Now its time to something I´ve been waiting for to show you, to close up my setlist for 2014 from the previous page (sorry for the wait if someone was also on his tenterhooks and agitated for the grand reveal... nah just kidding). The opening gig takes place at Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow on Wednesday April 16th, 2014. Wandering in the city in the afternoon (mostly in some of the pubs) before arriving at the venue and taking part at the queue in the yard. Purchasing the tour t-shirt for 20£ (Somewhere In Time style painting with Eddie in a spaceship on the front / FOTD style eerie Eddie in the night at the back). Then heading to the floor on Janick´s side maybe some 40-50 feet from the barrier. Time, is now on our side... because we can skip the warm up act, the waiting, and some more waiting... we can even skip Doctor Doctor to finally launch the tour. So, here goes... oh, not quite yet actually. Let me briefly describe the tour costumes and stage set:
Bruce: The leather jacket he wore on LOTB during some songs, the same jeans he wore in Maiden England Tour, and the boots he wore on Books of Souls tour
Steve: Same outfit as 2012-13
Dave: Usual jeans, converses, one of the tour shirts on (7th Son themed)
Adrian: Jean vest with stylish grey jeans and a scarf
Janick: Usual gear including a No Prayer style tour t-shirt
Nicko: Can´t see him sorry guys (well I could always check the screens if necessary)
The stage has medieval castle / fortress type of theme with hints of different albums here and there, such as FOTD style floor. On the bass drum there is Eddie from the studio albums of the said theme.
Now do please adjust your sets, as we finally begin: An eerie intro of some 90 seconds is followed by ear deafening bang (I don´t know if there are pyros allowed in this venue irl but lets play along) and lots of flames, as the intro of Be Quick Or Be Dead rolls on like a steam engine. Bruce runs just in time to the mic stand to let out a vicious and vigorous scream, much like he so often did in the early 90s, and the crowd goes berserk. Even though the tempo is slightly slower than the studio version, it is a captivating start to the show. Janick entertains the spectators at the end of his solo by doing his trademark 360 degree throw guitar around himself.
At the end of the song there is a massive uproar of around five seconds, before Nicko hits the hi-hat four times (with an enormous grin on his face as seen from the screen... aand his clothes are... well, I leave it up to your imagination). A wave of shock and surprise conquers the place as Tailgunner roars from the PA. Steve puts his foot on the monitor staring the audience like his about to jump there (if we could hear him, with the shivering yell of yeah), Dave and Adrian are turned face to face at each other as on the other side of the stage Bruce leans to Jan with one hand, gesturing to his ear with the other. Trace your way back fifty years... the mic stand is flashing all around as he moves like a ninja. There is definitely sense of new energy in the band, and you can tell they are having a blast.
Then there is a quick change of guitars and some minor bass tuning before The Evil That Men Do thunders from the source of the sound devices. During the intro Bruce greets "Good evening to you and welcome to the Medievil Glasgow... Scream for Me!!". When the fast part starts there is a blinding flash of lights and pyro bomb on every single snare drum hit. The magical energy just flows around the place. If there is someone on his first Maiden gig, one can already tell that this night will surely and most certainly not be the last.
A familiar bass intro is a pleasing sign that The Clairvoyant remains on the setlist, and does so surprisingly early. Always a reliable minoscule mini epic from the 7th Son album to raise the mood to even higher standars. Another low bass intro follows, this time with a synth, before the actual growling intro, and another pleasant surprise, Heaven Can Wait follows suit having been absent the two previous years, this time without the crowd on the stage during the sing-along part, but that doesn´t hinder the performance by any means. The song is quickly over (time flows when its fun), and Bruce then greets the audience properly for about 3 minutes, hinting that there are lots of more rarities coming, information which the crowd strongly approves. As we are in Scotland, the rest of the gibberish is such that a non-native couldn´t properly understand, but at the end of the interaction there is a mention of "FOTD album... haven´t played for a long time... from the heart" Yes, it must be true, it most definitely is Wasting Love back in the setlist for the first time since 1993. Such a fantastic and emotional performance from the s*xtet (no pun intended), and there are even some cigarette lighters instead of the phone lights on the balcony. Noice.
Talking about the performance, there have been very little hiccups in the performance considering its the first night of the tour, even after the next song which Nicko has claimed being one of the most if not the most technical in the whole catalogue drum wise. Monumental epic, more pyros, jumping, howling and even a priest like Eddie on stage. Sign of the Cross is a definitive and indestructable cornerstone of the set, followed by fast and furious Man On The Edge off the same album. Bruce even seems to consider climbing up to the lights, but decides there is no time before the next verse. Good for him.
Next up we have a classic mid-tempo bluesy schlager in the form of Stranger In A Strange Land reappearing in the set for the first time since 1999. A group of four in front of me goes crazy, especially during the emotianal solo by the courtesy of H. can´t blame them. What a fabolous evening it has been, and Bruce makes sure the rpm stays at maximum capacity by first teasing the audience to scream so that they can hear us at Edinburgh, before counting 1... 2... 3... 4... Can I Play With Madness?! Say what you say, it rarely fails live, nor does eternity (but that song, as some of the crowd is about to find out and bitterly disappoint, is not on the set tonight). Alas. But there much more to compensate still for the fans of Charlotte saga.
The short and sweet rocker from 7th Son album is followed by yet another speech by Bruce, this time leading back to similar tendency that of the two previous years. Afraid To Shoot Strangers remains in the set and thank heavens for that. The roof of the place seems to blow up by the force of the soul shivering permormance. This has to be one of the bands best ever performances anywhere on the planet. Lord of the Flies confirming that stament, as Bruce pulls off some ridiculously and astonishly high notes during the chorus, the overall swinging being second to none. There might be something in my throat and eyes. Eurgh.
I wiped my face for nothing, as The Clansman is the next in line. I know there was not a mention of VXI songs on the press release, but who cares (especially during the heat of the moment, and it is a 90s classic, and... do I really have to explain myself? Its the freaking Clansman!). "Freedom!" seems to echo from one wall to the other, as I daresay every single person both the ground level and balcony yells from the bottom of their lungs, or top, whichever. Eddie reappers on the stage in a form of medieval warrior, and the crushing melodies make William Wallace turn in his grave on a positive manner of speaking. Can this get any better?
Most of the crowd says "yes", as Fear of the Dark follows on. I take it easy both because it marks the sad point of nearing the end of the gig and because there has been so much more going on than the usual staple. Still, fits this theme just fine, and takes nothing away from the overall feeling. Iron Maiden closes the set with Eddie rising behind the drum in a chair reminiscent of The X-Factor cover. As the drumsticks and wristbands fly overhead, one does ponder what a banger of a night, and the best part is that its not over yet.
After about two and a half minutes of chanting and demanding the band back on stage, from the speakers comes something that was not entirely unforeseen, but nonetheless is certainly worth the wait. Seven deadly sins... pyros, the band on stage again, Bruce up there behind the drum riser spitting soaring vocals through the mic to your tomorrow ringing ears. Moonchild opens the encores with so powerful vibe that it seems weird to think the band has already performed best part of two hours. Immediately afterwards its time to lose the leather jacket and some more singing, as Bruce makes a longish profound introduction to the bands sole number one single, demanding us to lose our voices for a month or two should they still be attached. Unchain the back door of the place, cos here comes an almost unpredecented crowd pleaser in the form of Bring Your Daughter... To The Slaughter. Some more interaction with the fans after the solo, and mentions of being the best ever start to a tour. It definitely feels that way. But all good comes to an end, as yet another fan favourite Wasted Years concludes the fantastic, unforgettable beyond imagination evening, leaving the mesmerised and flabbergasted crowd slowly emerge to the dimly lit courtyard posting the set online and heatedly discussing the events, as "Always Look On the Bright Side of Life" rings in the background. Some lucky ones who are travelling from show to show are in for a treat for the next few months.
Full set:
1. Be Quick Or Be Dead
2. Tailgunner
3. The Evil That Men Do
4. The Clairvoyant
5. Heaven Can Wait
6. Wasting Love
7. Sign of the Cross
8. Man On The Edge
9. Stranger In A Strange Land
10. Can I Play With Madness?
11. Afraid To Shoot Strangers
12. Lord of the Flies
13. The Clansman
14. Fear of the Dark
15. Iron Maiden
16. Moonchild
17. Bring Your Daughter...To The Slaughter
18. Wasted Years
