I have loved the music of Iron Maiden since I was a teenager – soaring lyrics, powerful guitar riffs and beating drums are a call to arms for all Maiden fans. They led the charge of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) in the 1980’s and Iron Maiden are still going as strong as ever!
I have seen them perform a couple of times in Australia and got to see them again recently on their Maiden England North American Tour 2012 at the Whiteriver Amphitheatre on July 30th, 2012 (near Seattle). Every show I have seen has been brilliant and their stage presence along with the sets that represent past albums and songs are always impressive.
This current tour is predominately based around their concept album Seventh Son of a Seventh Son from 1988. The majority of the songs from that album are performed during their set along with other classics and a few rarities. They changed the set list slightly for this show too which was a surprise.
The intro music was Doctor Doctor a UFO song, then the boys let fly with:
Moonchild – great way to kick off the show from SSOFASS!- Can I Play With Madness – a classic sing along also from SSOFASS.
- The Prisoner – “I am not a number, I am a free man!”
- 2 Minutes to Midnight
- Afraid to Shoot Strangers – not a normal song on their set list.
- The Trooper – one of my all time fav’s!
- The Number of the Beast – one of the songs that got me into Maiden all those years ago.
- Phantom of the Opera
- Run to the Hills – the song that got me into Maiden.
- Wasted Years
- Seventh Son of a Seventh Son – The stage set was a recreation fo the album cover including an animatronic embryo (the from SSOFASS of course!)
- The Clairvoyant – from SSOFASS, the set was fantastic for this song with a large Clairvoyant “Evil Eddie” statue.
- Fear of the Dark
- Iron Maiden – another huge sing along \m/
Encore:
Churchill’s Speech:
“We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France. We shall fight over the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds,we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,we shall fight on the hills; we shall never surrender!” – Winston Churchill June 4th, 1940
- Aces High – another favourite of mine (being a plane geek and all).
- The Evil That Men Do – yes evil lives on and on (from SSOFASS)
- Running Free – a huge crowd favourite and great song to finish on.
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (Monty Python) is the musical interlude played to finish the show.
Oh and happy birthday to lead singer Bruce Dickinson who just turned 54 (born August 7th, 1958).
MAIDEN RULES!!!!! \m/(>.<)\m/
