IRON MAIDEN / SHINEDOWN | LIVE REVIEW
Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, Wed 24 May
Defiance is very much the word for tonight. After the terrible events that took place in Manchester less than 48 hours ago, Iron Maiden’s first show in the Welsh capital for five years has taken on extra significance and has now become a show of solidarity among live music fans keen to show the evildoers of this world, that they cannot break us.
With extra security measures in place, it’s a credit to the Motorpoint Arena staff that support band Shinedown had anyone to play to at all. That said, they take the stage to a decent size crowd, with the job of turning hardened Maiden heads into Shinedown fans as well – and a fine job they do of it too. Apart from a few dedicated fans at the front, most of the crowd seemed a bit apprehensive, but with a career spanning setlist bursting with hits, they soon come around. Rounding off a triumphant set off with The Sound Of Madness, Shinedown clearly made a few more fans tonight.
The calling card that is Doctor, Doctor blasts out of the PA, causing excitement among the crowd: they know that the mighty Iron Maiden are mere minutes away. An impressive Mayan-themed stage bursts to life, with pyro and smoke galore, and bounding onstage comes frontman Bruce Dickinson, who runs around with the energy of a man half his age. The band explodes into If Eternity Should Fail from latest album The Book Of Souls, with the Maiden faithful headbanging along to every beat. The first proper sing along comes in the form of Maiden classic Wrathchild, Dickinson then reminding us that Children Of The Damned, up next, may be older than some of the people in the crowd.
A double header from the new album, The Red And The Black and Death Or Glory, follows before Dickinson takes time out to address the recent atrocities in Manchester and reminds us all that we’re part of the Maiden family and we need to retaliate with peace, love and rock’n’roll. It’s worth noting that flags from all corners of the world were here tonight, almost as if to hit home Dickinson’s words.
A quick costume change and Dickinson is once again running around the stage waving the Union Jack like his life depended on it, whilst Maiden belt out The Trooper. The powerhouse rhythm section of Steve Harris and Nicko McBrain are on top form tonight, whilst the guitar trio of Jannick Gers, Adrian Smith and Dave Murray control the stage like the seasoned pros they are. Maiden’s ever-present mascot Eddie makes his first appearance of the night, stalking the band as they play The Book Of Souls before Fear Of The Dark prompts another mass singalong.
An encore of Number Of The Beast, Blood Brothers and Wasted Years, as well as an appearance by a 30ft Eddie, sends the Maiden faithful into delirium. Before they go, they assure us they have no urge to retire and plan to grace Welsh soil once again sometime in the future. On this form, you wouldn’t bet against it.
words CHRIS ANDREWS photos KEVIN PICK