Iron Maiden, A Live Review and Different Perspective
It's well documented that I am a major Iron Maiden fan. It should come as no surprise that I saw the last two shows on the current tour, and got to the barrier in Houston. What's a little surprising, is that I didn't love it as much as you might expect.
The first night I was plain jetlagged and was three rows from the front ( i.e. no barrier to lean on ) so I held out for "Phantom of the Opera" then went to sit down, and then after I'd sat for a bit, I saw lightning and decided to bail. I was at the barrier the next day, right?
For Houston, I got on to the fan club and found someone to go to the barrier with me, but it seems they had a low number of entries, because the folks who had been looking for a spot had won themselves, that afternoon. That was fine as we were told we'd be escorted so we wouldn't have to run, but that turned out not to be true, and as I was at the front, I was in the group that got lost. Still got the barrier, but closer to the center than I wanted. (I try for guitarist Adrian Smith's side).
Coheed and Cambria were actually pretty good. I hated them the first night, but I think that's because I was on the right, the mix to the left and you could hear them better. The one thing is, they did "Heaven and Hell," which was great, but it made clear that nothing they write is close to "Heaven and Hell."
So, the show starts with a video of lots of icebergs. I guess they look like the Seventh Son album cover. The first song is "Moonchild," which does not work for me as an opener, but is an OK song. Next up was "Can I Play with Madness" and "The Prisoner." So far, so good. For me, "2 Minutes to Midnight," the next song, lost them momentum. It's a song they played on the last two tours at least (I didn't check further back), and I could have done without it. "Afraid to Shoot Strangers," on the other hand, was epic, a definite highlight. But then they did "The Trooper."
I think you're getting the idea here. I love Maiden and I love that they mix their set up so much, I just wish they'd mix it up more. Run to the hills was OK, but "Number of the Beast," "Fear of the Dark," even "Running Free" is not a good enough song to be played two tours in a row. I thought they were doing "Wrathchild?" How about "Children of the Damned" or "22 Acacia Avenue," or "Die With Your Boots On," or "Stranger In A Stranger Land?" Basically, the highlights were the songs like "Phantom" (and the crowd went nuts for that, both nights) and "Seventh Son of A Seventh Son" and the lowlights were the same old songs they do every time. A bit more adventure in the setlist would have been great. Long view - if they had not done Seventh Son songs on the Somewhere Back in Time tour, then this setlist would have been even better (and so would that tour).
For the first time, I am thinking that the tour two tours from now, I'll think about not going. The next tour will be on a new album and should be lots of new songs, and I'm always up for that. The band has alienated the mainstream with these "new album" tour cycles, and I know from experience, they play more shows in bigger venues on a "classics" tour, but if they are not scared to play to their hardcore fans, then why not do that all the time ? And where do they go next? Surely not a Fear of the Dark tour, as on this current tour they've played two of the best songs from it already. "Be Quick or Be Dead" is the only song from this album I could see them adding. They've done these cycles and I wonder if they are coming to a logical end for the band as a whole? Certainly if they do a tour off of Fear of the Dark and No Prayer for the Dying, there's no way they can do a Futureal tour after that.
Reader Comments (23)
And I just won't see Poison or Motley again, because their setlist never changes. I am still going to Maiden.
I agree with the previous poster. If you are gonna complain about Maiden playing arguably three of their greatest and most famous songs, then you are probably better suited to stay home and listen to the new stuff.
It truly amazes me that with the crap music out there today, that people will actually complain about Iron Maiden still kicking it out better than ever after all of these years. I saw the show in Virginia and it was fantastic. Did Bruce pull a bit of a Vince Neil and skip a few words and a few high notes...sure. But it's 2012 and I am seeing a full sold out Iron Maiden show instead of Lady Gaga and Nickelback. Anyone who wants to complain can shut the hell up. Be grateful that we still have a few bands who will go out there and give the fans (the MAJORITY of the fans...not just those who think they are bigger fans and special because they have the newest album) exactly what they came for.
'The Trooper'. It was 'Phantom of the Opera' that got the biggest cheers, both nights, not The Trooper or Number of the Beast.
The energy was fantastic and it was one of the best shows I've seen in a while. The crowd was pumped the whole time and Bruce sounded fantastic.
Christian, I agree with the other guys. You might be Maidened out. Same thing happened to me with KISS. It became way too routine so I stopped going. Will see them for the first time in about 10 years next month with Crue, and I'm actually looking forward to it (for a change).
I saw Maiden with Alice Cooper this past summer, and really liked the set list. Granted, I've only seen them once before, so I was ecstatic to hear a bunch of classics.
Lastly, bands like Maiden that have a lengthy catalog are kind of stuck because they have so many iconic songs but only a certain time to play.
ALLYSON - Happy Birthday, Sweetie!
Still, as much as I despise these greasers (As the London Britpop crowd refer to them), gotta hand it to ol' Steve -- constantly churning out an endless sea of mindless Neanderthal Rock, one is bound to accidentally write some great tunes, particularly "Can I Play With Madness".
As far as their dilemma with being out of sorts about what to do about the whole Oldies vs. Newbies Tours, well, like I said, your dealing with Neanderthals, so don't expect any sound decision making here.
So, I strongly suggest you pick the set lists for them, Christian.
Actually...
Here's an idea: Pick their coolest favorites -- a combination of unexpected and reknowned classics plus your favorite newer songs, making up a well blended set list that can withstand some variable juggling from show to show.
Since Maiden is so huge, kinda like how Faux (Fox) News is huge, which only means there are more idiots in the U.S. population than originally anticipated and growing every minute, the band can do the best set lists and tell their fans to take a hike if they don't like it. Believe me, just like Republicans voting early, the fans will still pack, stack and rack into the arenas for these shows.
A Belated Happy Birthday, to Madam Glam, the one, the only, the Glammiest and Most Metal of all Glamistresses, Ms. Allyson B. Crawford!
Here's your present, Al!!!...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Yk1iSYT7U
Keep on Rockin' to Bring Back Glam! Forever!
When they opened for Heavan and Hell in '09, they covered "The Trooper", so I thought it was pretty cool that they played H&H while opening for Maiden.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac3rogp3Tus
nInn
UNROCK!
p.s. There's only a few times in Rock History where shorts are cool and this is not one of them...
AC/DC: Angus Young's Shorts = Cool
LITA FORD: Lita donning Hot Pants in The Runaways
LIFE SEX & DEATH: The Lead Guitarist wore Black Vinyl Shorts
OFFSPRING: Metal band in BOARD SHORTS
GUNS & ROSES: Axl's white Spandex Shorts (UNROCK)
SCOTT IAN: Hahaha!!!
Ahhh... those silver lame' hot pants & the silver boots! One of my teenage years happy memories... Rock on, Lita! May your hot pants never rot!