8th December 2006 - Dortmund Westfalenhalle - GERMANY

Hi,

I'm sorry that you had a bad experience at the show.
I live about 80km away from Dortmund and of course I was also there. I can say that the crowd in Dortmund (and other cities around Dortmund) tend to much pushing in the front. It is completely different from other places in Germany for example in Hamburg.
I wasn't in the pit during the gig on Friday because I had a cold, so I was standing about 1/3 into the venue (seen from the front). From there I had a good view and no pushing at all, even in the rows in front of me (as far i could see them) there was no pushing.

In front of the stage was the normal "hell" that happens here on big shows (not only Maiden). A friend of me was in the pit and didn’t report anything different as in other shows.
I have seen many shows standing in the front, during the first 2 songs you won't see anything what happens on stage, you are just making sure to stand and not being pushed out at the side.
But the crowd was never careless, when someone falls all fans around immediately helped him up and even when someone loses something (a shoe for example) the people around helped by building a circle!
Yes there are always some idiots that don’t care about each other but this is a small minority. You will ever have some stupid people in all kind of events and all countries.

When you are going to Dortmund and want have a “safe” stand you have two options, go up all the way to the front and stand on the step that is located directly at the barrier (room for 2 rows) or find a place behind the pushing (this is not the end of the venue as I wrote before). Even when you realize that you are amidst the pushing you can just let you fall behind. Because of all that pushing there will ever be free rooms (to the front and to the back) where you can go. It will take only a minute and you are out of the pits and stand between fans that are singing, shouting, screaming, clapping (I guess that is what MadMax expected).

Paris was mentioned here, I can say that Paris 2005 wasn’t any different than this here. On that show I was standing very close to the second barrier a little bit to the right (Janick was directly in front of me). After Maiden entered the stage heavy pushing starts, that lasts till the end of the show.

About the sound all I can say it was excellent where I was standing, during some solo I was closing my eyes and simply enjoying the music and sound.
I’m not sure if it is allowed to post a link with recording from Benjamin Breeg in Dortmund, so if you want to hear it just send me a pm and judge about the sound for yourself.

What I really disliked on this thread are words like “F*cking german fans” or “similar to locusts”. As I wrote before you will always have some idiots everywhere (in all countries), but is this a reason to insult all Germans?

Cheers
Paule
 
I'm really sorry about your bad experiences everyone.

These are actually quite upsetting for me, cause I'm going to seem them in London, and have been looking forward to it for weeks. But I hate being squashed - and moshing teens. Also, I heard somewhere else that Maiden crowds weren't like this, which got my hopes up.

I won't say I'm not looking forward to it now, but it's lessened it, frankly. I only want to be there to enjoy the music and the atmosphere, not nearly be squashed to death and punched in the face. I also want to be able to be as close to the stage as possible. If I managed to get to the rail, surely i'd be squashed like nothing else from behind?

Anyone reckon the crowds in London will be a bit less aggressive than in Germany? *hopes*
 
Markdr the two maiden concert where I’ve been in the pit haven’t been that bad at all(And I was only 12 at the one). My uncles been to a few Maiden shows in london and he said that the crowed is fairly good just some assholes here and there so I wouldn’t get to downed about it you will probably have a great time. :ok:
 
I am sorry to hear you had such a bad time at a Maiden show. My first show way back in 2000 (I was in the seating) suffered from poor sound and inaudible singing and guitars but on Dance of Death world tour and AMOLAD (both at Birmingham NEC) the crowd and the band and crowd were awesome. In fact, the crowd on AMOLAD were a bit tamer but that was because I was half way in the standing: on DoD I was in the first third or quarter. I am tall (6feet 3 inches) so I feel guilty standing but I always watch who is behind, infront or to my sides to see if they are fine and if I get over enthusiastic and clip someone by accident, I apologise. I look out for people. I headbang but don't push or shove: if you want to get closer, you get in early or move when the supports are on/ off and the crowd is looser, not by fighting your way through. Get in late, you  settle in a comfortable place and let yourself go and not be a pit monster. Sure nobody around may be dancing but you have your own space to really get into the music, just watch or do whatever. I like to dance at gigs and not stand still: up close you just can't do that in any degree of comfort and I don't impose my dancing on anyone by shoving and hitting. On  DoD, I was just outside the 'mainstream' of fans and after a few songs, the gaps open up.

However, I didn't see any moshing at Birmingham, just headbanging and air guitaring and air punching but, like I said, I was in the middle and the quieter section of the crowd.

Also, my first post so a big hello! from me!
 
if i understood it right bruce even asked the audience if dortmund would like to be tour opener next year and it seemed to be a fact that there will be a tour in 2007....did somebody understood this as well?... sorry if my comment is off topic
 
Steve Yzerman said:
if i understood it right bruce even asked the audience if dortmund would like to be tour opener next year and it seemed to be a fact that there will be a tour in 2007....did somebody understood this as well?... sorry if my comment is off topic
Click to expand...

He said:

"Our promotor was wondering if you would like another Iron Maiden open air concert in the summer"

*applause*

and:

"Anyway, tell you what, it's a deal. Summer, this summer, right, we thought about it, fuck it, we're gonna come back to Germany. We're gonna play some songs, we're gonna play some old stuff, we'll come out and see you, alright, that's cool".

and after the last song:

"We'll see you, in the new year, all of you"
 
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