RUN FOR YOUR LIVES WORLD TOUR (2025/2026)

I think the tour name is already a big success.

I like it. It is also part of the lyrics of their most famous song, one that casual fans would recognise immediately.

I only have anecdotal evidence but I've had comments from Facebook friends who don't usually go to Maiden tours now say that they want to go and even one friend who hasn't seen them since 1988! A lot of casual fans are seeing this as a possible farewell tour (maybe it will be) and perhaps the last chance to see them perform the "classics" (maybe it is).

Attracting the "play classics" brigade along with the faithful is the way to sell out big stadia.

To paraphrase Paul McCartney, I've got a feeling this tour will outsell F/P.

I think it will definitely outsell The Future Past tour. Also, The Legacy of the Beast tour was probably more popular than The Future Past one.

P.S. if Nicko is involved then this will be his last tour. Calling it now.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is the last Maiden tour for all of them.
 
I reckon there’s no chance for Infinite Dreams. If they skipped it once with the ME setlist, I simply don’t see them going back for something they already skipped.
Agreed, but Nicko played it with his solo band (in 2022 though, but he played To Tame A Land last year which is probably even more difficult) and iirc called it one of his favorite songs, so you never know. If Bruce wants to sing it, it's not an easy song for both him and Nicko (like most of the 80's material), but he'll do it very well now methinks. After Alexander, everything is possible.
 
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To paraphrase Paul McCartney, I've got a feeling this tour will outsell F/P.
It must. They booked stadiums and apparently want to stage the biggest production ever.

This is the leap that Rod always wanted. Maiden being a stadium band all across Europe with a few arena shows in between.
 
Agreed, but Nicko played it with his solo band and iirc called it one of his favorite songs, so you never know.
Yeah, but how long ago though? Does he feel he can still play it now? Does the rest of the band feel like they can pull it off?
 
Rod: ''We are all still loving every second and consider every tour a new challenge to bring something different and exciting to our fans. And for this very special one we’re pulling out all the stops! We will cover classics and fan favourites from the first nine albums, from IRON MAIDEN to FEAR OF THE DARK, many of which we haven’t played in years and many we will likely never play again in the future. We have already been hard at work for months putting together an even more spectacular and elaborate new show which will bring the songs to life more than we have ever been able to do before. This is going to be a huge couple of years for IRON MAIDEN, and Eddie of course, and we are very excited about what we have up our sleeves for you fans throughout the whole of our 50th year. I promise you are all going to be very happy indeed!''

A few things:

  • something different and exciting - it will be tough, but it can be done.
  • pulling out all the stops - bring it on. Bruce called the tour ''once-in-a-lifetime live experience''.
  • cover classics and fan favorites - expected.
  • many of which we haven't played in years - this fits songs not played in 10 years time and earlier ofc.
  • many we will likely never play again in the future - so one last time again for some of the old classics.
  • elaborate show - great to hear, we should expect a lot of props.
  • which will bring the songs to life more than we have ever been able to do before - that's really curious! I feel we could be getting a big upgrade to the stage set. What? Idk.
  • huge years for Maiden and more surprises - awesome, like the last years.
 
What I like about this is that it will allow Steve to mark Maiden's 50th anniversary by playing London Stadium, West Ham's ground. You can imagine how much that will mean to him. And he deserves it too - he came from nothing, worked, stayed true, and built this phenomenal thing for us all, he's absolutely earnt it. Booking a stadium in London on Glastonbury weekend seems pretty symbolic too, not many bands could pull that off.

But he's not going to fill a stadium playing Senjetsu and SiT songs. He will need the casuals, the curious, the lapsed and the last-chance-to-see punters to turn up. Promising the early albums is the way to do that. Personally, I'd be far more excited about a BNW-Senjetsu setlist, and the Adrian-less albums which seem prominent in the marketing are not my favourites. But this is how we give Steve his 50th West Ham stadium moment, so I'm all for it
 
I reckon there’s no chance for Infinite Dreams. If they skipped it once with the ME setlist, I simply don’t see them going back for something they already skipped.
Truth be told, this is exactly what we said for decades every time the Alexander the Great discourse came up.

"They skipped it in 1986/87, they'll never play it live."
"They skipped it in 2008/09 too, they'll never play it live"

Then...
 
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We will cover classics and fan favourites from the first nine albums, from IRON MAIDEN to FEAR OF THE DARK, many of which we haven’t played in years and many we will likely never play again in the future.

I see this as a hint that they are not hanging it up and will continue their business. Or this is just standard promo wording?
 
Man it's stressful to plan Maiden gigs

But I am looking at

Budapest
Trondheim
Stavanger
Stockholm x2

Maybe London
 
We will cover classics and fan favourites from the first nine albums, from IRON MAIDEN to FEAR OF THE DARK, many of which we haven’t played in years and many we will likely never play again in the future.

I see this as a hint that they are not hanging it up and will continue their business. Or this is just standard promo wording?

Promotion, sure. But standard, I would not say that. There aren't that many announcements that say "these songs will probably never be played again".
 
I reckon there’s no chance for Infinite Dreams. If they skipped it once with the ME setlist, I simply don’t see them going back for something they already skipped.

I'm not saying that they will play it, but I think skipping it for Maiden England run doesn't mean quite as much now as it, perhaps, did in the past.

I mean, Future Past tour happened with Alexander's live debut and the return of Stranger in a Strange Land, although the latter was omitted on both, Somewhere Back in Time and Maiden England tour, even though Somewhere in Time was covered by the History III document and Steve specifically referred the tour as revisiting "the mid-years of Maiden" (in the 80's, anyway) in the Maiden England tour promo.
 
I didn't think about it at first, but it shows that they have plans beyond 2026.

As a side note. Back in 2008 they said this when announcing SBIT 2009

"This tour is likely to be the last time we play many of these songs live so we really will be giving it everything we have got!”

I think Rime is the only song they haven't done since. And that’s a shame.
 
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