ago, everyone in this room knows they are lucky to have Blaze Bayley here.
Just witnessing his delivery of openers Samurai and Ghost In The Machine was living proof that there is, in fact, such a thing as a true Heavy Metal warrior. With him in battle were his usual trusted clanmates of drummer Martin Mcnee and brothers Chris and Luke Appleton, who also make up seventy-five per cent of Metal band Absolva.
But tonight was all about the Brummie with the crooner-style microphone. And his passion for these quarter-century-old songs has not waned one little bit. Born As A Stranger, The Hunger, The Brave and Identity all got the full Bayley treatment with a bit extra for good measure.
Watching Blaze Bayley side-step into the corner during Chris Appleton’s incendiary guitar solos and totally getting lost in his music tells you all you need to know. And it rubbed off on the crowd too. The title track was elevated to a tribal level with rallying roars of “messiah” getting louder every time.
If Stare At The Sun was to be the final song of the night, I have no doubt everybody would have headed for the hills happy at that point.
But there was another pot of gold on offer, in the form of some stellar tracks from his Iron Maiden days. Not that you needed it, but if you wanted proof that this man is still singing at the highest level, his stunning performance on Como Estais Amigos would have given it to you it with change.
Then the afterburners were attached, Virus, Man On The Edge and Futureal cut through Whelan’s like a giant chainsaw. Wrathchild could have been played with twelve-string banjos, and it would have still caused the same fist-raising frenzy.
As a unit, the chemistry between the four could light up the Grand Canyon. Their version of UFO’s Doctor Doctor, of course synonymous with Iron Maiden these days, was a moment of pure joy that may have interrupted the gig upstairs. The crowd bounced like they were handed spring-loaded Nikes on arrival, and in turn, Bayley’s stern Metal stare quickly turned to one of sheer glee.
Halfway through the euphoria, Chris Appleton broke into the riff to Thin Lizzy’s Emerald, a wise move in these parts, just to make sure the locals were not spoiled enough. And along with his bass pounding brother Luke and the consistent power of drummer Martin Mcnee, their necking of a pint of Guinness each was richly deserved.
It was absolutely chucking it down in Dublin tonight. If you decided to duck the rain to don your pyjamas and slippers and watch Ireland getting sautéed by the French in the Six Nations, hang your head in shame. You missed something very special.
To quote Benjamin Franklin, “In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” If he were around today, he might add in that Blaze Bayley will never short-change you with a half-arsed performance.
