Maiden's "surprise" for the upcoming tour.

I really want Moonchild to be included and I'm sure it will be. but I just don't think it's that good an opener, it needs to be stuck in once things are going, as with SBIT ('Bit o'Moonchild for ya!')...
 
I really believe that us America fans will have to wait until the next tour to see the light of day for TFF songs because after all this is a History Tour. Bruce did mention that Iron Maiden has at least one more album they would like to do and when that time comes I feel we will get a healthy dose of modern Maiden classics (including some off of Final Frontier).
 
Oh, also (Forostar), I don't think, honestly, there is any great issue with anyone being able to actually play any of the old material; except perhaps Bruce, & his vocals.

Well, some Maiden songs are more difficult to play than others. The Somewhere in Time album contains some demanding stuff.

I think some Maiden songs didn't fall out of the set for nothing, in an early stage of the tour. E.g. Loneliness.. or Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger. Very demanding songs for Nicko. Nicko is also known to make mistakes during Prowler, and during the fast part of Brighter than a Thousand Suns.

Take Starblind & Alexander the Great...
In my opinion these two songs are logical for Maiden to not play them:

The sheer magic that was created in the studio, the execution of the solos by Adrian Smith... too sublime, some parts are too fragile, too daring to have a go with it live. Knowing Adrian's perfectionism, he'll never want to do that live.

The fragility of some parts, when these go wrong, it can be very frustrating. The slightest mistake must annoy Smith the hell out of him. Apart from the emotions these songs would evoke when brought on stage, they'll always sound less good, sonically.
 
His "perfectionism": why do people keep saying this? The solos are not hard on SiT. Yes, the timing of that mid-section is very loose (in AtG), & he ain't going to replicate this live. But listen to H's Wasted Years lead on Flight 666 --hardly on the money. Even Janick has a pretty good bash at it (it isn't difficult) on the 1993 Hallowed single --& this is a song H wrote himself! Seriously, I think you're making far too much of this. The "emotion" of AtG to Adrian Smith!? Please, the music is lovely, but I hardly think the band has quite the same attachment to the song the fans do. That Nicko might struggle with some drum parts, fair enough. But none of the guitar work from SiT is unplayable live.
 
His "perfectionism": why do people keep saying this?

Some people think they know something. I am one of them. :D

The solos are not hard on SiT.

Sure.

Yes, the timing of that mid-section is very loose (in AtG), & he ain't going to replicate this live.

Indeed.

But none of the guitar work from SiT is unplayable live.

Tell Adrian. I also think he needs to get over it. :)
Did you read the following? Enjoy:
http://forum.maidenfans.com/threads/alexander-the-great-some-day.22270/
 
I call bullshit, how could anyone dare to even imply that the AlmigHty One may be unable to play a guitar solo of sufficient quality?!
 
Songs off Somewhere in Time, besides Wasted Years and Heaven Can Wait, find their magic on studio. I don't think any of those songs will find their magic live, if Maiden decides to play some of them, it's only because of the fans' curiosity about how they will sound live, not because of performances. So, I won't bet on Somewhere in Time songs, sadly.

But Seventh Son of a Seventh Son might get a chance to be played almost in its entirety. Infinite Dreams and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son are musts in my case, they'll be two of the "long songs" segment. Moonchild possibly will be the opening song, The Clairvoyant will get a chance, The Evil That Men Do is a popular live song, so is Can I Play With Madness. The only ones that have low chances of being played are Only the Good Die Young and The Prophecy, but I actually do expect Only the Good Die Young to be played live this time.

About 90's material, I strongly expect Afraid to Shoot Strangers to be on the set. Blaze Bayley era material will be ignored once again.

I'll try to create a "prediction setlist" for this tour : (that's not what I want, that's my prediction)

1. Moonchild
2. The Evil That Men Do
3. Still Life / The Prisoner
4. Infinite Dreams
5. The Trooper
6. Can I Play With Madness
7. Afraid to Shoot Strangers
8. Wasted Years
9. The Clairvoyant
10. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
11. Only the Good Die Young
12. Revelations
13. Iron Maiden

14. Hallowed Be Thy Name
15. The Number of the Beast
16. Sanctuary
 
Well, I guess in the end there is no point in speculating. Maiden will play what they want and we just gotta be happy with it.

I'm just happy i'm seeing them for the 3rd time in 3 years :)
 
I'm really praying for Caught Somewhere in Time to be played on this tour!!! It has grown on me recently and I love it.
However, I do still love Wasted Years. So as long as they play either one, I will be happy.

And yes... I do agree that Alexander the Great may be the surprise on this tour.
 
droolsmiley.gif

3. Still Life / The Prisoner​
4. Infinite Dreams​
7. Afraid to Shoot Strangers​
10. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son​
11. Only the Good Die Young​
 
Forostar, I'm always serious!; never tongue in cheek... ;)


I read what Nicko said; although you're getting all this second, or third hand --I'm not sure how much you can read into this little ancedote. Maybe everyone did think Janick playing it would be funny. I'd take Janick playing it! You know what I mean though. Maiden have (& do) play loads of tough stuff --SiT just isn't, musically, that tough; certainly not the lead/guitar work. In some respects the guitar work is incredibly simple. That said, I'm very taken with what The Flash says. Maybe the sound is just not something they think transfers to live very well --or as he put it: I don't think any of those songs will find their magic live...

Maybe they just aren't destined to be played live (again). Although, I do genuinely think AtG would be fantastic live.
 
Quite honestly I think the surprise will be a few songs from the 90s considering that best of album last year Fear To Eternity. There was a rumor going around that Maiden wanted to bring back Holy Smoke, Afraid To Shoot Strangers, Sign Of The Cross and El Dorado(don't know how that's bringing it back since its the only FF song that got played on 2010 and 2011 setlists.)
 
@Cried,

I am serious when I think that the real reason is as I (and Nicko in the case of AtG) explained. Some may not like this explanation, but Maiden are humans, and some songs are more difficult than others. I really believe that some songs from SiT are among the most difficult ones to play. AtG is very complex, and Loneliness and Sea of Madness have some very hard drum parts which need to be played with precision and stamina. Not sure if Bruce can handle these songs, either. So, instead of looking for reasons which may sound better, I'll stand with my less popular but also not less realistic opinion.
 
Differences between 2008 and 1988:

Played in 1988 North American tour, but *not* in 2008:
  • Infinite Dreams
  • The Evil that Men Do
  • SSOASS
  • The Prisoner
  • Sanctuary (not on Maiden England)
  • Running Free (not on Maiden England)
Changes for 1988 UK tour (and Maiden England):
  • Added Die with Your Boots on
  • Added Still Life
  • Added Killers
  • Removed The Trooper
Played on 2008 Tour, but *not* in 1988:
  • Fear of the Dark
  • Aces High
  • Two Minutes to Midnight (played on some 1988 dates, not on Maiden England)
  • Rime of the Ancient Mariner
  • Powerslave
  • Revelations
Songs played on *both* the 1988 and 2008 North American tours:
  1. Moonchild
  2. Can I Play With Madness
  3. Clairvoyant
  4. Wasted Years
  5. Heaven Can Wait
  6. The Trooper (not on Maiden England)
  7. Run to the Hills
  8. Number of the Beast
  9. Hallowed be Thy Name
  10. Iron Maiden
A note about the SSOASS songs: The 2009 leg of the Back Somewhere in Time tour had numerous changes from the 2008 leg, including dropping Moonchild, Can I Play With Madness, and Clairvoyant, and adding The Evil That Men Do (but on that leg, the only North American stop was one night in Florida).

Anyway, the 2008 and 1988 sets were already very similar.
 
Alright Forostar, points well made. But Nicko sounds like he was quite happy playing AtG. (Your opinion is indeed very likely, but not that unpopular, I don't think.) I guess what I'm saying is: yes, I agree, some of the drum parts (& maybe the arrangements of the songs generally) on SiT are, perhaps, difficult; & I certainly agree with you that Bruce is probably going to struggle (did he ever nail CSiT live even at the time?) too --but I just don't think it's got anything to do with the guitar parts, aside from the AtG/H issue. And, I suppose what I'm saying is, if that is literally all that prevented it making a live set (i.e. the rehearsal was all good, apart from that one little bridge section, by H), then I'm pretty disappointed (--& pretty disappointed Dave didn't just step & do it.)
H just ain't no guitar god obviously... :D:p:bigsurprise:
 
Can a song from Maiden England count as a surprise? If they should play Still Life, in a way that would be a surprising choice, but it's still on Maiden England and the tour is based on that show. A song like Stranger in a Strange Land however would surprise, and I think that's the most likely surprise choice from SIT. I think Wasted Years is a certainty. Not sure on Heaven Can Wait. CSIT? Nah, Moonchild is surely the opener. And I'm not sure that they will include all six Seventh Son songs they did in 88. I would love more than anyone on this planet to hear Infinite Dreams live, but I have this feeling that they will skip it.

Bruce said about 2/3 of Maiden England is gonna get played. There are 15 songs to choose from. I guess four or maybe five songs are in danger of being replaced with songs like Fear of the Dark and The Trooper. I think those will be Killers, The Prisoner, Still Life and one or two of the following Heaven Can Wait, Infinite Dreams and Seventh Son..
 
Regarding Alexander: I still believe it will never happen. I'd love to be proven wrong.

I am excited to be going to an early show on this tour, something like 3rd. We all know that some songs only get played a few times before getting booted for Wrathchild. Then again, I was 4th show last tour and still missed Paschendale...

Point is, Alex (if they do it) is a fave of hardcore fans, and I'm not sure how well it'll play in the US. It might go away like BTATS did last time if it bombs early.
 
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