Enter THE TIME MACHINE… back .... First time I saw Iron Maiden live was on June 26, 1982 'The Beast on the Road tour' (with the mighty Anvil opening) at the Verdun Auditorium in Montreal, Canada, at the impressionable age of 14 years old. It was a general admission show so we waited in line outside for hours before they let us in. When the doors finally opened my cousin Chris and I rushed through to the front of the stage and held onto the gate barricade for our DEAR our lives. There we witnessed Iron Maiden for the first time, just five feet away from us HEAVY METAL IMPRINT FOREVER. Jaws dropped the whole night, from their intense, energetic, explosive flawless performance with then new singer Bruce Dickinson at the helm. We went home fired up. Maiden for life!
Review and photos by Jimmy Kay for The Metal Voice
Above Photo singer Bruce Dickinson
Back into THE TIME MACHINE… fast forward. Today at 56 years old, again I stood in front of the stage at the barricade this time in the Photo pit, 42 years later and Maiden are still going strong. Sure, they are no longer that upcoming band trying to prove themselves every night, to get to the next level. The hunger is the same but the motivation has changed. Today their raison dêtre lies in continuously proving to the world they are the Kings of Metal and a force to be reckoned with at ages of their late 60's and early 70's. Take note all up and coming bands.
Guitarist Adrian Smith
On with the show.
Iron Maiden's theme this time around 'The Future Past Tour 2024' celebrating songs off their sixth 1986 platinum album 'Somewhere in Time' alongside their latest release Senjutsu (2021) and of course playing the classics as well.
Bassist Steve Harris
And we are off…..
Cue ....U.F.O.'s Doctor Doctor... Then the lights go down and the Blade Runner theme music sets things up. Alas, smoke bombs and the band thunders on the stage. The backdrop a Blade Runner a la Maiden theme and singer Bruce Dickenson sporting a futuristic wardrobe to match, with Eddie the bands mascot making animated appearances on the big screens.
Guitarist Dave Murray
The first two songs of the evening the band drew from their Keyboard lite era (Somewhere in time album) 'Caught someone where in time' and 'Stranger in a strange land' Out of the gate the 15,000 plus Maiden strong fans are singing along. One thing is clear these 80's songs and their performances by the band have aged very well. Bruce Dickinson (age 66) running across the stage back and forth relentlessly while still hitting all the right operatic notes with some random injections of SCREAM FOR ME MONTREALS in-between.
Guitarist Janick Gers
The rest of the band consisting of eyes starring ringmaster and bassist extraordinaire Steve Harris, backbone Drummer Nicko McBrain and the three guitar attack of Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, Janick Gers. The band have all have aged like fine Trooper wine, still proving musically they are tight and matched by no one. The musicianship was flawless just like it was in 1982.
Singer Bruce Dickinson and Bassist Steve Harris
Back drop production changes and then Guitarist Adrien Smith pulls out the acoustic for a guitar intro and the band launches off into Senjutsu territory for the next three songs 'Writing on the wall', Days of Future Past' and 'The Time Machine'. While new material are usually the cue for most fans to wink wink bathroom break, instead this crowd held it in and sang along instead.
Guitarists Adrian Smith and Janick Gers
After six songs geared towards the theme of the tour, out the P.A. the epic spoken words reign WE WANT INFORMATION, INFORMATION..... Who are you? The NEW NUMBER 2. WHO IS NUMBER 1? You ARE NUMBER SIX. I AM NOT A NUMBER and the crowd shouts I AM A FREE MAN!! The band then dives into their deep cut fan favorite off 'The Number of the beast album (1982) 'The Prisoner ‘and performs like it was 1982 all over again. Goose bumps stuff.
Editor note -Throughout the evening Bruce Dickinson between song rants effortless shows off his French skills by addressing the crowd in French, which was quite impressive.
Then back again to Senjutsu for 'Death of the Celts' then into another fan favorite, their acapella driven single 'Can I Play With Madness' from the Seventh Son 1988 album and then the soccer chanting crowd sing- a -long 'Heaven Can Wait' (Somewhere in time 1986). With lots of Ohhhohohhs.
Pause…..
Backdrop change, Zombie Eddie is now an ancient GREEK COMMANDER. The band plays ALEXANDER THE GREAT (Somewhere in Time 1986). An 8 minute plus song opus that was never played live until this tour. EPIC is the only word to describe their performance. Bruce jamming in the wordy verse storyline and the fans belting- a-long on the chorus. What was once a not so cool track for the band in the 80’s on LP has now become one of the most anticipated songs of this tour. That is Maiden for you
Guitarist Dave Murray
The rest of the show consisted of the band’s staples and classic, Fear of the Dark ( 1992), the song Iron Maiden (1980) where Bruce comes out in his leather jacket representing that era and another Senjutsu track 'Hell on Earth' (Senjutsu).
The encores consisted of the bands go to music, 'The Trooper' (Piece of Mind 1983) and the big finish with 1986 hit single 'Wasted Years' (Somewhere in time) the so-called late 80’s hangover song.
Bassist Steve Harris and Guitarist Janick Gers
SIDE BAR- One thing I would have liked to hear during the night that did not happen was perhaps a tribute to original Maiden singer Paul Di’anno who recently died. I think playing the song 'Running Free' from the bands debut album would have fitted the set list. It would have been the right track as it represented Di'Anno's personality and the era which he helped break the band in the early days.
Side notes two of the bands most popular songs 'Run to the Hills' and 'The Number of the beast' were not played this time around but maybe a bit of a break is good.
In summary, judging from this packed arena of a cross generational smiles of 15,000-18,000 fans mostly sporting a Maiden shirt, one can say the band is at their peak. Deja -Vous 1982. Honestly I would say that this might have been one of their best performances of Iron Maiden in last few tours I have seen with them.
Singer Bruce Dickinson
The secret Iron Maiden sauce in my opinion is their evolving imagery, the bands global loyalty to their fans and their artistic need to always push themselves into writing new music and perform that new stuff as well.
Last it's also a fantastic way to also connect with fellow Maiden community from around the globe who share a common love for the band as we did.
But time is not always on anyone side, so go check them out now ! MAIDEN will not disappoint.
Merch Pics
Merch Pics
Comments