Uriah Heep have an amazing history as one of Britain’s top bands.

Formed in 1969 by guitarist and main songwriter Mick Box, this enduring British heavy rock outfit has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide, enlisted more than 25 different musicians over those 46 years and released 24 albums, including 2014’s The Outsider.

They are also one of the hardest working bands in the world and are currently on a 30-plus date European tour, which stopped this week at Fibbers in York.

They delivered a 14-song set, covering their full five-decade career with five songs off their new album, including One Minute and The Law which fitted in well with such timeless classics as Stealin’ and Lady In Black.

Singer Bernie Shaw was on top form playing to the crowd with good humour and banter, comparing the comparative small size of Fibbers (bijou and compact I think he said) to the 100,000-strong audience they had played to in Brazil last year. One of the main highlights was Mick Box’s amazing guitar solo, while accompanied by Russell Gilbrook on drums in another Heep classic ,The Magician’s Birthday. Phil Lanzon on keyboards then stepped into the limelight on What Kind Of God. Newest member Davey Rimmer on bass is a force to be reckoned with having been in the band for two years now since the sad death of long-time bassist Trevor Bolder in 2013.

The encores, Easy Livin’ and Gypsy, rounded the night off before Elgar’s Land of Hope And Glory emerged through the speakers and the band took their much-deserved bows.

Review by John Fletcher