After 48 years Iron Maiden have played countless cities and venues, yet tonight at the O2 they play with the energy and excitement of a band just starting out.
Making their return to the O2 Arena for the first time since 2018, Iron Maiden are back in London for a colossal two nights. As soon as you step off the tube your greeted with a sea of Maiden t-shirts all featuring the bands iconic mascot Eddie. Getting closer, huge screens show the tour poster which has a new Eddie, half Senjutsu and half Somewhere in Time with the tour being named ‘The Future Past Tour’.
Kicking the evening off was Lord of the Lost. Off the back of their performance at Eurovision this year representing Germany, the band deliver a set just short of an hour giving everyone a taste of what they’re about. Not being able to pin them to one sub-genre their sound goes from power metal to industrial metal and even throwing in elements of death metal at times. Soaring vocals take up the majority of their set, yet the screams and growls have an early Avenged Sevenfold feel. Bringing their own show with lights and smoke the band definitely gained a few fans warming everyone up for the main event.
UFO’s ‘Doctor Doctor’ rings out and it only means one thing. Iron Maiden arrive on stage at 9 o’clock and for the next two hours remind everyone why they have been at the top of metal for over four decades. Launching into a Somewhere in Time double header of ‘Caught Somewhere in Time’ and ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’ the band are just warming up.
‘The Writing on the Wall’ and ‘Days of Future Past’ from Senjutsu feature next and the band really start thrive. Steve Harris’ galloping bass lines make the crowd move as 20,000 people sing along with the trio harmonising guitars. Bruce Dickinson moves and sings like a man half his age sprinting across the stage and jumping over sound monitors. Just watching the band is enough to make you feel tired for them.
The only song off Number of the Beast played tonight was ‘The Prisoner’, before the band fire into ‘Can I Play With Madness’. With its stadium sized chorus and 80’s riffs, the crowd are in full voice and the band are feeding off them. ‘Heaven Can Wait’ features Bruce Dickinson and Eddie having a shoot-out with fireworks and deep cut ‘Alexander The Great’ is a highlight with an Adrian Smith solo that is one of his best. Then onto the big ones.
The lights go down and the O2 is dark meaning only one song is coming next. The iconic opening riff of Fear of the Dark starts and prompts the crowd to break into a singalong. With Bruce Dickinson standing above Niko McBrain’s drum kit looking like an unhinged conductor directing the crowd in joining him in a deafening chorus. Finishing the main set was ‘Iron Maiden’ before the band leave the stage to chants of “Maiden”.
The 10 minute ‘Hell on Earth’ opens the encore with enough fire to light up a small city. Raising the level once again they go into ‘The Trooper’ with the backdrop now featuring what is probably the most famous version of Eddie. The final song is ‘Wasted Years’ where after two hours the band members are still running around the stage and pouring every ounce of energy into the song.
Ending at 11 o’clock, 20,000 people leave with their ears ringing having just had their whole body blasted by Iron Maiden’s wall of sound. Undeniably one of metals giants, the band show again why their popularity has never gone away. A masterclass in metal, Iron Maiden delivered a performance that isn’t going to be forgotten any time soon.
