The Iron Maiden Thread v. The Merge of Souls

[wolfking]

I like Gangland, but Total eclipse is a much better song in my opinion. Interesting take to release a version of the album like that, though. I've never made a playlist with Total eclipse instead of Gangland, but I'll have to do it and check out what it sounds like.

Maybe Steve doesn't realise that we can do this. 

[nobloodyname]

Maybe they could've recorded and added in Adrian's missing solo in Gangland instead. 

That would be Dave's solo.  Or maybe Janick could throw one in to really throw everyone off!

Laughed out loud! That'd actually be bloody brilliant!

I like Gangland, but Total eclipse is a much better song in my opinion. Interesting take to release a version of the album like that, though. I've never made a playlist with Total eclipse instead of Gangland, but I'll have to do it and check out what it sounds like.

I reckon it'll sound the same but without Gangland.

[Bentower]

Maybe they could've recorded and added in Adrian's missing solo in Gangland instead. 

That would be Dave's solo.  Or maybe Janick could throw one in to really throw everyone off!

 

There go those on the fencers!

I couldn't remember whose solo it was so I was going by a Bruce interview I found. Had I listened I would've gotten it right. Never had a problem telling those two apart.

[pg1067]

I do find it interesting that 'Arry's decided to just come out and release a version of TNotB with Total Eclipse and without Gangland. I think it will now be the best version of the album, but there'll obviously be some controversy about removing a song from the tracklisting of a beloved 40-year-old album.

I don’t know if I like it. Revising a historic album for its anniversary? But also, we’re swapping a weak song for a great one that, in all of their eyes at least, should have been on there from the start.

That's not the case.  They're REMOVING Gangland and ADDING Total Eclipse.

I'm on an island of one here, I know. But this weakens the album for me. Total Eclipse has never done a single thing for me and I just don't get the reverence with which it is treated.

Also: no added value at all in this release, is there? Can't believe their pension funds need it.

I’m with you. I’m taking Gangland all day every day over Total Eclipse.

Now it's an island of three.  I had heard of Total Eclipse but had never heard the song until a few years ago, which is also when I learned about the whole thing with it and Gangland.  So I checked out TE, and it's a big batch of meh.

Also, what are you all talking about a "missing solo"?

[Bentower]

Here you go, pg:

Actually there’s a guitar solo that is missing from “Gangland”. It was recorded but we were in such a hurry that it was never mixed and nobody noticed. There’s supposed to be two guitar solos, Dave’s which is on there and then I do this shriek and a big drum roll and there’s this backing track where Adrian’s guitar solo should be. We were all so out of it. There was a massive stack of beer cans in the studio, we actually built an entire wall of beer cans. We had a blast recording that album but there was odd moments of forgetfulness.

That has got to be one of the biggest d'oh!'s in heavy metal history.

[Stadler]

I've mellowed a bit on Gangland over the years (just hearing it so often) but it is still for me, the weakest link on TNOTB chain, and I ranked Total Eclipse as my number three Iron Maiden song of all time in Kev's poll.  For me, with Total Eclipse on there, Side Two of TNOTB would likely be the greatest album side in metal history:

The Number Of The Beast
Run To The Hills
Total Eclipse
Hallowed Be Thy Name

Funny enough, I've never created a playlist to that effect.  I should though...

[pg1067]

Here you go, pg:

Actually there’s a guitar solo that is missing from “Gangland”. It was recorded but we were in such a hurry that it was never mixed and nobody noticed. There’s supposed to be two guitar solos, Dave’s which is on there and then I do this shriek and a big drum roll and there’s this backing track where Adrian’s guitar solo should be. We were all so out of it. There was a massive stack of beer cans in the studio, we actually built an entire wall of beer cans. We had a blast recording that album but there was odd moments of forgetfulness.

That has got to be one of the biggest d'oh!'s in heavy metal history.

So, the second chorus ends at 2:14, and then there's an instrumental section from 2:15-2:43, followed by a scream, and an 8-bar guitar solo from 2:45-2:53.  When the guitar solo stops, the bed track continues for 8-bars, with the vocals re-starting at 3:00.  There's no shriek or drum fill between the end of the solo and the re-starting of the vocals, but I guess that spot between 2:53-3:00 is where the second solo was supposed to go.  Interesting that I'm still hearing new things about a 40 year old album!  Thanks.

As far as Total Eclipse, I'm listening again.  The beginning is fine...nothing special.  The cut to the fast triplet section is jarring and completely out of place.  Then, just when you get used to the fast section, it slows WAY down.  It seems like it should have a final verse or chorus, but nope.  That's it.  It just ends.  Bleh!

[wolfking]

Here you go, pg:

Actually there’s a guitar solo that is missing from “Gangland”. It was recorded but we were in such a hurry that it was never mixed and nobody noticed. There’s supposed to be two guitar solos, Dave’s which is on there and then I do this shriek and a big drum roll and there’s this backing track where Adrian’s guitar solo should be. We were all so out of it. There was a massive stack of beer cans in the studio, we actually built an entire wall of beer cans. We had a blast recording that album but there was odd moments of forgetfulness.

That has got to be one of the biggest d'oh!'s in heavy metal history.

Is this a quote from Bruce?  He's wrong on a couple of accounts here. 

[TAC]

Being wrong has never stopped Bruce from saying anything.

[wolfking]

Being wrong has never stopped Bruce from saying anything.

   Fair play.

[nobloodyname]

Heh! Yup, that's funny

Unrelated but it reminds me of one of Steve's best quotes: "Bruce would write a country album if he thought it would sell." Ouch.

So, Stadler, tell us what it is you love so much about Total Eclipse?

[Stadler]

Heh! Yup, that's funny

Unrelated but it reminds me of one of Steve's best quotes: "Bruce would write a country album if he thought it would sell." Ouch.

So, Stadler, tell us what it is you love so much about Total Eclipse?

It's hard to single out bits and pieces, but I really dig the guitars; that riff under the verse is killer.  The opening is excellent, too.  But I think what sets it apart is the vocal; that part that PG says about "slowing down", that's my favorite part of the song.  I think it just shows the range (I don't just mean notes on the scale, either) of Bruce.  It's epic.

I also have to say; I like the vocals on the entire album; there's a slight tone to Bruce on TNOTB (and the b-sides) that was lost starting with Piece Of Mind that he never regained. I don't know how to put it into words, except to say, his vocals are recorded a bit "drier" on subsequent albums; I like that tone on TNOTB. 

[Samsara]

Regarding Maiden's current tour, I have to say, I am disappointed. It's the first tour they've done in recent memory that I just outright skipped.

I went to two shows on this same tour a few years back (back to back nights) and it was amazing. So I wasn't spending a ton of cash to go see the same tour with some new songs swapped in. The same tour production, the same everything, except for a couple of new songs. Makes no sense to me. And then I caught the prices...WOW. At least here, they were even more outrageous in comparison to what we spent for this tour twice a few years back.

I know Maiden is a well oiled machine and the shows are always awesome. But there wasn't enough for me to justify spending that kind of money AGAIN. The new record, at least IMO, is not that strong and hasn't aged well. It's very mid-tempo and there isn't a lot that stands out. And that's fine, at this stage of Maiden's career, that isn't surprising. But instead of trotting out the same staging and tour from the last time, they need to do something vastly different to get me to plunk down that kind of change.

[RodrigoAltaf]

Regarding Maiden's current tour, I have to say, I am disappointed. It's the first tour they've done in recent memory that I just outright skipped.

I went to two shows on this same tour a few years back (back to back nights) and it was amazing. So I wasn't spending a ton of cash to go see the same tour with some new songs swapped in. The same tour production, the same everything, except for a couple of new songs. Makes no sense to me. And then I caught the prices...WOW. At least here, they were even more outrageous in comparison to what we spent for this tour twice a few years back.

I know Maiden is a well oiled machine and the shows are always awesome. But there wasn't enough for me to justify spending that kind of money AGAIN. The new record, at least IMO, is not that strong and hasn't aged well. It's very mid-tempo and there isn't a lot that stands out. And that's fine, at this stage of Maiden's career, that isn't surprising. But instead of trotting out the same staging and tour from the last time, they need to do something vastly different to get me to plunk down that kind of change.

I got a ticket to see them next week here in Toronto, and feel exactly the same. I say the tour in 2019 with only 03 songs of difference, and I'm considering selling my ticket.

[Grappler]

Regarding Maiden's current tour, I have to say, I am disappointed. It's the first tour they've done in recent memory that I just outright skipped.

I went to two shows on this same tour a few years back (back to back nights) and it was amazing. So I wasn't spending a ton of cash to go see the same tour with some new songs swapped in. The same tour production, the same everything, except for a couple of new songs. Makes no sense to me. And then I caught the prices...WOW. At least here, they were even more outrageous in comparison to what we spent for this tour twice a few years back.

I know Maiden is a well oiled machine and the shows are always awesome. But there wasn't enough for me to justify spending that kind of money AGAIN. The new record, at least IMO, is not that strong and hasn't aged well. It's very mid-tempo and there isn't a lot that stands out. And that's fine, at this stage of Maiden's career, that isn't surprising. But instead of trotting out the same staging and tour from the last time, they need to do something vastly different to get me to plunk down that kind of change.

I didn't make it to the last shows on the Legacy tour - I think they were all weeknight shows, and even if not, my kids were too young and still waking up in the middle of the night 3-4 years ago.  So I paid $100+ for a balcony ticket for this tour.  I'd have preferred floor, but it was too expensive.  At least I'll be there tomorrow night and will finally see this show.  If I had gone the last time, then I'd probably have skipped this leg of the tour.

Having Within Temptation as the opener here in Chicago was a big reason for me going too - I can see the Legacy tour (though I prefer the original setlist) and finally see WT live as well. 

[pg1067]

I went to the Anaheim show a couple weeks ago.  My thoughts:

- I booked a hotel near the venue.  I figured they'd play later and didn't want the hassle of driving home.  It also gave me the opportunity to drink more if I wanted.  I drove to the hotel after work, and a friend picked me up and we drove to the venue.

- I'm not familiar with Trivium, and my friend didn't care, so we completely missed them.  I figured we'd get in to catch the end of their set, but they were done before we walked into the building.  If Within Temptation had opened, I'd have been sure to be there on time.

- I heard The Writing on the Wall when it was released.  BORING.  I never bought the album.  I listened to Senjutsu and Stratego for the first time that day.  Senjutsu was dreadful.  Stratego was a bit better, but it's biggest selling point was that it was under 5:00.

- I thought starting the show with the three Senjutsu songs was a bad idea, and I was right.  I know they wanted to do them back to back because of the set, but starting the show was not the place.

- After that the set list was good but not great.  For context, I did not see the prior show for this tour with the different set list.  I understand they had Eagles on that list, and I'm seriously bummed I didn't get to see that because I've never seen it live.  Sign of the Cross was better than I expected, and I used The Clansmen to run to the restroom.  Otherwise a solid list of songs - albeit painfully predictable.

- I was in the upper bowl of the arena, first row, on the aisle.  I specifically selected that seat because I thought I'd have an unencumbered view of the stage.  Unfortunately, I forgot that, at the bottom of the stairs leading down to the first row of the section, they have these sheets of plexiglass about 18x32 inches that stick up over the railing.  I assume these are there so that, if someone trips coming down the stairs, it will be less likely for him/her to fall over the edge.  Unfortunately, the damn thing was right in my line of sight, so I either had to look through it (and it was covered in fingerprints) or lean to the left or sit up REALLY straight to look over it.  That sucked.

- I was a little astounded that there was a prominent mosh pit that was there the entire set (at one point, there was a big one and a smaller one nearby, and for one song, there was an "island" of people in the middle of the pit).  When did that become a thing at Maiden shows?  Glad I wasn't on the floor!

- The sound....my first concert at the Pond was shortly after it opened, in February 1994.  We saw Rush, and the sound was not good.  The Pond has a lot of marble (or fake marble) surfaces, and the sound seemed to bounce all over the place.  I saw Rush there again in 2012, and the sound was much better.  Of course, I was on the floor, so that probably made a difference.  I saw Panic at the Disco there in early 2019 (lower bowl), and the sound was really good.  However, for Maiden the sound was, once again, not good.  I could hear Bruce pretty well, and he sounded pretty good.  The drums were clear as a bell.  I didn't hear a single note from the bass until they got to Revelations, and the bass was inaudible for much of the set.  REALLY odd for a band like Maiden.  The guitars were there, but they were mostly droning.  They were relatively clear during solos but buried in the mix.  My ultimate conclusion was that I won't be attending another show at the Pond unless I get much better seats (and maybe not even then).

- All in all a pretty good show, but probably at the bottom of my list of Maiden shows.

[Samsara]

Grapp - ENJOY!! I know your situation, so I am glad you are getting to see this gig. I know you don't get out to many shows. It's Maiden, and I am sure you will have a blast.

re: Within Temptation - had my local gig gotten them as the opener (they were not on the West Coast leg), I would have gone and taken my daughter again (she saw one of the two IM shows the last tour). She's a huge fan of WT, and while she saw them a few years ago now headlining The Warfield, now that she's older and those memories are a little fuzzy, she'd love to see them again. hell, I'd like to. I saw WT opening for Lacuna Coil in...I want to say 2006 or 2007 at the now closed Slim's nightclub in San Fran. So awesome on that tiny of a stage. And then we saw them headline The Warfield, which is a huge jump. Great band. Trivium...not so much, at least not for me.

[nobloodyname]

- I was in the upper bowl of the arena, first row, on the aisle.  I specifically selected that seat because I thought I'd have an unencumbered view of the stage.  Unfortunately, I forgot that, at the bottom of the stairs leading down to the first row of the section, they have these sheets of plexiglass about 18x32 inches that stick up over the railing.  I assume these are there so that, if someone trips coming down the stairs, it will be less likely for him/her to fall over the edge.  Unfortunately, the damn thing was right in my line of sight, so I either had to look through it (and it was covered in fingerprints) or lean to the left or sit up REALLY straight to look over it.  That sucked.

Spare me the jokes(!) but I had exactly the same thing happen to me when I saw the Browns four or five years ago. Very bloody annoying at the best of times, never mind when you're making a special trip from the UK, believe me.

[TAC]

I am not going to this leg either. First of all, it's a Monday night in Worcester, which is far enough on a weekend. It has nothing to do with going to work the next day but more to do so with my family.
Anyway, tickets went really fast and the prices were outrageous. I believe that this was an instance where Ticketmaster was raising prices on the fly, something that they seem to be doing lately. I simply couldn't justify spending $400 for two tickets under any circumstances, no matter the night or location.

Add to that that this isn't even a new tour production. I saw the Legacy tour a couple of years ago and it was absolutely amazing. Starting the show with three Senjutsu tracks, and while I do like Stratego, the title track is an absolute plodder.

It sucks because I would love to see them in an arena again, especially a smaller one like the Centrum.

[Samsara]

The whole TM thing is out of hand. I know I am preaching to the choir here, so I won't drone on about it  , but holy hell man. Enough already with the gouging. I know it's the promoters, covid recoup, blah, blah, blah, blah. But the costs for concerts now is just ridiculous.

Even though this isn't TM, I just bought tickets for my wife and daughter to go see the Muse/Evanescence tour. Lower bowl of the arena...it was like 544 bucks with all the charges and fees for two tickets (and those were CHEAP compared to the first several rows of the lower bowl). It's a birthday gift, and my kid (who is at the age where the music is the music she'll have for the rest of her life) is a big fan of both fans, so I went for it. But even the wife (who is taking her - this is not local and I don't need to see either band again) took pause at the cost. And I said to her - you're making a trip to see this show...go all that way to sit in the nosebleeds for maybe 150 bucks LESS? That's pointless. She agreed.

But this is how these promoters/TM, etc., get you. If the kid's birthday wasn't a good reason, I would have nixed this. But as it is, it's a surprise, and she has no idea they are touring together, so we took the plunge. But just crazy. Even smaller bands are getting out of hand.

/middle aged grumpy guy rant

[TAC]

That is very nice of you guys, and it's ok to splurge on the kids!

I am posting as many ticket stubs in my Concert Thread as I can and though no one has really mentioned it, the ticket prices are listed right on the stub.
Tonight's update will have an eye-popping cost!

[Samsara]

That is very nice of you guys, and it's ok to splurge on the kids!

When I was around her age, all I wanted was to go see Queensryche at Nassau Coliseum on the Empire tour. My parents couldn't afford it, and if they could, they wouldn't let me go because they thought it was dangerous, etc. (they weren't concert-goers). I was crushed for literally YEARS.* I was bound and determined to make sure that the kid didn't have to go through that. And my wife and I have lived up to what we said we'd do - take her to her favorite bands. Thankfully, they align with our tastes (parenting done RIGHT), so it has been fun for us too.

*To my mom's credit, she realized she made a mistake. She went out that Christmas, bought all the import Queensryche cd singles she could find on CD, which I still have today. And then in 1995, when QR returned to Long Island after four years, she bought me and my best friend two great tickets to see QR at Jones Beach on the Promised Land tour.

[TAC]

That is very nice of you guys, and it's ok to splurge on the kids!

When I was around her age, all I wanted was to go see Queensryche at Nassau Coliseum on the Empire tour. My parents couldn't afford it, and if they could, they wouldn't let me go because they thought it was dangerous, etc. (they weren't concert-goers). I was crushed for literally YEARS.* I was bound and determined to make sure that the kid didn't have to go through that. And my wife and I have lived up to what we said we'd do - take her to her favorite bands. Thankfully, they align with our tastes (parenting done RIGHT), so it has been fun for us too.

That's wonderful.

Apparently I parented all wrong because my 19 y/o loves hip hop. 

[Anguyen92]

That is very nice of you guys, and it's ok to splurge on the kids!

When I was around her age, all I wanted was to go see Queensryche at Nassau Coliseum on the Empire tour. My parents couldn't afford it, and if they could, they wouldn't let me go because they thought it was dangerous, etc. (they weren't concert-goers). I was crushed for literally YEARS.* I was bound and determined to make sure that the kid didn't have to go through that. And my wife and I have lived up to what we said we'd do - take her to her favorite bands. Thankfully, they align with our tastes (parenting done RIGHT), so it has been fun for us too.

That's wonderful.

Apparently I parented all wrong because my 19 y/o loves hip hop. 

Maybe your child just didn't want to go on the same musical path you did.  But yeah, regarding Iron Maiden, I honestly didn't really want to pay the same price (as the 2019 show) for a setlist that had four songs changes (and three of them, I don't really care much for).  I kinda wish I went to the Wednesday show at the Honda Center where tickets were slightly cheaper than the Thursday show, but I wasn't in the mood.

I'm surprised I was able to get a cheap nosebleed seat for the Rammstein show I went to.  That was in a football stadium and it was only $30.00.

[Stadler]

That is very nice of you guys, and it's ok to splurge on the kids!

When I was around her age, all I wanted was to go see Queensryche at Nassau Coliseum on the Empire tour. My parents couldn't afford it, and if they could, they wouldn't let me go because they thought it was dangerous, etc. (they weren't concert-goers). I was crushed for literally YEARS.* I was bound and determined to make sure that the kid didn't have to go through that. And my wife and I have lived up to what we said we'd do - take her to her favorite bands. Thankfully, they align with our tastes (parenting done RIGHT), so it has been fun for us too.

That's wonderful.

Apparently I parented all wrong because my 19 y/o loves hip hop. 

I know you guys are kidding, I think, but I'm just happy my kid loves MUSIC, whoever it is.  I get great pleasure from the music I like, and I truly don't give a rat's ass whether my kid likes Iron Maiden or Kiss, just that she get SOME pleasure out of what she does listen to.  "Taylor Swift" and "Harry Styles" are, to her, what "Kiss" and "Iron Maiden" were to me growing up.  And I'm good with that. 

I've gone to shows with her, that are not in my comfort zone.  Some have be great - Harry Styles killed it in Madison Square Garden; it's the second best show I've ever seen there, behind the Kiss reunion - some haven't - The Jonas Brothers was fun but musically it was nothing to write home about - but it's still a great experience.  And I got her to go to see Kiss in 2014 and she loved the spectacle!

[cramx3]

I went to the Anaheim show a couple weeks ago.  My thoughts:

- I booked a hotel near the venue.  I figured they'd play later and didn't want the hassle of driving home.  It also gave me the opportunity to drink more if I wanted.  I drove to the hotel after work, and a friend picked me up and we drove to the venue.

- I'm not familiar with Trivium, and my friend didn't care, so we completely missed them.  I figured we'd get in to catch the end of their set, but they were done before we walked into the building.  If Within Temptation had opened, I'd have been sure to be there on time.

- I heard The Writing on the Wall when it was released.  BORING.  I never bought the album.  I listened to Senjutsu and Stratego for the first time that day.  Senjutsu was dreadful.  Stratego was a bit better, but it's biggest selling point was that it was under 5:00.

- I thought starting the show with the three Senjutsu songs was a bad idea, and I was right.  I know they wanted to do them back to back because of the set, but starting the show was not the place.

- After that the set list was good but not great.  For context, I did not see the prior show for this tour with the different set list.  I understand they had Eagles on that list, and I'm seriously bummed I didn't get to see that because I've never seen it live.  Sign of the Cross was better than I expected, and I used The Clansmen to run to the restroom.  Otherwise a solid list of songs - albeit painfully predictable.

- I was in the upper bowl of the arena, first row, on the aisle.  I specifically selected that seat because I thought I'd have an unencumbered view of the stage.  Unfortunately, I forgot that, at the bottom of the stairs leading down to the first row of the section, they have these sheets of plexiglass about 18x32 inches that stick up over the railing.  I assume these are there so that, if someone trips coming down the stairs, it will be less likely for him/her to fall over the edge.  Unfortunately, the damn thing was right in my line of sight, so I either had to look through it (and it was covered in fingerprints) or lean to the left or sit up REALLY straight to look over it.  That sucked.

- I was a little astounded that there was a prominent mosh pit that was there the entire set (at one point, there was a big one and a smaller one nearby, and for one song, there was an "island" of people in the middle of the pit).  When did that become a thing at Maiden shows?  Glad I wasn't on the floor!

- The sound....my first concert at the Pond was shortly after it opened, in February 1994.  We saw Rush, and the sound was not good.  The Pond has a lot of marble (or fake marble) surfaces, and the sound seemed to bounce all over the place.  I saw Rush there again in 2012, and the sound was much better.  Of course, I was on the floor, so that probably made a difference.  I saw Panic at the Disco there in early 2019 (lower bowl), and the sound was really good.  However, for Maiden the sound was, once again, not good.  I could hear Bruce pretty well, and he sounded pretty good.  The drums were clear as a bell.  I didn't hear a single note from the bass until they got to Revelations, and the bass was inaudible for much of the set.  REALLY odd for a band like Maiden.  The guitars were there, but they were mostly droning.  They were relatively clear during solos but buried in the mix.  My ultimate conclusion was that I won't be attending another show at the Pond unless I get much better seats (and maybe not even then).

- All in all a pretty good show, but probably at the bottom of my list of Maiden shows.

Some comments about your comments:

I saw Trivium last summer, they were pretty solid.  Can't say if you would have liked them or not, but they are a fairly big band in the US.

That SUCKs about the plexiglass.  I've had this issue before and it wuold have annoyed the hell out of me too especially since you specifically got that seat for the view (I'm very big on getting front row aisle seats myself).

I also am not a huge fan of the song Senjutsu so I think opening with that is a bad choice.  I am going to wait until I see it myself in a few weeks, but my thoughts are that I'd rather them open with something else and not even play Senjutsu.  I think the other two tracks are fine choices to play, they were the singles although none of those three songs are the best on the album.

I have only seen mosh pits a couple times at IM shows and usually they are somewhat small and don't last very long, but I would say that a mosh pit the entire show is awesome!  To me, it shows that young people are in attendance and that's great for an aging band to have a young crowd at their shows.  I would be very happy if there was a mosh pit (which I am too old to be in) at the NJ show.

I feel like IM's live mix/sound is very hit or miss.  I feel like a lot of the shows they aren't mixed well enough.  If you can't hear Steve, that's a problem IMO. 

Glad it seems you still had fun though, I can't wait to see them soon. (and I'm much happier to have Within Temptation over Trivium, although I would still have checked out Trivium).

[pg1067]

I have only seen mosh pits a couple times at IM shows and usually they are somewhat small and don't last very long, but I would say that a mosh pit the entire show is awesome!  To me, it shows that young people are in attendance and that's great for an aging band to have a young crowd at their shows.  I would be very happy if there was a mosh pit (which I am too old to be in) at the NJ show.

I feel like IM's live mix/sound is very hit or miss.  I feel like a lot of the shows they aren't mixed well enough.  If you can't hear Steve, that's a problem IMO. 

Glad it seems you still had fun though, I can't wait to see them soon. (and I'm much happier to have Within Temptation over Trivium, although I would still have checked out Trivium).

I didn't intentionally miss Trivium.  It was more a function of the show being on a work night and my friend who didn't really care.  I would've liked to have seen at least a song or two.

Couldn't agree more about the sound mix.  Not hearing Steve Harris at a Maiden show is almost on the same level as not hearing Geddy Lee at a Rush show.

I guess I agree about the mosh pits, and it was definitely the whole show (or at least once Revelations started), but I've never really understood them, and the few times I've been near them, I've been super annoyed.  Since I had a bird's eye view it was more of an amusement.

But yeah...overall a good time.

[MirrorMask]

IRON MAIDEN ANNOUNCE FIRST SHOWS OF 2023'S THE FUTURE PAST TOUR

Iron Maiden will be bringing a new tour to Europe in the Summer of 2023 including arena shows in the UK & Ireland. The Future Past Tour will feature previously unperformed songs from the band’s most recent studio album, Senjutsu along with a focus on 1986’s iconic Somewhere In Time record, plus other classic cuts.



The first shows to be announced are as follows:

June 2023
13  Tauron Arena, Krakow, POLAND - (On sale Fri Oct 14)
19  Hallenstadion, Zurich, SWITZERLAND - (On sale Thu Oct 13)
24  3Arena, Dublin, IRELAND - (On sale Fri Oct 14)
26  Ovo Hydro, Glasgow, SCOTLAND - (On sale Fri Oct 14)
28  First Direct Arena, Leeds, ENGLAND - (On sale Fri Oct 14)
30  AO Arena, Manchester, ENGLAND - (On sale Fri Oct 14)

July 2023
03  Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham, ENGLAND - (On sale Fri Oct 14)
04  Utilita Arena, Birmingham, ENGLAND - (On sale Fri Oct 14)
07  O2 Arena, London, ENGLAND - (On sale Fri Oct 14)
11  Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS - (On sale Thu Oct 13)
13  Sportpaleis, Antwerp, BELGIUM - (On sale Thu Oct 13)
15  The Return of the Gods Festival, Milan, ITALY - (On sale Tomorrow! Fri Oct 7)

Further European dates for The Future Past Tour will be announced later. Keep up to date here.

Fan Club Presales begin Tuesday 11th October. Details to be added shortly.
Support for The Future Past Tour will be announced at a later date. Trooper VIP will be available at selected UK and European dates.


Steve Harris says,
“Following the release of our latest album, Senjutsu, we updated the current Legacy of the Beast Tour a little by opening the show with the first 3 songs from it, with the Japanese Palace stage set. As it doesn’t make a lot of sense to repeat this for a Senjutsu album tour, we thought about other options and we’ve decided to revisit Somewhere In Time as that tour didn’t feature in the various retrospective history tours we’ve played over the years. They were based on our 80’s concert videos and sadly we did not film that tour (blame the manager!!).  We have had lots of requests from fans over the years for many tracks on it so we are now going to play them, plus of course a few others we know you will like! It will also be particularly satisfying to finally get to play some of the more epic tracks on Senjutsu, it's been a long wait! 2023 is going to be an exciting time and we’re really looking forward to seeing everyone again in the UK, Ireland and around Europe”.


Manager, Rod Smallwood adds,
“This combination of the two albums we feel is very exciting. We know fans want to hear those epic cuts on Senjutsu for the first time live and we think that by combining it with an iconic album like Somewhere In Time it will make for another really special tour for fans old and new! Of course, for a new album tour in Europe and the UK we will go back largely to the relative intimacy of arenas and we know fans will be very happy about that too!”

[wolfking]

Woah!  Could ATG finally get its live debut??

Runner, Madness?  Holy shit!  Let's hope it's not just the four predictable songs.

[Zydar]

Hell yeah, it's about time SIT got some lovin'

I'd love to get an official live version of Sea Of Madness somehow.

[Deadeye21]

This BETTER come to Australia. They still haven’t rebooked dates for Asia or Australia!s legs from Legacy of the Beast, so we pretty much deserve this.

[MirrorMask]

This is a first for them. So unusual that I was completely skeptical of all the hints the band was dropping (mainly Bruce making a point of stating "see you SOMEWHERE ON TOUR next year").

I mean, they never played a classic album in its entirety, or concentrated a set about a 30th / 40th/ whateverth anniversary, they couldn't even bother to live up in 2007 to the promise of "5 songs from AMOLAD and 5 songs from Number of the Beast" (they only played four), and now, after new album tours alternated with historical tours based on a specific previous tour, they just "play some songs off Somewhere in Time" just because?

I'm also curious about the wording of the press release:

The Future Past Tour will feature previously unperformed songs from the band’s most recent studio album, Senjutsu

And

Following the release of our latest album, Senjutsu, we updated the current Legacy of the Beast Tour a little by opening the show with the first 3 songs from it, with the Japanese Palace stage set. As it doesn’t make a lot of sense to repeat this for a Senjutsu album tour, we thought about other options and we’ve decided to revisit Somewhere In Time

Do they mean that they will play MORE SONGS from Senjutsu, along with the first three, or they'll just skip those three songs to concentrate on the remaining six that are unplayed? the wording is unclear and it feels weird to think of Stratego and The Writing on the Wall already dropped.

[Mladen]

Runner, Madness?  Holy shit!  Let's hope it's not just the four predictable songs.

As much as Stranger in a strange land and even the title track might be predictable, I think it would still be quite an event if it were only those two that made the comeback. But yeah, I also have a feeling that Alexander will finally get its debut.

I am already excited for this. 

[wolfking]

Runner, Madness?  Holy shit!  Let's hope it's not just the four predictable songs.

As much as Stranger in a strange land and even the title track might be predictable, I think it would still be quite an event if it were only those two that made the comeback. But yeah, I also have a feeling that Alexander will finally get its debut.

I am already excited for this. 

I love those two songs so I'm fine with them too.  I really really hope HCW doesn't get played though.

[MirrorMask]

I assume they will play:

- Alex the Great 'cause they finally decided to cave in and play the damn song
- Wasted Years and Heaven Can Wait 'cause they're the safest choices
- Stranger in a Strange Land because it's in the trailer.

That's half the album already. I can't imagine Bruce killing his voice trying to wail Caught Somewhere in Time's chorus.