The essential bootlegs?

Mosh

Mosh

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I've never been much into bootlegs, but recently I started looking into some and found that there's some pretty cool stuff out there. So anyway, I want to know what Maidenfans' favorite bootlegs are. What are the first ones I should be checking out? I don't really care what period they're from, but tours without official releases are always good.

Discuss!
 
There is much more but what now comes to mind:

Some of the best sounding ones:
Waldrock 2003: Waldrock Festival, Bergum, 21 June 2003.
The Big Heat:"Nakano Sunplaza Hall, Tokyo, 24 May 1981.
Before the Exile!: Rainbow Theatre, London 21 December 1980
(Revelations) Live at the Rainbow or Rainbow Theatre 20.06.1980; same venue, different date: 20 June 1980.

Other interesting ones for atmosphere/content:
10 Years Old – Eddie's Boys or Die With Your Boots On - part 1 and 2 (especially part 2 for To Tame a Land and Prowler!): Hammersmith 2nd night, Hammersmith Odeon, London, 26 May 1983.
Live at Paul Ricard: Autodrome Paul Ricard Le Castellet, 21st September 1991.
 
The Greediness (Germany, 1986)
1986-11-22-THE_GREEDINESS-front.jpg


Before the days of the Internet, this was the only bootleg documenting the Somewhere On Tour I could lay my hands on. Unfortunately, it is not complete and the sound is not perfect, though listenable.
 
My favourites are:
Ipswich (1983)
The Night Of The Living Dead (Palladium 1982)
War Machine (1990)
Stockholm (2006)

But I also don't know much bootlegs. One thing that would be really cool it's a list with all the essential bootlegs from every tour.
 
Naty said:
My favourites are:
Ipswich (1983)
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Thank you! I have had the other that you listed for many years, and they are all brilliant - but I had not listened to the Ipswich '83 boot until now. It is always fun listening to the band play "new" material to an audience that has never heard it before. Bruce is almost apologetic introducing songs that nowadays are considered absolute classics. The sound quality on this one is excellent too, so if anybody out there hasn't heard it yet - get into it!!
 
Just downloaded ipswich. Looking forward to hearing it!

I'm now on Dime and the Maiden World hub. Any other good sites

Thanks for the suggestions!
 
These are some of my favourites from each tour.
I will go through each of the tours little by little as I re-listen to some of my old bootlegs.

The Early Days 1980 - there are not too many that are of great sound quality from this tour. There are a few I can recommend, be it mainly for the sheer energy of the band at the time.

1980-06-20 Rainbow, London - the best one from this tour.
1980-10-11 Copenhagen - a bit distant - Phantom is fast!
1980-11-25 Newcastle - full of echo but also rather clear recording considering its early origin

Killer Tour 1981 - some really great ones on this tour. I won't include the japanese ones as some of those were released officially. Check out the Breaking in Bruce gigs at the end of the list.

1981-02-26 Guildford - distant
1981-03-31 Reggio Emilia - good sound
1981-04-22 Nijmegen - soundboard and brilliant
1981-04-29 Bremen - again, soundboard and Again, brilliant
1981-06-22 Milwaukee - also soundboard
1981-10-30 Milan (with Bruce)
1981-12-23 Ruskin Arms (again Bruce)
 
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desultory said:
Killer Tour 1981 - I won't include the japanese ones as some of those were released officially.
Click to expand...
Just a few songs were issued on Maiden Japan. And the recording sound on the bootleg I mentioned is even better sounding than the Maiden Japan production.
 
Downloaded the Big Heat last night in fact.

desultory said:
These are some of my favourites from each tour.
I will go through each of the tours little by little as I re-listen to some of my old bootlegs.

The Early Days 1980 - there are not too many that are of great sound quality from this tour. There are a few I can recommend, be it mainly for the sheer energy of the band at the time.

20/6 Rainbow, London (the best one from this tour)
11/10 Copenhagen (a bit distant - Phantom is fast!)
25/11 Newcastle (full of echo but also rather clear recording)

Killer Tour 1981 - some really great ones on this tour. I won't include the japanese ones as some of those were released officially. Check out the Breaking in Bruce gigs at the end of the list.

26/2 Guildford (distant)
31/3 Reggio Emilia
22/4 Nijmegen
29/4 Bremen (wow, just wow)
22/6 Milwaukee
28/6 Largo
30/10 Milan (with Bruce)
23/12 Ruskin Arms (again Bruce)
Click to expand...
Looking forward to your full list!
 
Forostar said:
Before the Exile!: Rainbow Theatre, London 21 December 1980

Other interesting ones for atmosphere/content:
10 Years Old – Eddie's Boys or Die With Your Boots On - part 1 and 2 (especially part 2 for To Tame a Land and Prowler!): Hammersmith 2nd night, Hammersmith Odeon, London, 26 May 1983.
Click to expand...
Concur with that, both have good quality sound.

And I was at both shows. :D
 
To be honest, I did not have the album at the time so don't recall any song from Piece of Mind (I don't think it had been released at the time *). Except for Revelations as some bloke in front of me shouted "my favourite", he looked a bit like Murray so I remember him more so. So I missed out on Where Eagles Dare, To Tame a land, etc.

I do remember Doctor Doctor on the intro tape. I also remember it was the night of the replay between Brighton and Man U in the FA Cup. Bruce commented on the score.



* Edit, it was ten days old at the time. I don't think I got hold of it until that summer.
 
I listened to Ipswich last night. Awesome recording. Anyone know when they started using Monty Python at the end of their shows?

Albie said:
To be honest, I did not have the album at the time so don't recall any song from Piece of Mind (I don't think it had been released at the time *).
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This really interested me listening to the Ipswich bootleg last night. Bruce introduced the new songs as songs from their upcoming album which hadn't been released yet. It seems obvious now as this was common for bands at the time, but it hadn't really occurred to me that Maiden ever went out playing most of the new album live before it even came out.

Anyway, that got me thinking: What if in Summer 2010 the band played 5 Final Frontier songs instead of 1? Would the tour have a different reception? There was already backlash from people over too many "new" songs, so would they have anything to lose doing that?
 
When they started the "No Prayer" tour, they had not released the album until midway into it. I had some recordings of "Tailghnner" and something else (thank you Mr Tommy Vance) and was aware of them, but some of the stuff played was not released. I was at Southampton and then Wembley for that tour. The Wembley gig was better as I knew the album quite well by then, and I wasn't stuck on the balcony. I believe they recorded the video for "Bring Your Daughter" at that gig, the cameras were there and Bruce said they were recording a video so I assume it was that.
 
I love to listen to Bruce's talks at different venues when listening to bootlegs. It's also kinda cool to listen to the solos they used to do back then. Nicko also had a drum solo on Piece of Mind tour at least, I guess to "introduce" the new guy to the fans so to speak :)
 
One thing with Ipswich was how loose these songs felt. Nowadays playing The Trooper is like clockwork, so it's kind of bizarre hearing it almost underrehearsed with mistakes. It reminded me of the TBOS songs at the Vegas show this year.
 
Mosh said:
Anyone know when they started using Monty Python at the end of their shows?
Click to expand...
The first recording it appeared on is the Raising Hell VHS. However, it doesn't mean they didn't use it before (my first Maiden concert being in 2003, it is difficult for me to say, and I don't have the time to check the end of each one of the 60-70 bootlegs I have on my hard drive ;) )
 
Not sure when that started. I think they did it when I saw them for the first time (1992) but it surely can be way longer ago when they started with Always Look on the Bright Side.... @Albie @Welsh Phantom ?

I believe they started with Doctor Doctor, back in 1981.


EDIT:
@MoshThe last two gigs from 1981 are interesting for their content. One mentioned by desultory:
desultory said:
23/12 Ruskin Arms (again Bruce)
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It has:
- Run to the Hills (1st time!)
- The Prisoner (1st time!)
- Happy Birthday dear Davey
- A soundcheck including Hallowed Be Thy Name (oldest recording, probably the first time they tried it outside rehearsal room / studio!)

The other one is before that:
1981-11-15 Rainbow Warriors - Rainbow Theatre, London
It has:
- 22 Acacia Avenue (1st time!)
- Children of the Damned (1st time!)
- I've Got the Fire (after this gig it was only played during most Japan gigs in 1982, the last run with Clive).

The Rainbow gig has not good sound, but again, important for its setlist.
 
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