Cat Milk Supreme
Ancient Mariner
The first time, ah, how strange a memory. Some parts are vivid, most is lost to me.
It was the Maysfield Lesiure Centre in Belfast in January 1996, on The X Factour.
I was 12yrs old. 12 and a half, actually. There was me, my non metallic but kinda rocky mate of the same age and my brother who was 6yrs older. He probably still is 6yrs older. He'd introduced me to all things Metal.
My mother drove us the 45mins to Belfast along with my mates mother, they sat in the car during the gig.
So in we go, my second ever gig and I was high as a kite with excitement, I was Maiden obsessed by this stage, since I was 6yrs old. Yes, I was disappointed that I wasn't going to see Live After Death or Maiden England but still, I was spinning it positive. I was finally getting to see Maiden, after having been denied the chance 2 or 3 years previously when they last played Belfast. I was too young, mother had said. Raaaaage.
I'd been given pocket money and hit the t shirt stand. I got a tour mug, programme, headband and t shirt. I still have them all. The t shirt is still too big on me. Luckily there were lockers to put the shit in, what with it being a lesiure centre. Imagine being 12 with a mug in the pit. Not ideal.
While I was putting the stuff in a locker I talked to two old heads, they seemed ancient and wise in their denim and patches but they were probably about 20. Or 50. It's impossible to tell at 12. Anyway, they weren't happy about Blaze and the new album and when I told them I wanted to hear lots of new songs they laughed and pretty much said "play classics!" It wasn't the last time in my life that I'd have that conversation. And I learned a good lesson; just cos guys look cool, doesn't mean they are.
And so to the gig itself. I remember little. Dirty Deeds supported. I think I enjoyed it. I have snap shot images in my mind, rockers rockin at the front of the stage, pointing headstocks my way.
Then Maiden. This gig was poorly attended, I'm told. 300 people, according to Reddit. I think we were 5 or 6 rows from the front, just behind the tight crowd, room to move. My brother stood behind and had us under orders not to push into the mayhem. I could jump and mosh but I wasn't to slide into the mass of bodies in front of me. So that's what I did, I jumped and sang and screamed while bracing myself against the outermost moshers at the front. I lost myself completely. Then as now, Maiden meant something profound to me, something strange and magical, they touch me like nothing else. I remember basically nothing of the gig, just snap shots of black clad men sweating, faces, eyes, guitars. It's not that the memory is lost to me after 30yrs, it was lost to me immediately. I've never remembered any more than I do now. It's all armpits and passion.
I do, however, remember being annoyed at my non metallic peer. He had found a watch and a pound coin on the floor and he interrupted my young solo mosh to tell me. I was disgusted that he could even think about something as trivial as a free watch while Iron Maiden were 10ft away playing....something.
And then it was over. I remember being elated as fuck as we got outside into the frigid January air. I felt like I'd arrived. I'd seen Maiden and yeah, I felt pride that I'd done it at 12 whereas my brother was 18 on his first time.
This gig, Maysfield Lesiure Centre, 1996, it wasn't on the official website for years (it's there now, I just checked) and I think it was absent from some other official list, Best of the Beast booklet, perhaps. Ive often wondered if they forgot about it or wanted to deny it's existence but always found it more than strange that it didn't exist, officially. I'll ask Rod about that if ever he has the pleasure of my company for a pint.
The gig is a blur but the vivid memories of that night are still vivid, the Play Classic guys at the lockers and that fucking watch my friend found, a fluorescent green and pink plastic watch. That motherfucker wore that shitty watch for years.
It was the Maysfield Lesiure Centre in Belfast in January 1996, on The X Factour.
I was 12yrs old. 12 and a half, actually. There was me, my non metallic but kinda rocky mate of the same age and my brother who was 6yrs older. He probably still is 6yrs older. He'd introduced me to all things Metal.
My mother drove us the 45mins to Belfast along with my mates mother, they sat in the car during the gig.
So in we go, my second ever gig and I was high as a kite with excitement, I was Maiden obsessed by this stage, since I was 6yrs old. Yes, I was disappointed that I wasn't going to see Live After Death or Maiden England but still, I was spinning it positive. I was finally getting to see Maiden, after having been denied the chance 2 or 3 years previously when they last played Belfast. I was too young, mother had said. Raaaaage.
I'd been given pocket money and hit the t shirt stand. I got a tour mug, programme, headband and t shirt. I still have them all. The t shirt is still too big on me. Luckily there were lockers to put the shit in, what with it being a lesiure centre. Imagine being 12 with a mug in the pit. Not ideal.
While I was putting the stuff in a locker I talked to two old heads, they seemed ancient and wise in their denim and patches but they were probably about 20. Or 50. It's impossible to tell at 12. Anyway, they weren't happy about Blaze and the new album and when I told them I wanted to hear lots of new songs they laughed and pretty much said "play classics!" It wasn't the last time in my life that I'd have that conversation. And I learned a good lesson; just cos guys look cool, doesn't mean they are.
And so to the gig itself. I remember little. Dirty Deeds supported. I think I enjoyed it. I have snap shot images in my mind, rockers rockin at the front of the stage, pointing headstocks my way.
Then Maiden. This gig was poorly attended, I'm told. 300 people, according to Reddit. I think we were 5 or 6 rows from the front, just behind the tight crowd, room to move. My brother stood behind and had us under orders not to push into the mayhem. I could jump and mosh but I wasn't to slide into the mass of bodies in front of me. So that's what I did, I jumped and sang and screamed while bracing myself against the outermost moshers at the front. I lost myself completely. Then as now, Maiden meant something profound to me, something strange and magical, they touch me like nothing else. I remember basically nothing of the gig, just snap shots of black clad men sweating, faces, eyes, guitars. It's not that the memory is lost to me after 30yrs, it was lost to me immediately. I've never remembered any more than I do now. It's all armpits and passion.
I do, however, remember being annoyed at my non metallic peer. He had found a watch and a pound coin on the floor and he interrupted my young solo mosh to tell me. I was disgusted that he could even think about something as trivial as a free watch while Iron Maiden were 10ft away playing....something.
And then it was over. I remember being elated as fuck as we got outside into the frigid January air. I felt like I'd arrived. I'd seen Maiden and yeah, I felt pride that I'd done it at 12 whereas my brother was 18 on his first time.
This gig, Maysfield Lesiure Centre, 1996, it wasn't on the official website for years (it's there now, I just checked) and I think it was absent from some other official list, Best of the Beast booklet, perhaps. Ive often wondered if they forgot about it or wanted to deny it's existence but always found it more than strange that it didn't exist, officially. I'll ask Rod about that if ever he has the pleasure of my company for a pint.
The gig is a blur but the vivid memories of that night are still vivid, the Play Classic guys at the lockers and that fucking watch my friend found, a fluorescent green and pink plastic watch. That motherfucker wore that shitty watch for years.
