Maiden's Biggest Missed Opportunities Live

Diesel 11

Diesel 11

As you scream into the web of silence...
Bridging from @Mosh 's thread about the future of Maiden and what other rare songs they may dredge up from the grave, I thought it would be fun to start another discussion on the missed opportunities the band has had when playing their new material live and choosing which songs will end up in the setlist and which will be left out. There's pretty much at least one song from every album that I'm sad didn't get to see the light of day and could have been massive live. So! I will start with my own thoughts.

Iron Maiden
Well, every song from this album has been played live before, although some of them only on the first few tours. I think it would be kinda cool to resurrect "Strange World" again as a real oddity, but I'm mostly satisfied with this album and how it's been represented through the years.

Killers
The jury is still out on whether or not "Prodigal Son" was played live, but they certainly should have done that one instead of shit like "Drifter". Fuck "Drifter".

The Number of the Beast
"Invaders". This song gets more hate than it deserves; possibly the band's most underrated opening track and the only song to open an album that did not get played live. Yeah, it's a silly song but damn is it a speedy metal anthem that's also just a lot of fun. It could have easily been the opening track for Beast on the Road, or, as I'd vote, as the first song after "Murders in the Rue Morgue", which was a seriously cool concert start. But it should've been included somewhere!

Piece of Mind
I think the band left off the correct songs on the WPT - I really don't care to see "Quest for Fire" or "Sun and Steel" live - but it is a shame that "To Tame a Land" was only played on this tour and that "Still Life" hasn't been brought back in the reunion era. The latter is at the top of my list for songs I'd like to see them bring back. Worked super well on the STOAST!

Powerslave
They should've played the whole album live. If I have to pick one song, though, "The Duellists" would have been fantastic. Those guitars are fucking sick and I can imagine an audience jumping to them.

Somewhere in Time
Obviously skipping over "Alexander the Great" for almost forty years was a travesty but that's now been rectified! I think "Deja-Vu" could have worked well live, but I also think that "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner" would have been way more successful if they'd slotted it later in the set. Fourth song is a bit much.

Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Skipping "Infinite Dreams" for the ME tour is indefensible. That's about it.

No Prayer for the Dying
"Run Silent Run Deep" should have been played. They played "The Assassin" over RSRD?? What the fuck.

Fear of the Dark
Oh man. Where to begin? I mean, I would LOVE to have gotten "The Apparition" live, and "Judas Be My Guide" would have been a juggernaut, but even something like "The Fugitive" seems like an obvious choice to play and yet they only stuck with five safe choices. It's one of their most experimental periods and already it feels like their disowning it. Damn.

The X Factor
I think the songs they chose were pretty solid. I feel like "Look for the Truth" could have gone over well, though, and they could've used the opportunity to play "Judgement Day", "Justice of the Peace", and eventually "Virus" too to stand behind their non-album material. "Judgement Day" would have been a killer show opener IMO. Oh well.

Virtual XI
"Como Estais Amigos" could have been a cool insertion but otherwise they did play everything else from this album so that's nice. I'd like to see TAATG resurrected with Bruce though, just to see if that would transform the song in people's heads. But otherwise I can't blame them for not returning to this one outside "The Clansman".

Brave New World
"The Nomad" would have been fucking epic live, and "The Thin Line Between Love and Hate" would have been an experience bar none, but those seem a bit like pipe dream songs. The one thing I definitely would have changed on that tour would be to add "Out of the Silent Planet" as a permanent part of the set. It just seems odd that they didn't commit to it.

Dance of Death
A lot of people will say "Monstegur", and I agree, that one feels like an obvious inclusion, but also "Gates of Tomorrow" would have been so cool. That chorus could've been huge.

A Matter of Life and Death
Played it all live and I'm satisfied with that.

The Final Frontier
Even something as small as "The Alchemist" would have been a cool inclusion to the setlist, but I also think that performing "Isle of Avalon" live with the fog machine wafting over the stage would have been dope. Even "Starblind", which I'm not too big on, would have been a cool track. Trickier songs to play though. Oh well.

The Book of Souls
Of course bringing out a grand piano and playing "Empire of the Clouds" would have been spectacular, but I also just think that "When the River Runs Deep" would have been a fucking awesome extra rocker from the album and it feels like an obvious choice.

Senjutsu
And finally, "The Parchment". That is all.
 
There are a few I can think of right away:

- I think in general Maiden are missing an opportunity with their first few albums to present more of a variety from that era. There’s no reason why it always has to be Wrathchild. Another Life, Prowler, Drifter, Sanctuary, could all fill that role no problem and probably aren’t tough to pull off. I know the Di’Anno era isn’t as appreciated around here recently, and I think some of that actually has to do with that era being largely ignored the last few tours, but those are Metal classics and should be represented in the setlists more. Even from Beast, I feel like Run to the Hills could easily be swapped with The Prisoner or they could play 22 Acacia Avenue more. They are kinda doing that on the current tour I suppose, but they could do more with that. It would help that last third of the set be more surprising and interesting if they pulled from a larger set of songs.

- Only playing five songs off Final Frontier was a huge miss. Whether it was a short rocker like Alchemist or an epic like Avalon, anything would’ve been good. It really felt at the time like they didn’t care that much about the new album.

- Similarly, no songs from TFF or TBOS since the respective tours is kind of a bummer and I hope that changes but it’s hard to see how that material would fit with the way Maiden does live shows. In general it would be nice to see them go outside the typical three songs of BNW that they seem to default back to more. FTGGOG on Legacy of the Beast was a cool surprise.
 
I will raise one that I don’t agree with. To Tame a Land on the Early Days tour. Personally I don’t think it would have gone down that well, but it would have satisfied a large proportion of the fan base.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Yax
I know it sounds biased, but there is absolutely no reason to not play Judas Be My Guide. It would absolutely slay live and they instead picked From Here to Eternity (or even downright shite like Wildest Dreams, later on) for the short, adrenaline-pumping song. Why? What's the reason? Judas has absolutely everything a short, energetic, catchy Maiden song needs.

Not playing their "proggier" stuff like Isle of Avalon or The Legacy (in the case of the latter, not playing it more often than once on a half-forgotten leg of the album tour) or even Empire (which I'm not personally a fan of) also irks me.

This is one of the things that makes Maiden unique, IMHO, on the contrary

Mosh said:
- I think in general Maiden are missing an opportunity with their first few albums to present more of a variety from that era. There’s no reason why it always has to be Wrathchild. Another Life, Prowler, Drifter, Sanctuary, could all fill that role no problem and probably aren’t tough to pull off. I know the Di’Anno era isn’t as appreciated around here recently, and I think some of that actually has to do with that era being largely ignored the last few tours, but those are Metal classics and should be represented in the setlists more.
Click to expand...

leave that stuff to Saxon or someone. Honestly, what a pity their title song (which they must play every night) comes from the early era. But IRYO, I guess.
 
Not playing To Tame A Land in 2005 - this was probably the best chance of the song to make a return.
- for this tour Killers (and 22 Acacia Avenue) was a must. Still Life instead of Die With Your Boots On (that was played in 2003) would have been nice too.

Not playing Out Of The Silent Planet regularly on the BNW tour - the 2nd single from the album with a classic Maiden feel.
- also, more different songs from BNW in the setlist would be great. Navigator, Planet, Mirrors. The 2 never played songs from the album are understandable.

Playing only 5 songs from TFF album - at least The Alchemist or Isle Of Avalon/Starblind should have been played in 2011. But maybe because they played a ''Reunion set'' in 2010, they wanted to play more of the classics in 2011.

Not playing Infinite Dreams in 2012/2013 - a single from the live album the tour was based on, and the song was last played live in 1988!

Not playing (or rotation) Be Quick Or Be Dead and Tailgunner in 1999 - the songs were ''voted'' by the fans for the compilation album. It was a chance for more (and different) 90's songs in the set. They would have probably rotate them with Man On The Edge and Futureal.

From NPFTD - Run Silent Run Deep instead of Hooks In You (but they wanted the latter to be a single).

Playing more songs from the Blaze era with Bruce - songs like Futureal, When Two Worlds Collide, Edge Of Darkness. During the 2003 summer tour for example or Futureal now (it's like Wrathchild, a really short energetic song).

From DOD - not playing another song from the album (Montségur is classic melodic Maiden) in 2004 and not playing Rainmaker in 2010 (instead of Wildest Dreams).

From TBOS - (not ''biggest'' but) not playing When The River Runs Deep or Shadows Of The Valley instead of Tears Of A Clown.

More songs from AMOLAD in the sets - Brighter Than A Thousand Suns, Lord Of Light, Different World or Benjamin and Colours.

I know it's a very long song and has a piano, but to write a song like Empire Of The Clouds and never perform it live (not even once in the studio) is not cool.

Not playing live songs like: Flash Of The Blade, Deja-Vu, Only The Good Die Young(!), Judas Be My Guide(!) (or more FOTD songs like Fugitive and Childhood's End, but I guess that was because in Bruce left in 1993), Judgement Of Heaven (Unbeliever too, both songs with great instrumental sections), Como Estais Amigos (instead of Lightning Strikes Twice).

And finally...

*Not playing Parchment!
 
Last edited:
Mosh said:
- I think in general Maiden are missing an opportunity with their first few albums to present more of a variety from that era. There’s no reason why it always has to be Wrathchild. Another Life, Prowler, Drifter, Sanctuary, could all fill that role no problem and probably aren’t tough to pull off. I know the Di’Anno era isn’t as appreciated around here recently, and I think some of that actually has to do with that era being largely ignored the last few tours, but those are Metal classics and should be represented in the setlists more.
Click to expand...
Some of the early stuff doesn't fit Bruce's voice that well, so I guess that's the reason. And they seem to have stopped playing Running Free and Sanctuary. Still, the early era has more representation than the early 90's era or the Blaze era.

Songs like Phantom, Murders, Killers and maybe Prodigal Son are possible for the future. With so many albums and great songs (especially after 2000) is really difficult.
Mosh said:
- Similarly, no songs from TFF or TBOS since the respective tours is kind of a bummer and I hope that changes but it’s hard to see how that material would fit with the way Maiden does live shows. In general it would be nice to see them go outside the typical three songs of BNW that they seem to default back to more. FTGGOG on Legacy of the Beast was a cool surprise.
Click to expand...
I agree about BNW and I think it's still possible for some TFF/TBOS songs - crowd favorites like Death Or Glory and Coming Home. I mean, who would have thought they would play For The Greater Good Of God again.
JudasMyGuide said:
I know it sounds biased, but there is absolutely no reason to not play Judas Be My Guide. It would absolutely slay live and they instead picked From Here to Eternity (or even downright shite like Wildest Dreams, later on) for the short, adrenaline-pumping song. Why? What's the reason? Judas has absolutely everything a short, energetic, catchy Maiden song needs.

Not playing their "proggier" stuff like Isle of Avalon or The Legacy (in the case of the latter, not playing it more often than once on a half-forgotten leg of the album
Click to expand...
Wildest Dreams was a single played on the previous tour (like El Dorado) and it's a better live song than Invaders. From Here To Eternity was included because it was a single and because of the ''crowd participation'', but Judas Be My Guide was a must. Along with Fear Of The Dark, it's the catchiest song from the album. This hidden gem would have been a great single.

As for The Legacy, it's a really difficult song for Bruce live. While Isle Of Avalon (maybe Alchemist too) was such an obvious choice.
 
If I was the one that would have had the privilege to create their set-lists, here's what I would have chosen per album, to be played at least once or more often:

Iron Maiden: Strange world. I know this is not a typical Maiden song but I like the dreamy aspect of it
Killers: Purgatory and Killers. Probably one of my least favorite albums but Purgatory is one hell of a short rocker. And Killers while not being a favorite of mine, I may understand that some like it a lot so. But to choose Another life and Drifter, probably the two weakest songs on the albums (Drifter is imo one of their worst ever), something I never understood
The Number of the Beast: Children of the Damned. This song is for me on the same level of TNOTB and HBTN, so I just wished it was played way more often that it has been
Piece of Mind: To tame a land. An amazing piece of music, why it has never been played after the WPT, its beyond me. And again, in 2005, not chosen??? Why??? Same goes for Still life, just played in 1983 and in the last part of the SSOASST!!
Powerslave: The duellists should have been on the set-list, the instrumental part is just fantastic!!
Somewhere in Time: Now that they finally played the most famous one, let's say, I just wished Stranger in a strange land was played way more often since its probably in the top 3 of this album imo
Seventh son of a seventh son: Infinite dreams. Predictable I know but c'mon, not even played on the Maiden England tour (and please no excuses like Bruce can't sing it or whatever reason). One amazing song that has never been played since December 1988. And Only the good die young would have been great live, I'm sure
No prayer for the dying: Run Silent, run deep. How come this song wasn't chosen but they went with The Assassin and...Hooks in you instead!!! And Public Enema number one!?!?!? Really??? I wish Mother Russia was played as well but I may understand why it wasn't
Fear of the dark: Just 5 songs out of 12 played live?? Weren't they too happy with the album themselves to play so little? As for the songs I wished they played live, the obvious one: Judas be my guide!!!!! And maybe The Fugitive
The X-factor: The choice of the songs to be played was pretty good. Maybe Judgement of Heaven. And Edge of darkness should have come more often in the setlists, a great song!!
Virtual XI: Well they played 7 songs out of 8, so it was enough. But I wouldn't have minded to witness Come estais amigos live, at least once. Futureal is also a short song that could have been part of the setlists more often
Brave New World: The wicker man and Ghost of the navigator could have been considered to be part of a classic set-list, amazing live songs.
Dance of death: Montségur...why wasn't this track chosen to be played live, I can't understand!!! And Rainmaker is a great 4 minute song, it could have been brought from time to time lets say to replace...Wrathchild!!
A Matter of life and death: I'm more than happy that the whole album has been played live but I wished that some songs would have been played again like Brither than a thousand suns, Lord of light or The Legacy
The Final Frontier: Far from being a favorite of mine but The Alchemist of Isle of Avalon would have been great live tracks imo
The book of souls: Shadows of the valley. Ok, you have the Wasted Years rip-off but it's really a great song, better than Tears of a clown imo
Senjutsu:...predictable...The Parchment!!!
 
Songs I think they should still play once more (1 per album).
Iron Maiden: Remember Tomorrow
Killers: Killers
The Number Of The Beast: Children Of The Damned (Would have been The Prisoner before the current tour)
Piece Of Mind: To Tame A Land
Powerslave: Rime Of The Ancient Mariner (I missed Somewhere Back In Time tour)
Somewhere In Time: Deja-Vu (Current tour checked off many others from this album)
Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son: Infinite Dreams
No Prayer For The Dying: No Prayer For The Dying (My favorite song from the album)
Fear Of The Dark: Judas Be My Guide
The X-factor: Lord Of The Flies (Legacy Of The Beast covered Sign Of The Cross)
Virtual XI: Futureal (Legacy Of The Beast covered The Clansman)
Brave New World: Brave New World
Dance Of Death: Dance Of Death (My favorite reunion era song, can't believe last time they played this was 2011)
A Matter Of Life And Death: Out Of The Shadows
The Final Frontier: Starblind
The Book Of Souls: Empire Of The Clouds (Maybe not even as a part of a tour setlist but in a one off show somehow)
Senjutsu: Darkest Hour
 
I wish they would have been more adventurous with their show openers. The X Factour and GMETID deserves praise for not opening with an album opener, but most of the time you sort of know which song is going to open the show, even if you don't know the setlist. I imagine opening the show with The Trooper, 23:58 or even Killers and follow that up with a "traditional" opener would get the momentum going.
 
Diesel 11 said:
Piece of Mind
I think the band left off the correct songs on the WPT - I really don't care to see "Quest for Fire" or "Sun and Steel" live - but it is a shame that "To Tame a Land" was only played on this tour and that "Still Life" hasn't been brought back in the reunion era. The latter is at the top of my list for songs I'd like to see them bring back. Worked super well on the STOAST!

Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Skipping "Infinite Dreams" for the ME tour is indefensible. That's about it.

No Prayer for the Dying
"Run Silent Run Deep" should have been played. They played "The Assassin" over RSRD?? What the fuck.

Virtual XI
"Como Estais Amigos" could have been a cool insertion but otherwise they did play everything else from this album so that's nice. I'd like to see TAATG resurrected with Bruce though, just to see if that would transform the song in people's heads.
Click to expand...
HEAR, HEAR!!!

Especially glad to see RSRD and TAATG get some love. Both would fit great in a modern-day Maiden set in my opinion.
 
Remember Tomorrow
Killers, Murders in the Rue Morgue
Children of the Damned
To Tame a Land, Still Life
The Duellists, Back in the Village
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, Sea of Madness
Infinite Dreams, Only the Good Die Young
 
Everyone is writing about songs, but in my opinion the biggest missed opportunity live is not with the songs themselves, but rather with the stage show.
I love going to Maiden concerts, and I know that the boys will deliver and that it will be a fantastic time. But seeing them live for over 15 years now, I also know that I won't be surprised by anything except the setlist.

- For instance, the stage has been the same for I don't know how many years. Yes, always some different themes, but still the same stage.
When going to the biggest stadiums the stage often seems way too small.
- For me, lighting is an important part of a rock concert. The lighting has a huge ability of delivering emotions and empathizing parts of songs. In regards to this, I don't think Maiden shows utilize it. The lightning is rather boring and not very cool. Just seems to go with "what ever works" and doing some standard light patterns.
- The pyros/additional effects could absolutely be used more creatively. Yes, we usually get some in the TNOTB, also maybe on Iron Maiden. On "Hell on Earth" this tour they just blast it out the flames with no real regard to anything. I remember on Ancient Mariner 2008 they used some compressed smoke cannons at the climax in the middle part along with fireworks. That was really cool I thought.

I saw Rammstein for the first time last year, and damn that was an awesome concert. The stage was super impressive, and the lighting was well designed and well incorporated with the music. Also many special effects and pyros.
I know that it's kinda Rammsteins trademark to do a cool stageshow, so maybe it's not a fair comparison. But at the same time I wished that Maiden would do something cool and think more out of the box.
 
naikon said:
Everyone is writing about songs, but in my opinion the biggest missed opportunity live is not with the songs themselves, but rather with the stage show.
I love going to Maiden concerts, and I know that the boys will deliver and that it will be a fantastic time. But seeing them live for over 15 years now, I also know that I won't be surprised by anything except the setlist.

- For instance, the stage has been the same for I don't know how many years. Yes, always some different themes, but still the same stage.
When going to the biggest stadiums the stage often seems way too small.
- For me, lighting is an important part of a rock concert. The lighting has a huge ability of delivering emotions and empathizing parts of songs. In regards to this, I don't think Maiden shows utilize it. The lightning is rather boring and not very cool. Just seems to go with "what ever works" and doing some standard light patterns.
- The pyros/additional effects could absolutely be used more creatively. Yes, we usually get some in the TNOTB, also maybe on Iron Maiden. On "Hell on Earth" this tour they just blast it out the flames with no real regard to anything. I remember on Ancient Mariner 2008 they used some compressed smoke cannons at the climax in the middle part along with fireworks. That was really cool I thought.

I saw Rammstein for the first time last year, and damn that was an awesome concert. The stage was super impressive, and the lighting was well designed and well incorporated with the music. Also many special effects and pyros.
I know that it's kinda Rammsteins trademark to do a cool stageshow, so maybe it's not a fair comparison. But at the same time I wished that Maiden would do something cool and think more out of the box.
Click to expand...
I think the biggest missed opportunity stage-show wise in recent memory has to be Maiden England.

Compared to the original Seventh Tour stage set, it was just so flat and dull. Too much emphasis on pyro, not enough emphasis on icebergs :p
 
Lego said:
I think the biggest missed opportunity stage-show wise in recent memory has to be Maiden England.

Compared to the original Seventh Tour stage set, it was just so flat and dull. Too much emphasis on pyro, not enough emphasis on icebergs :p
Click to expand...
Maiden England is the biggest missed opportunity. Both stage and setlist. Not playing Infinite Dreams was a crime, and they should have played DWYBO instead of 2MTM, and considered Still Life and Killers. Maybe instead of Aces High and The Trooper or Phantom of the Opera.
 
Lego said:
I think the biggest missed opportunity stage-show wise in recent memory has to be Maiden England.

Compared to the original Seventh Tour stage set, it was just so flat and dull. Too much emphasis on pyro, not enough emphasis on icebergs :p
Click to expand...
Poto said:
Maiden England is the biggest missed opportunity. Both stage and setlist. Not playing Infinite Dreams was a crime, and they should have played DWYBO instead of 2MTM, and considered Still Life and Killers. Maybe instead of Aces High and The Trooper or Phantom of the Opera.
Click to expand...
I think they didn't want to copy the original 1988 tour both in terms of stage and setlist (although Infinite Dreams, Boots and Killers were a must). It was more like a continuation of the SBIT tour (which was focused on Powerslave only with the stage design). And with Maiden's current stage shape (since 2000 actually), they couldn't do more emphasis on icebergs - they did that more or less with the backdrops. The lightning and pyro were great imo.

Btw, they kind of changed the shape a bit with the SJ stage last year and Bruce couldn't sing from above the drums.
 
Kalata said:
And with Maiden's current stage shape (since 2000 actually), they couldn't do more emphasis on icebergs - they did that more or less with the backdrops.

Btw, they kind of changed the shape a bit with the SJ stage last year and Bruce couldn't sing from above the drums.
Click to expand...
They could have easily had more physical iceberg props around the edges of the back and side ramps (like the glowing hieroglyph panels for the non-plane legs of SBIT), and in the corners where they typically do some kind of "tower" (reapers for DOTR, space needles for TFF, Mayan pyramids for TBOS). Your second point about the Senjutsu realm also disproves your first :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top