The Official Book of Souls Tour 2017 Thread (Warning: Spoilers Within)

[jazz from hell]

e: Also, FWIW I just listened to some of A Real Live Dead One, and honestly it sounds pretty bad. The production is muddy and messy and the bass drum is about the only thing I can make out clearly. Also I wouldn't call the performances very special either. RiR still takes the cake for me.

I know it's the common opinion that ARL/DO are bad, but I like the rawness of the performances and the directness of the sound. For example, on the post-reunion live albums the guitars are often too reverb-y imo. ARDO is unadorned and VERY live.

 

[Forostar]

After a two day break and and travelling around 260 km the band start their first Frankfurt gig. I wonder how Bruce's voice will be after a two day rest.

The total BOS tour contains nine German gigs. I wonder if Maiden ever played that many dates in one country besides the USA and the UK, promoting one and the same album.

 

[Perun]

I just randomly looked, and World Slavery had ten dates in Germany. World Piece even had 17.

 

[Forostar]

Meanwhile I checked all tours on wiki. Not sure how reliable but I count 15 on World Piece.

After World Slavery it went downhill (respectively 7 and 4 German gigs) and it increased with No Prayer (9 German gigs), TXF (12 German gigs) and VXI tours. Just one FOTD gig, in Mannheim.

Still these 9 German TBOS tour gigs are the most since VXI tour (11 German gigs).

1980-1982 France and German gigs to be continued.

 

[Brigantium]

I'm looking forward to it. I think Wrathchild will put extra energy towards the front end of the set, as well as appeal to the 'classics' crowd.

 

[Markus Bunders]

Here is my pre gig video:

Uploading my Frankfurt gig post as we speak. Drunk.

 

[matic22]

Just watched a video of Wrathchild from Frankfurt. Band was on fire. Probably the best version of Wrathchild in last 10 years... It's still not Killers or 22 Accacia Avenue, but it's so much better (and a bit faster and more raw) than first three gigs (and of course light years ahead of 2014 version).

Would still prefer Killers, 22AA or SIASL though.

 

[Welsh Phantom]

I sure hope it does, it was so bad on that tour they dropped it mid-way.

BTW, I suppose Wrathchild's inclusion in this set puts to rest that rumor/theory that Maiden doesn't play songs that were dropped partway on a previous tour. Although I guess I could see Wrathchild being the exception, but then again Where Eagles Dare was dropped in '86 yet played on the Early Days tour so the theory never held up completely anyway.

Yeah Eagles was also played on the Real Live Tour

 

[Brazilian Benjamin Breeg]

Why don't they make 3 sets and shift from one to another during the tour? It doesn't seem reasonable to me the same set being played in two concerts in the same town. Moreover the claim for never-played songs has been intense.

 

[soundwave]

Why don't they make 3 sets and shift from one to another during the tour? It doesn't seem reasonable to me the same set being played in two concerts in the same town. Moreover the claim for never-played songs has been intense.

I understand that Maiden will never have fully dynamic set lists, but it would be nice if they rotated one song per show to add a little bit of variety. Say a simple rotation through wrathchild/Revelations/11:58 (one night would get wrathchild, the next Revelations etc...).

 

[Ruflux]

I'm pretty sure the stated reason for static setlists was because they thought it'd be "unfair" to people who might then get screwed out of hearing a song they really wanted to live. Which I don't think makes much sense, unless the choice is something like Wrathchild or Killers, I'd wager I'd be pretty happy with most anything they decide to play, and I feel like most Maiden fans in general would be too. Not hearing one song really shouldn't ruin the whole show for anyone.

 

[Lego]

Lots of great vids up from Frankfurt! On the whole, I think Bruce's voice has greatly improved since the first gig, but TGU still sounds a bit of a struggle. Glad he's just singing lower harmonies in parts of the pre-choruses when he has to instead of straining.

 

[Brazilian Benjamin Breeg]

I understand that Maiden will never have fully dynamic set lists, but it would be nice if they rotated one song per show to add a little bit of variety. Say a simple rotation through wrathchild/Revelations/11:58 (one night would get wrathchild, the next Revelations etc...).

Exactly. I thought about a rotation between Great Unknown, River Runs Deep and Tears of a Clown and one between Powerslave, Revelations and Evil That Men Do. Off course that there are lots of combinations. Anyway, this approach would be well received by the fans.

 

[Forostar]

Lots of great vids up from Frankfurt! On the whole, I think Bruce's voice has greatly improved since the first gig, but TGU still sounds a bit of a struggle. Glad he's just singing lower harmonies in parts of the pre-choruses when he has to instead of straining.

Hmm he lacks breath in this song. He gasps for breath. He did this much better in Antwerp I'd say. (Haven't heard other Frankfurt songs yet).

 

[Forostar]

The Great Unknown was fantastic I thought. What a moment. In the back of my head I thought we'd have at least one new song, but when it came on, it was sudden. I loved the in- and outro especially. To my surprise Janick did the picking thing at the end of each part (definitely the end at least; I couldn't hear the part well in the intro; maybe it was played differently). I always felt it sounded like H did it in the studio.

So, on the album I thought it was Adrian, during the gig I thought it was Janick (probably because I didn't see Adrian do it). But that was wrong as well!
It was Dave. Check the vid Lego linked to, you can see him doing these parts, most clearly around 1:05.

 

[MrKnickerbocker]

So, on the album I thought it was Adrian, during the gig I thought it was Janick (probably because I didn't see Adrian do it). But that was wrong as well!
It was Dave. Check the vid Lego linked to, you can see him doing these parts, most clearly around 1:05.

Dave is the last person I would guess to be playing that part.

 

[soundwave]

I'm pretty sure the stated reason for static setlists was because they thought it'd be "unfair" to people who might then get screwed out of hearing a song they really wanted to live. Which I don't think makes much sense, unless the choice is something like Wrathchild or Killers, I'd wager I'd be pretty happy with most anything they decide to play, and I feel like most Maiden fans in general would be too. Not hearing one song really shouldn't ruin the whole show for anyone.

I think I read that Steve said it's also the production cues (lights/drapes/props/pyro etc...) that make it hard to rotate things in and out. I don't quite buy that either. While the entire set would be challenging to rotate with the technical sequence of events that they follow, I'm sure they could bring a "multi-purpose" drape and lay off the theatrics for the wildcard song.

Honestly, if the had one or two wildcard songs, I would make an even bigger effort than I already do to see them more than once on tour. Then I could say that I saw the "Powerslave show" or the "Evil that Men Do show" etc...(though knowing my luck, I would end up getting the same wildcard songs)

 

[Mosh]

That's what Rush did, it would work fine for Maiden.

 

[Forostar]

I fear that Maiden is not that flexible/spontaneous these days. Every part of the show is directed, e.g. the lights. If they want to do this, they have to prepare better. More than one extra drape, Soundwave.

Dave is the last person I would guess to be playing that part.

Me too. But the long note of each segment indeed sounds like him.

Last song, yesterday, close to stage:

Wrathchild one day earlier:

 

[Poto]

What do you think of Nicko this year? Better or worse than last year?