Axel Rudi Pell and his band roll into London on their Ghost Town tour, making their first live appearance here in over a decade, we went along to see this guitar hero still had the magic in 2026!
German guitar maestro Axel Rudi Pell brought his Ghost Town Tour 2026 to O2 Academy Islington on Saturday 21st March, delivering a performance that felt both timeless and fiercely alive in what marks his first UK appearance in 12 years. In an era of overproduced spectacle, this was a definitive reminder of how powerful classic hard rock can be when executed with precision and passion.
NEVERLAND
Opening for Axel on the tour is Swiss melodic metal band Neverland. They had the unenviable task of warming up a crowd already primed for a guitar legend. But at the Islington venue, a room known for its intimacy and unforgiving acoustics, they didn’t just fill the slot; they made a convincing case for their own place on the bill.
Taking the stage at around 7:45pm for a tight 45-minute set , Neverland wasted no time establishing their sound: a blend of melodic hard rock with a modern European edge. The short running time worked in their favour, forcing the band to deliver a focused, no-frills performance that kept momentum high throughout.
Their set leaned on a mix of tracks like Fury, Timeless and Where Is The Sun, each showcasing a band that understands the balance between melody and drive. There was a very clear emphasis on soaring choruses and tight, punchy arrangements – music built for mid-sized venues like Islington, where connection matters more than spectacle.
The early part of the set got a polite crowd response, but that didn’t last long. By the time they powered through tracks like Fury and Rain, people were properly paying attention. Heads nodding, a few horns in the air, and that shift you always notice when a crowd goes from chatting to actually watching.
SOLID RIFFS, BIG CHORUSES
What really worked was how tight they sounded. No overplaying, no trying to be flashy for the sake of it – just solid riffs, big choruses, and a frontman who knew how to work the room without overdoing it. In a venue like this, that matters way more than any fancy stage setup.
Sonically, the band benefited from a clean mix that allowed both guitars and vocals to cut through without becoming muddy; a crucial factor in a venue with an 800-capacity room. While they didn’t rely on extended solos or theatrics, their strength lay in consistency and cohesion rather than flash.
Where Is The Sun was probably the standout of the set. It’s one of those songs that just hits right live, with that melodic hook sticking instantly. You could feel the crowd properly lock in at that point.
And credit where it’s due, they didn’t feel like a band just killing time before the headline act. They felt hungry. Like they actually wanted to win people over, not just get through their slot.
If there was a limitation, it’s one common to many support slots: the lack of time to fully develop dynamics. Just as the set began to peak, it was over. But in some ways, that brevity worked – it left a sense of wanting more, rather than overstaying their welcome.
Ultimately, Neverland delivered exactly what an opening band should: they set the tone, built anticipation, and earned new listeners along the way. By the end, you had a decent chunk of the crowd who clearly hadn’t heard of Neverland before now, including myself, nodding along like, “yeah… I’d see them again.” That’s a win.
AXEL RUDI PELL
There’s something reassuring about seeing Axel Rudi Pell live in 2026. Trends come and go, but Pell remains locked into his signature blend of melodic metal and hard rock – and at the O2 Islington tonight, that consistency felt less like stubbornness and more like mastery.
From the opening notes of Guillotine Walk making its live debut, the band sounded absolutely locked in. Pell stood stage left, composed as ever, delivering fluid, lyrical solos that never felt overindulgent. He doesn’t chase speed for its own sake; instead, every note in songs like Mystica and Oceans Of Time felt carefully placed, almost vocal in phrasing.
At center stage, Johnny Gioeli was the engine of the night. His voice hasn’t lost any of its bite – arguably gaining more character over time. On Strong As A Rock, he leaned into the grit, pushing the chorus with real force, while Don’t Say Goodbye showed his more emotional side, drawing the crowd into a beautiful singalong moment. His energy was utterly infectious, and it seemed there wasn’t a stage in London that could contain him as he ran from side to side and pulled out all the rockstar moves.
CINEMATIC SWEEPS
The rhythm section deserves some serious credit. Bobby Rondinelli (best known for being in Blue Öyster Cult and Rainbow) brought a muscular, no-nonsense groove to tracks like Rock The Nation, his drumming both powerful and tightly controlled. His solo spot could have been self-indulgent, but instead it felt like a natural extension of the set – dynamic, punchy, and well-paced.
Meanwhile, bassist Volker Krawczak remained the understated backbone, keeping everything grounded. Keyboardist Ferdy Doernberg added a layer that often gets overlooked in heavier music. On Oceans Of Time, his atmospheric textures gave the song its cinematic sweep, while his solo segment leaned into neo-classical flourishes that complemented Pell’s guitar work perfectly.
One of the more unexpected moments came with I See Fire (originally by Ed Sheeran). Stripped of its folk origins and rebuilt with soaring guitar and keys, it became something entirely different -moody, dramatic, and surprisingly at home in the set.
If there was one part of the night that really summed up Axel Rudi Pell perfectly, it was the medley built around The Masquerade Ball. It came late in the set and instantly felt different. Ferdy Doernberg started it off with those dark, almost gothic-sounding keys, and when Pell came in with the main melody the whole room just seemed to settle into it.
FAN MOMENTS
When it moved into Casbah and Ankhaia, it didn’t feel like separate songs at all, more like one long piece that kept building. Gioeli was great here, going from dramatic, almost theatrical vocals to full-on hard rock power as the tempo picked up. At the same time, Rondinelli kept everything tight in the background, adding just enough fills to keep the momentum going without overdoing it.
You could tell this was a real fan moment too. As soon as the opening notes hit, people around the room recognised it straight away, and from there it just felt like everyone was completely locked in. The Masquerade Ball has always been one of those songs that shows what Axel Rudi Pell is all about (melody, atmosphere, and that slightly mysterious vibe) and live it turned into one of the highlights of the whole show.
Newer material like Sanity slotted in seamlessly, showing that Pell isn’t just trading on nostalgia. Still, it was the classics that hit hardest. Forever Angel during the encore had a real emotional weight, before Rock The Nation closed things out in full, fist-pumping style.
SERVING THE SONG
What stood out most wasn’t just the musicianship, though that was impeccable, but the cohesion. This isn’t just a guitarist with backing players; it’s a band that knows exactly how to serve the songs. There’s a chemistry here that only comes from years of playing together, and it shows in every transition, every extended solo, every perfectly timed chorus.
In a small venue like Islington, there’s nowhere to hide – and Axel Rudi Pell didn’t need to. This was melodic metal played with conviction, class, and just enough heart and fire to remind everyone why it still matters. I just hope they don’t leave it so long till their next visit.
Live review by Jack Merry, all concert photography by Graham Hilling. You can check out more of his work on his website, here.
Axel Rudi Pell: Website
Neverland: Website