The Future Past Tour 2024

Nicko about the tour and other things:

Maiden played Alexander The Great for the very first time ever on The Future Past tour. Did it feel good to finally bust that one out?

Nicko: It was stunning. In rehearsal everyone just had a smile on their faces, and it was magic - that moment in the room when we played it, it was like, ‘why did we leave this so long?’ Because everybody’s been asking, especially the lads over in Greece. Everyone wanted to hear it live, so we’ve blown the cobwebs away and I think it could become a staple in the set.(!!!)

Is it pleasing to know that you can still surprise the fans after all this time?

Nicko: When it comes to a set list we do what we want, not what we think the fans want. Alexander The Great was being pushed for many years. We’re not driven by fans but we know what they want, and then you see the reaction and it’s brilliant. It’s such an electrifying stage set. And we put these beautiful LED screens up which continue the theme of the backdrops which I really don’t get to see, but I can turn around and have a peek! There’s a lot going on with the screens and the lights and the scrims, and it’s so great to give those fans something new… and you’ve got three Eddies coming out!

How was the Power Trip festival?

Nicko: It was stunning, mate. It was immensely well-organised. Not that most fests aren’t, but this just had something extra - these little villages for each band. Your own dressing area, all the security were great, there were no issues, so it was a fantastic festival. And the stage was humongous! They had these whacking great screens. Wacken have something similar, but this one was just kinda crazy - I suppose two headline bands a night you’re going to have a lot of room at the back for all that equipment, and that happens each day. It was an incredible experience and really cool.

What’s in store for Maiden in 2024?

Nicko: I’m very delighted to be able to go see our chums in Oz and New Zealand and Asia, and I’ve always loved playing South America. It’s one of my favourite places to go and tour - and we’re going to end up in North America so it’s going to be great to say hello to all our chums there.
 
Would like them to play "The Nomad", "The Thin Line Between Love And Hate", "Montségur", "Paschendale", "Brighter Than A Thousand Suns", "The Longest Day", "The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg", "For The Greater Good Of God", "The Alchemist", "Isle Of Avalon", "The Talisman", "If Eternity Should Fail", "The Book Of Souls", "Empire Of The Clouds", "Lost In A Lost World", "The Parchment", from the post-reunion era.

And all the songs from Blaze Bayley's era.
 
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But realistically we are at the end of Maiden, and Id rather them continue to highlight unplayed or rarely played tunes of the classic & 2000s era

I'll get the disclaimer out of the way: I'd certainly love more focus on the rarities and 2000-2020s era.

But isn't it kind of fun that after 37 years of wait Maiden finally plays Alexander the Great, an oldie that has never been played live before and we're already having "cool that they did it, but hopefully it's not going to be a staple" views on it! :D
 
Fun fact, the 2020 Legacy leg being cancelled means that no song from the Blaze era or AMOLAD have ever been performed in Australia. Ergo, I’m gonna have to demand that we get the tour of 90s forwards only down under.
 
I hope the next tour does shine a bit more of a light on the 2000s era. Actually, less on Brave New World and more Dance onwards as those are the albums that haven’t been given as much of a go around.
I agree and would love it, but BNW has some other songs like Ghost, the title track and Silent Planet. But not just from the Reunion era - there are still more/some songs from the 80's to be revisited again, not to mention from the 90's. There are many gems that deserve more playing live.
 
I agree and would love it, but BNW has some other songs like Ghost, the title track and Silent Planet. But not just from the Reunion era - there are still more/some songs from the 80's to be revisited again, not to mention from the 90's. There are many gems that deserve more playing live

Title track got the Death in the Road tour, and even Ghost came back for the 2010 setlist. Silent Planet would be good.

Agreed on the 90s though. I’m still waiting for Blood on the World’s Hands with Bruce belting.
 
Dave Shack looked straight at me in Ljubljana during Alexander the Great and had the biggest smile you could imagine. I gave him a thumbs up and he did the same.
I met him, John McMurtrie and a couple of other guys in the Maiden crew in 2017 at Antwerp Airport, following the opening gig of the Book of Souls 2017 tour. Lovely guys and were very happy to talk with me for ages in the bar.
 
I'm not sure why the Metal Hammer Germany editors found this photo of Bruce suitable, but at least Iron Maiden or "The Future Past Tour" are presented as relevant in 2023.

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Oh, I remember this one. Bruce saw me and was like "Holy shit, that's Spambot right there!" and I was like "Calm yo tits dude, you just had your hip replaced".

Any who, I think that every Nicko interview should be taken with a pinch of salt, especially if he's talking about setlist.
 
Title track got the Death in the Road tour, and even Ghost came back for the 2010 setlist. Silent Planet would be good.

Agreed on the 90s though. I’m still waiting for Blood on the World’s Hands with Bruce belting.
Blaze is doing his Maiden Anniversary set this spring and summer in Europe! Maybe not the vocalist you had in mind, but it was a while since he had BOTWH in the set so we might be lucky!
 
Blaze is doing his Maiden Anniversary set this spring and summer in Europe! Maybe not the vocalist you had in mind, but it was a while since he had BOTWH in the set so we might be lucky!
Actually, that sounds super interesting. Curious to see which songs he'll play. He's never played Don't Look To The Eyes Of A Stranger on his solo shows, right?
 
I'd like to know if IM announce some more dates for 2024 tour especially in Argentina. There's 8 days long gap between Chile and Sao Paulo so they should do something with that. What do you think about?
 
I'd like to know if IM announce some more dates for 2024 tour especially in Argentina. There's 8 days long gap between Chile and Sao Paulo so they should do something with that. What do you think about?

It is an odd gap. My gut feeling is that they will play at least 1 more gig.
 
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