Iron Maiden at Twickenham

Sometimes, just being there is enough! Iron Maiden playing a huge stadium show in their home country as part of a tour that celebrates their 1980s output; a series of albums that even now mean so much to me personally that I couldn’t fail to be delighted by Saturday’s show. A fantastic reaction and superb atmosphere generated by a crowd that consisted of followers from the earliest days of the band to kids witnessing the live spectacle for the first time, and a middle tier, dead centre seat for me meant a perfect view of the light show, stage set and the bouncing mass assembled at pitch level.

Some thoughts on the songs though? Stunning is the only word I can use to describe “Rime Of The Ancient Mariner“. Returning to the set after too long an absence the lighting rig descending to merge with the backdrop and resemble the rigging of a ship as the band played out the haunting middle section was just part of the reason it was one of the nights great memories. A song expertly delivered though-out from the stage, after a thoughtful introduction by Bruce that included the well known words he used on “Live After Death” too, it proved itself a guitar dominated feast that demonstrated why it remains Maiden’s best epic.

“Fear Of The Dark” too proved memorable.  Not actually from the era the tour has set about delivering but still a song that brought home just how big the crowd was and how powerful that magnitude of voices could be when audience participation was ordered! Both “Heaven Can Wait” and “The Clairvoyant” stick in my mind as well as I record my thoughts on the gig for the very same reasons.  The roar of approval when Eddie appeared on stage in “Somewhere In Time” mode during the latter song was perhaps only bettered when the backdrop opened to reveal Eddie “the mummy” during “Iron Maiden” itself, earlier in the evening.

Sure there were a few sound glitches.  We seemed to lose the guitars (all bloody three of ‘em) for a time during “Wasted Years“, Bruce’s mic appeared to cut-out a couple of times early on too although not for long.  A swirling wind that would have given the wonder-foot of English Rugby Union golden boy Johnny Wilkinson problems at the home of the sport took a while to be tamed although from “Rime” onwards I can’t recall the occasional drifting effect of the sound being anything like as noticeable as early on.

The highlight though… the memory of the gig I hope to keep for a long time is “Moonchild“, without a doubt.  Twenty years ago, as Iron Maiden recorded the “Maiden England” video at Birmingham’s NEC Arena, I witnessed the band live for the first time.  This song, also the opener of my favourite Maiden album “Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son” kicked off what was such a monumental occasion for me.  Now, finally restored to the set as the first song of the encore and complete with the acoustic introduction it made the highlight of the set that I hoped it would.

Overall? Just a hugely enjoyable experience throughout.  Great seats; in fact it was a fantastic view, superb atmosphere and a great day out by the river beforehand meeting friends old and new. Iron Maiden don’t get the mainstream media acclaim they deserve in this country but once again they prove just how popular they actually are.  Long may they continue.

Set List :- Aces High / Two Minutes To Midnight / Revelation / The Trooper / Wasted Years / The Number Of The Beast / Can I Play With Madness / Rime Of The Ancient Mariner / Powerslave / Heaven Can Wait / Run To The Hills / Fear Of The Dark / Iron Maiden / Moonchild / The Clairvoyant / Hallowed Be Thy Name
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