Iron Maiden at London Stadium
While much of the UK is focused on what’s happening in Worthy Farm this weekend, beneath the unforgiving rays of the searingly hot sun, a stadium of 75,000 have gathered to watch one of the most influential heavy rock acts to grace the earth.
Tonight is a special night for heavy metal Londoners Iron Maiden, as not only is it their homecoming show, and not only is it happening in the stadium of founder Steve Harris’s football team, but it’s their largest ever non-festival show to date. And what an impressive genre-defining career it’s been – founded in 1975, the group have been making ear-splitting metal tunes for 50 years, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down.
After the epic instrumental The Ides of March rings out across the huge venue, the group launches into 1981’s Murders in the Rue Morgue. Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s short story of the same name, the track, like much of Iron Maiden’s music, is rooted in historical storytelling, and this is just one of the things that makes the group stand out, garnering them their incredibly loyal fan base.
And tonight that fan base really demonstrates just how faithful they are, with such consistent crowd participation that isn’t often seen at live shows today. During each song, the sea of doting metalheads that make up the standing area moves in almost perfect unison, whether it’s with hands swaying or fist-pumping, and it’s quite a moving sight to behold.
Every track is met with an equally raucous and delighted response, and it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where the highlights come in, but of course, they’re there. The Number of the Beast, in all its face-melter glory, is a phenomenal crowd-pleaser, while Run to the Hills is the moment everyone joins in to belt out the chorus.
The Trooper is probably the group’s most famous historical number, depicting a soldier’s experience of the Crimean War, and what a formidable track it is, smashing through the stadium it was always meant to be played in. Iron Maiden’s long-time menacing mascot Eddie makes an appearance dressed in his red military regalia, adding even more drama to an already vibrant spectacle.
When it’s time for Iron Maiden to take to the stage for their inevitable encore, they do so to Churchill’s famous speech, We Shall Fight Them on the Beaches, followed by lightning track Aces High. The group is undoubtedly a proudly British band, which comes from a positive place, and it’s something that’s defined them as a band for decades.
Throughout the set, singer Bruce Dickinson’s voice never falters, and although he once said that Aces High was his most difficult song to sing, it sounds just as strong as it did back in the 1980s. When it comes to closing the show on the reflective and fitting Wasted Years, Dickinson continues to reach vocal highs most singers over the age of 60 could only dream of.
“You know, there are very few people who are friends in this world. All of you are our friends, you’re the only ones we’ve f***ing got,” he tells the crowd, before promising to return. And that we don’t doubt.
Hannah Broughton
Photos: Virginie Viche
For further information and future events, visit Iron Maiden’s website here.
Watch the video for The Trooper here:
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