onurb
Ancient Mariner
No way they will replace this. Iron Maiden, trooper and FOTD neither.
RUN FOR YOUR LIVES 2026
- Thread starter Ledges Bitten In Dust
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MrK
clap hands
I agree with that, but we've been running circles around this complaint for a decade.
Iron Lurker
Apologist Maidentard and Pub Drummer
He was saying play Aces in the NOTB slot and play Beast for the first encore.
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
I just watched Aces from the video above. Honestly, it was painful.
They’ve backed themselves into a corner a bit - being too stubborn about their current capabilities and their age. Not detuning where it would clearly help, not letting certain songs get the rest they’ve earned.
But I do hope some decisions are made sooner rather than later, because this road risks turning them into a parody of themselves.
It is such a shame that a sensational singer like Bruce is ending his career with performances as embarrassing as that.
Stubbornness? Arrogance? Either way, it is somewhat sad to see, especially considering how well his voice had been ageing up until recently.
Iron Lurker
Apologist Maidentard and Pub Drummer
After Eddfest they have 6 weeks before the tour resumes in Canada. They really should consider tweaking the set and move Aces up. There's time to do that. Would they is the question.
onurb
Ancient Mariner
Arrogance from the person who build the setlist. But it can be what you said.Stubbornness? Arrogance? Either way, it is somewhat sad to see, especially considering how well his voice had been ageing up until recently.
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
No is the answer.
Ruflux
Ancient Marinade
It's bizarre to think 15 years ago Maiden actually made the sensible choice of moving The Talisman up the set, because it's a bitch of song to sing and Bruce was struggling with it. They also didn't perform RTTH as the last encore because it was too demanding as the last song of the night. Talisman on those first few dates still sounded miles better than AH did last or evidently this year.
What the fuck happened to that band?
What the fuck happened to that band?
dickinson1978
Ancient Mariner
And he nailed the talisman the whole tour
Azas
Modern Landlubber
I wrote about this some time ago: when you’re in the eye of the storm - when you’re doing what you love most - it’s incredibly hard to recognize the moment when it’s time to step back.
Most of the time, it’s nearly impossible simply because of human nature. You hold on tightly to the thing that’s meant so much to you your entire life, unless something undeniable forces the issue - a health scare or something along those lines.
And to be clear, I think it’s too early to talk about retirement. But some adjustments do seem necessary - for the sake of longevity and preserving their health.
“Retirement sucks,” sure - but if you keep pushing at the same speed you did in your twenties, or even your forties, that road sign marked “the end” may show up sooner than you’d like.
(Sorry if I sound like some know-it-all prick. I’m just another fan, and I’m in no position to lecture grown men who play in Iron Maiden. I just want them to take care of themselves.)
Most of the time, it’s nearly impossible simply because of human nature. You hold on tightly to the thing that’s meant so much to you your entire life, unless something undeniable forces the issue - a health scare or something along those lines.
And to be clear, I think it’s too early to talk about retirement. But some adjustments do seem necessary - for the sake of longevity and preserving their health.
“Retirement sucks,” sure - but if you keep pushing at the same speed you did in your twenties, or even your forties, that road sign marked “the end” may show up sooner than you’d like.
(Sorry if I sound like some know-it-all prick. I’m just another fan, and I’m in no position to lecture grown men who play in Iron Maiden. I just want them to take care of themselves.)
Clairvoyant Parchment
Prowler
Their hearing might be going?
They literally might be hearing the songs different to us and sincerely think all is good.
They really need to do something, it's getting embarrassing. There are so many songs to choose from.
They literally might be hearing the songs different to us and sincerely think all is good.
They really need to do something, it's getting embarrassing. There are so many songs to choose from.
Flaming Blimp Crash
Ancient Mariner
I believe when the band started returning to the stage in 2021, Lars had started using a click. Practice? Well, I hope he was doing something while in quarantine.
I don't know what it is but he sounds considerably better to me since then. He's actually decent again
Iron Brody
Educated Fool
I still don’t think Bruce is “butchering” Aces High, at least in the videos from Bucharest. I agree that he is not performing it to his usual, insanely high standard. I think it would be better to move such a challenging song earlier in the set where his voice is fresher, down tune, or drop it.
Aside from straining on certain phrases, he still sounds fine. The changed melody in the chorus is disappointing but technically sound. Of course the strain is not great for his voice, and I wish they’d adapt to protect his instrument.
I just think butcher is too strong a term to describe how he’s performing. I’ve seen waaaaaay worse from singers in other bands lol. I think it sounds fine. Not great, not terrible, but fine and acceptable to me. Now if it turns into a mumbling, spoken word performance of the song by the time I see them in Charlotte, I will change my stance lol
I’m not at all saying we need to lower our standards as fans. What I am saying is I think we are all just doing what fans do, and maybe we are exaggerating the reality a little bit.
Fan is short for fanatic after all
Aside from straining on certain phrases, he still sounds fine. The changed melody in the chorus is disappointing but technically sound. Of course the strain is not great for his voice, and I wish they’d adapt to protect his instrument.
I just think butcher is too strong a term to describe how he’s performing. I’ve seen waaaaaay worse from singers in other bands lol. I think it sounds fine. Not great, not terrible, but fine and acceptable to me. Now if it turns into a mumbling, spoken word performance of the song by the time I see them in Charlotte, I will change my stance lol
I’m not at all saying we need to lower our standards as fans. What I am saying is I think we are all just doing what fans do, and maybe we are exaggerating the reality a little bit.
Fan is short for fanatic after all
Ruflux
Ancient Marinade
In the nicest way possible: I'm sorry for your ears, or rather lack thereof.I still don’t think Bruce is “butchering” Aces High, at least in the videos from Bucharest. I agree that he is not performing it to his usual, insanely high standard. I think it would be better to move such a challenging song earlier in the set where his voice is fresher, down tune, or drop it.
Aside from straining on certain phrases, he still sounds fine. The changed melody in the chorus is disappointing but technically sound. Of course the strain is not great for his voice, and I wish they’d adapt to protect his instrument.
I just think butcher is too strong a term to describe how he’s performing. I’ve seen waaaaaay worse from singers in other bands lol. I think it sounds fine. Not great, not terrible, but fine and acceptable to me. Now if it turns into a mumbling, spoken word performance of the song by the time I see them in Charlotte, I will change my stance lol
I’m not at all saying we need to lower our standards as fans. What I am saying is I think we are all just doing what fans do, and maybe we are exaggerating the reality a little bit.
Fan is short for fanatic after all
Iron Brody
Educated Fool
We can agree to disagree haha
I just don’t think Aces High is a complete catastrophe like some here are saying. At the same time, I don’t think Bruce is singing it nearly as well as he has previously. I just think there’s a more nuanced conversation to be had on his performances at his age.
When I hear someone say “someone butchered a song,” I think completely out of key, no sense of melody, and missing every single note. For example, David Lee Roth’s singing on Dance the Night Away on Van Halen’s Tokyo Dome live album. And frankly most of his singing from 2011 onward
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Bruce is doing well overall and the band are fine but Aces, and I think Hallowed, Trooper etc.
When he's singing hallowed he's in tune still but it's kind of painful to listen to now.
Theyre just too high for him now. And there is a simple solution that they refuse to take
When he's singing hallowed he's in tune still but it's kind of painful to listen to now.
Theyre just too high for him now. And there is a simple solution that they refuse to take
dickinson1978
Ancient Mariner
This is the worst version of aces high. The only thing is what are they doing in paris because of the dvd. I dont know how are they going to improve this version becuase its obvius that he cant sing the song at the end of the show.