A couple of questions about recent Iron Maiden tours

[pilau]

Remember, "old timer" does not necessarily mean old person 

Yeah, well, you know it's just that when I joined this forum I noticed everybody here knows so much about Maiden more than I do, so I was thinking "I am still such an Iron Maiden n00b and they are in the know! They have probably been fans for ages!". So I figured out most in not all of you already seen them live.

Anyway, I went really over the top to see them for the first time finally -  went all the way to Norway for Maiden!

Btw, Pilau, how was your trip before the concert?

It was way, way more than anything I could have ever expected it to be - to say the least! First of all, I went alone (no pun intended, TNOTB!), my friend did not come with me eventually, but it was for the better, I had met many exciting people and went through crazy experiences I wouldn't have if I was with a friend! For example, I was up on the mountains (Norway is the most beautiful country in the world!), rain caught me, and I had to cross a river! With a backpack! That was dangerous... I also met a couple of guys who invited me to a boat they had and we were catching Salmon, having some beer and great food in the fjords! I also met this fantastic family who took me in and saved me a lot of money on hotels!

Since my plans have changed I had time to go and visit one of my best friends in Oslo, and we had a great time!

A day before the show, I even met with Janick, and not only that, they made an article about me coming all the way from Israel to Norway to see Iron Maiden in a local newspaper! On the show, I was standing right on the barrier in front of H almighty!

I had the trip of a life time!

 

[Ranko]

For example, I was up on the mountains (Norway is the most beautiful country in the world!), rain caught me, and I had to cross a river! With a backpack! That was dangerous... I also met a couple of guys who invited me to a boat they had and we were catching Salmon, having some beer and great food in the fjords! I also met this fantastic family who took me in and saved me a lot of money on hotels!

Wow, some nice friendly people there! Good for you! Btw, did you go hiking through the mountains alone? Good thing that nothing happened to you, every time here in Croatia when tourists go hiking during the summer the Mountain Search and Rescue have their work cut out for them.

 

[Invader]

Yeah, well, you know it's just that when I joined this forum I noticed everybody here knows so much about Maiden more than I do, so I was thinking "I am still such an Iron Maiden n00b and they are in the know! They have probably been fans for ages!". So I figured out most in not all of you already seen them live.

Anyway, I went really over the top to see them for the first time finally -  went all the way to Norway for Maiden!
It was way, way more than anything I could have ever expected it to be - to say the least! First of all, I went alone (no pun intended, TNOTB!), my friend did not come with me eventually, but it was for the better, I had met many exciting people and went through crazy experiences I wouldn't have if I was with a friend! For example, I was up on the mountains (Norway is the most beautiful country in the world!), rain caught me, and I had to cross a river! With a backpack! That was dangerous... I also met a couple of guys who invited me to a boat they had and we were catching Salmon, having some beer and great food in the fjords! I also met this fantastic family who took me in and saved me a lot of money on hotels!

Since my plans have changed I had time to go and visit one of my best friends in Oslo, and we had a great time!

A day before the show, I even met with Janick, and not only that, they made an article about me coming all the way from Israel to Norway to see Iron Maiden in a local newspaper! On the show, I was standing right on the barrier in front of H almighty!

I had the trip of a life time!

Wow, that's an awesome trip.  And I thought my Maiden experience was exciting, with one big storm and all... Try coming to Finland next time.

 

[Dr. Eddies Wingman]

It was way, way more than anything I could have ever expected it to be - to say the least! First of all, I went alone (no pun intended, TNOTB!), my friend did not come with me eventually, but it was for the better, I had met many exciting people and went through crazy experiences I wouldn't have if I was with a friend! For example, I was up on the mountains (Norway is the most beautiful country in the world!), rain caught me, and I had to cross a river! With a backpack! That was dangerous... I also met a couple of guys who invited me to a boat they had and we were catching Salmon, having some beer and great food in the fjords! I also met this fantastic family who took me in and saved me a lot of money on hotels!

Since my plans have changed I had time to go and visit one of my best friends in Oslo, and we had a great time!

A day before the show, I even met with Janick, and not only that, they made an article about me coming all the way from Israel to Norway to see Iron Maiden in a local newspaper! On the show, I was standing right on the barrier in front of H almighty!

I had the trip of a life time!

Wow. I'm really happy for you after reading this. About the points I've quoted in bold:

• That depends on the river   If there are rocks in the river, so that one can step on those without plunging into the water, it's routine. I you have to wade in the cold water it's a bit less routine, but only dangerous if the current in the river is really strong.
• Why do everyone on this board run into Janick when Maiden play in Norway, except me?  
• I actually managed to find it in BergensAvisen   http://www.ba.no/puls/article5218801.ece

 

[pilau]

Wow, some nice friendly people there! Good for you! Btw, did you go hiking through the mountains alone? Good thing that nothing happened to you, every time here in Croatia when tourists go hiking during the summer the Mountain Search and Rescue have their work cut out for them.

Thanks! Actually, yes I did go hiking through the mountains on my own and yes, looking back, it wasn't a wise decision at all, to put it mildly... But I'm still alive! I might add, though, I had a lot of luck during my week in Norway... well, you read all about it. Almost lost my life during a storm on the mountains, met great people that I spent great time with, also met a lot of Maiden fans and that surely helped me get to be first on the barrier on the show - I had a great time there, I promised myself I have to go back!

Wow, that's an awesome trip.  And I thought my Maiden experience was exciting, with one big storm and all... Try coming to Finland next time.

Oh I heard of that storm! On the show in Bergen I met one cool Finn and he sad that Iron Maiden's gear plane was caught in a tornado and crashed, Maiden loosing all their gear. The stage set was all covered in black sheets, and this being my first Iron Maiden concert, I didn't know they are covering the stage set to hide it from the audience, so I just thought to myself "oh no, I'm not going to see the new TFF stage set!". But then the genuinely funny Killer crew roadies unveiled the set with major anticipation and excitement in the crowd... Sigh.... That was a fantastic moment I will never forget!

Anyway, I really got into Finland about 3 years ago when I started listening to Finnish folk metal (which I know isn't too popular in Finland) and I am also a WRC enthusiast so I told myself I have to visit Finland someday. I think that in like 4 years I will tour and/or trek all of Scandinavia for like a two or three months, although I don't know too much about Denmark and Sweden. Well, Iceland is just wildly scenic, and I have to pay a visit to Norway again, I promised some people I'll be back

Wow. I'm really happy for you after reading this. About the points I've quoted in bold:

• That depends on the river   If there are rocks in the river, so that one can step on those without plunging into the water, it's routine. I you have to wade in the cold water it's a bit less routine, but only dangerous if the current in the river is really strong.
• Why do everyone on this board run into Janick when Maiden play in Norway, except me?  
• I actually managed to find it in BergensAvisen   http://www.ba.no/puls/article5218801.ece

Thanks EW!
Well, about the river and all: It was raining all night while I was staying in the cabin. In the morning I saw everything outside (rocks) was slippery wet and thick fog was swelling all around the cabin. I decided it would be wise to cancel the while 5-days trek plan and head back off the mountain in the same route I took when I climbed it. On the way up, I did cross that river, but then it was a very weak stream. When I left the cabin it started raining again with crazy winds, turning everything into quite stormy weather. Then I got down to that stream, which with all that rain turned into a mother fathering wide river with a hell of a current! I was going all the way up and down with my back pack, in the rain, to find a place with rock so I can cross it, and I found one - with two rocks sticking out of the river - although the water was running on them, so it was really the only place to cross it, but very, very dangerous. I could've easily slipped and went all the way down the stream! I was very lucky that day

Well, I was waiting for 5 hours out of Radisson BLU and met Rod and later out comes Janick Some kids I met outside the hotel met Steve and Janick the night before in a local pub!

Yeah I am aware of this webpage I am the bloke in the back, wearing my official Iron Maiden t-shirt from 1993  . On the printed version of the article though, they featured a big picture of me and Jan on two pages, now this is something! How did you find it, by the way?

 

[Dr. Eddies Wingman]

About the river crossing stuff: Yes, I agree it is more tricky when it has been raining, so all rocks are wet. And when the weather is bad, things feel even worse. But it will go well more often than not 

I found the web page just because I know that Bergens Tidende and BergensAvisen are the two main newspapers in Bergen. Since BT did not mention it (I read that paper on the train, on my way home on Thursday) I checked BA. Had it not been there, I would have given up finding it out.

 

[pilau]

About the river crossing stuff: Yes, I agree it is more tricky when it has been raining, so all rocks are wet. And when the weather is bad, things feel even worse. But it will go well more often than not 

I found the web page just because I know that Bergens Tidende and BergensAvisen are the two main newspapers in Bergen. Since BT did not mention it (I read that paper on the train, on my way home on Thursday) I checked BA. Had it not been there, I would have given up finding it out.

Yeah. I learned a lot about Bergen and Norway during that week so I know about BA and BT. Actually, I checked BT out to see if there are any pictured from the show, because I didn't take any (was too damn tight in there to take out my camera from my pocket lol...

 

[Invader]

Iron Maiden's gear plane was caught in a tornado and crashed, Maiden loosing all their gear.

Sorry, I cracked at this.  The "cool Finn" exaggerated a little. There was no tornado, and the plane didn't crash.  It was a violent storm, not a tornado, and the plane was indeed damaged, but it was on ground at that point.   I don't know whether Maiden "lost" their gear, Bruce simply said "our gear is completely fucked", and my guess is that the gear was already at the festival site at the time of the storm.

Nice article by the way, though I used Google translator.

 

[pilau]

Sorry, I cracked at this.  The "cool Finn" exaggerated a little. There was no tornado, and the plane didn't crash.  It was a violent storm, not a tornado, and the plane was indeed damaged, but it was on ground at that point.   I don't know whether Maiden "lost" their gear, Bruce simply said "our gear is completely fucked", and my guess is that the gear was already at the festival site at the time of the storm.

Nice article by the way, though I used Google translator.

Thanks

I read all about it when I got back home, also realized he took it too far... But they did say Maiden roadies had to dry all of their sound equipment will something like 30 hairdryers!