Iron Maiden Tour 2025 - Discussion

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I could absolutely see them doing a Live After Death tour. Somewhere Back in Time was long enough ago that it would excite a lot of fans. Realistically unless they build another stage production from the ground up like LOTB, the most likely retro tour is going to be revisiting an 80s album/stage set that they have already brought back so Powerslave makes sense.

The most conservative choice would be using the original SBIT setlist as a template with some adjustments. Maybe:
- All SIT songs are out, minus maybe Wasted Years

- Moonchild swapped out for SSOASS. Can I Play With Madness swapped for another deepcut, maybe 22 Acacia Ave or Die With Your Boots On.

- Instead of Revelations maybe Phantom of the Opera or Killers.

Another thought I had is a Powerslave/Seventh Son hybrid tour, which they could build a unique stage design off of. They could do 4 off each album, or do 5 and pull a deep cut from each album (probably pull out Only the Good Die Young for this).
Come on, do you really want them to play Aces High again after 2008-2009, 2012-2014, 2018 - almost forever? :D
 
I agree with the previous posts. On the other hand, a Powerslave-themed tour with a setlist that doesn't include Aces High would feel a bit weird, wouldn't it? It's one of their most popular tracks, so I wouldn't be surprised if they brought it back for a Powerslave celebration.
 
I’ve been calling for Aces High’s retirement since 2013, but it’s a clear 50/50 shot between that or Moonchild if they do an 80s tour next.
 
SBIT was Powerslave heavy, Maiden England was 7th Son heavy, LOTB was kinda POM heavy (2 deep cuts, album most featured) and now The Future Past. I could see them going back to a Powerslave theme, specially because the other golden era album is always well represented and also could have 'deep' cuts brought up with no context needed. I like the Powerslave/7th Son hybrid idea and could see 22AA back too. If they did that it would be cool to play one never played before song from each album as well, 'Arry already talked about wanting to play OTGDY and Bruce has been given more control when it comes to setlists later, so maybe FOTB, who knows.
 
I'm more convinced there will be a new tour next year (not related to the 2026 one, which will probably be an album tour, obviously not for 1 year).
Why? The wording of TFP 2nd leg, the mention of secret plans for next year (might be about the recording of a new album though), big tour in 2026 (if it was a Hits tour for 2 or 3 years, Bruce wouldn't have teased the 2026 one).

I think the band will want something new/fresh again and it's not like they haven't done a tour for only 1 year before. Plus they can use the Anniv as a loosey theme.
They can even do another hybrid tour for next year. The rumored Powerslave and Seventh Son (instead of SIT; Alexander should stay) with 2 stages, it's possible, like in 2022. Probably Maiden's 2 most popular albums after all. We can expect some deep cuts from the latter, but such a tour would mean that Maiden are out of ideas (also because they don't want to celebrate the 90's) for different tours. Just make a new album, only deep cuts theme or Reunion era again (6 albums). It will be great and popular of course, but why they did the ME tour? I understand the 2008 one. It seems Maiden back then wanted to slow things down and just play the usual hits.

If they pull off this idea, I think Moonchild will be the likely opener. If it's 5/5 songs again (doubt it), I don't expect a couple of Reunion songs. Maybe more surprises from the 80's (like Sun And Steel) or even something from the 90's albums. They are in an adventurous mood.
Songs like:

Rime
2 Minutes
Flash Of The Blade/The Duellists?

Moonchild
Infinite Dreams
Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
Only The Good Die Young

maybe:

Alexander
Sun And Steel
Boots
Killers
Wrathchild
at least 1 Reunion era song, something from BNW (I kind of don't expect from SJ)

and: Trooper, Fear, Iron Maiden, maybe Number.
 
I'm more convinced there will be a new tour next year (not related to the 2026 one, which will probably be an album tour, obviously not for 1 year).
Why? The wording of TFP 2nd leg, the mention of secret plans for next year (might be about the recording of a new album though), big tour in 2026 (if it was a Hits tour for 2 or 3 years, Bruce wouldn't have teased the 2026 one).

I think the band will want something new/fresh again and it's not like they haven't done a tour for only 1 year before. Plus they can use the Anniv as a loosey theme.
They can even do another hybrid tour for next year. The rumored Powerslave and Seventh Son (instead of SIT; Alexander should stay) with 2 stages, it's possible, like in 2022. Probably Maiden's 2 most popular albums after all. We can expect some deep cuts from the latter, but such a tour would mean that Maiden are out of ideas (also because they don't want to celebrate the 90's) for different tours. Just make a new album, only deep cuts theme or Reunion era again (6 albums). It will be great and popular of course, but why they did the ME tour? I understand the 2008 one. It seems Maiden back then wanted to slow things down and just play the usual hits.

If they pull off this idea, I think Moonchild will be the likely opener. If it's 5/5 songs again (doubt it), I don't expect a couple of Reunion songs. Maybe more surprises from the 80's (like Sun And Steel) or even something from the 90's albums. They are in an adventurous mood.
Songs like:

Rime
2 Minutes
Flash Of The Blade/The Duellists?

Moonchild
Infinite Dreams
Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
Only The Good Die Young

maybe:

Alexander
Sun And Steel
Boots
Killers
Wrathchild
at least 1 Reunion era song, something from BNW (I kind of don't expect from SJ)

and: Trooper, Fear, Iron Maiden, maybe Number.
Maiden England 13 was in direct response to the success of SBIT. It wasn't planned back in 2008, that's why that tour wasn't based purely on Live After Death but included a few SIT and SSOASS songs as well.
 
I think the "Top Secret Plans" for 2025 are: 1. Recording a brand-new studio album 2. 50 Anniversary Greatest Hits Tour spanning forthcoming 2 years - 2025: December '75 Iron Maiden were established, 2026: 50 years after their first shows in May '76. To me, all is on the way and makes sense. The 18th studio album should be released in September 2026 after the Anniversary tour (they may play promotional single for the live audiences) and a proper album tour will start in the first months of 2027 - that's all. I suppose the album tour isn't particularly planned at this stage of events. Maiden's management has planned everything for 3 years spanning the production circle. At the end of 2023, everything was planned for 2024, 2025, and 2026 - three years as Bruce stated in some interviews.
 
I don't think Alexander The Great will remain in the set after this tour. Highly unlikely.
They will surely play it in Greece and Nicko said he wants it to be a setlist staple (although they haven't played his favorite SJ songs yet).
I think the "Top Secret Plans" for 2025 are: 1. Recording a brand-new studio album 2. 50 Anniversary Greatest Hits Tour spanning forthcoming 2 years - 2025: December '75 Iron Maiden were established, 2026: 50 years after their first shows in May '76. To me, all is on the way and makes sense. The 18th studio album should be released in September 2026 after the Anniversary tour (they may play promotional single for the live audiences) and a proper album tour will start in the first months of 2027 - that's all. I suppose the album tour isn't particularly planned at this stage of events. Maiden's management has planned everything for 3 years spanning the production circle. At the end of 2023, everything was planned for 2024, 2025, and 2026 - three years as Bruce stated in some interviews.
^Hits tour is also possible to some degree (and album release in September of 2026 after it). I mean, I won't rule it out because it was odd for Bruce to call the 2026 tour big, especially when he said they will ''celebrate'' their anniv next year and having plans until the end of 2026.
 
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Maiden England 13 was in direct response to the success of SBIT. It wasn't planned back in 2008, that's why that tour wasn't based purely on Live After Death but included a few SIT and SSOASS songs as well.
I have seen this line a lot but is there any official word from the members of the band or management that there was no plan to do a Seventh Son themed tour? I know there’s a press release promising a Maiden England dvd release to shortly follow LAD, but that is merely circumstantial evidence. I always assumed even before 2012 that a Seventh Son themed tour would be next. I remember feeling like Moonchild in the encore was meant to foreshadow the next tour. Seems like a no brainer that they would eventually revisit that album as well with its own tour.
 
I have seen this line a lot but is there any official word from the members of the band or management that there was no plan to do a Seventh Son themed tour? I know there’s a press release promising a Maiden England dvd release to shortly follow LAD, but that is merely circumstantial evidence. I always assumed even before 2012 that a Seventh Son themed tour would be next. I remember feeling like Moonchild in the encore was meant to foreshadow the next tour. Seems like a no brainer that they would eventually revisit that album as well with its own tour.
Not really sure what the original source was, I've seen the claim quite often on the forum though. It makes sense to me, if they knew that they'd do an extensive SSOASS tour they probably would've designed SBIT to be closer to Live After Death, instead of picking a handful of songs from SIT and SSOASS.
 
I know that in the past I've come across quit cynical in my posts and it might just be the fanboy in me talking and my own personal desire, but is it just me or are a lot of Maiden posts lately featuring Seventh Son references?

 
I agree Seventh Son is the most likely candidate to be played in its entirety. Invaders/Gangland are non starters for Bruce. Even if they swapped Gangland for Total Eclipse, Invaders is still a problem song (and it seems like there’s 0 interest among the band in playing it live).

Similarly, I would say Flash of the Blade is out. Even a third guitar isn’t enough to cover all the harmonies in the instrumental. And again not sure I want to hear 2025 Bruce on that one. So no Powerslave.

That leaves Piece of Mind and Seventh Son. I would say that To Tame a Land is frankly less likely than several songs in the back catalog that have never been played live. OTOH Seventh Son has two unplayed songs that (as far as I can tell) present no real logistical issues for playing live. Kinda funny that one of their most produced and studio sounding albums is also the most live ready of the 80s.

I’m not ruling out the possibility (I think a hybrid tour focusing on two albums is more likely though), but I think the biggest obstacle to playing a full album live is just that when you aggregate never before played live songs with songs that haven’t appeared since the 80s, it’s a lot more material than the band seem willing to take on. Even on this current Future Past tour, which definitely feels like the biggest under taking for a single setlist that they have done, three of the five SIT tracks have been played by the current lineup and two of those are pretty frequent appearances at that. By comparison, Seventh Son has two unplayed songs plus a third that hasn’t been played since the original tour. Then you’ve got the title track which I’m sure isn’t something they can just whip out at any time.
 
I agree Seventh Son is the most likely candidate to be played in its entirety. Invaders/Gangland are non starters for Bruce. Even if they swapped Gangland for Total Eclipse, Invaders is still a problem song (and it seems like there’s 0 interest among the band in playing it live).

Similarly, I would say Flash of the Blade is out. Even a third guitar isn’t enough to cover all the harmonies in the instrumental. And again not sure I want to hear 2025 Bruce on that one. So no Powerslave.

That leaves Piece of Mind and Seventh Son. I would say that To Tame a Land is frankly less likely than several songs in the back catalog that have never been played live. OTOH Seventh Son has two unplayed songs that (as far as I can tell) present no real logistical issues for playing live. Kinda funny that one of their most produced and studio sounding albums is also the most live ready of the 80s.

I’m not ruling out the possibility (I think a hybrid tour focusing on two albums is more likely though), but I think the biggest obstacle to playing a full album live is just that when you aggregate never before played live songs with songs that haven’t appeared since the 80s, it’s a lot more material than the band seem willing to take on. Even on this current Future Past tour, which definitely feels like the biggest under taking for a single setlist that they have done, three of the five SIT tracks have been played by the current lineup and two of those are pretty frequent appearances at that. By comparison, Seventh Son has two unplayed songs plus a third that hasn’t been played since the original tour. Then you’ve got the title track which I’m sure isn’t something they can just whip out at any time.
Generally agreed with all your points. I only wanted to point out that Infinite Dreams was apparently rehearsed for Maiden England, but was ultimately dropped for "not working out" or something. That means there are 5 songs the current line up has extensively toured, one that hasn't been played since the 80s, like CSIT, but was at least rehearsed, and two never before played songs of which one was specifically mentioned by Steve as songs he'd like to play sometime.
 
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