Wouldn't we all?
The Official Book of Souls Tour 2016 Thread (Warning: Spoilers within!)
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Meme Lord
There is also Holland event shirt at the store already. I'm not sure but I think this tour had more event shirts than the previous tours. From the upcoming dates I bet there's going to be Spain, Italy, Russia and Scandinavian for sure. Too bad they "repeat" some contries, their "less-known-countries" event shirt in the past have been excelent (Romania on TFF tour for example)
harrisdevot
Priest of the Holy Wristband
Does someone know if Maiden has a special merchandizing stand during the festivals ? I hope to buy the tour program. Two years ago, at Hellfest, I couldn't find a proper Maiden Merch stand.
harrisdevot
Priest of the Holy Wristband
Thanks. I'm very curious to see if bootleggers dare to show up in the very tense french context. Paris is litteraly full of cops and soldiers, and even if their attention is focused on Euro 2016, I assume that the gig will get its share.
At the festivals, Maiden shirts tend to be on general merch stands for all the bands. That's certainly how Download do it at Donington, so my guess is they'll do that at Paris too. Maiden shirts have a habit of selling out very early, too. I'm not confident I'll get one at Donington because Maiden are on the last day
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
I couldn't find it yesterday, damn it. I blame that to the combination of my arrival time and location in the stadium. I had seats with my wife and son.
I hope to score a tour book in Oslo.
Working Warhurst
Invader
You were a bit late? I know I was. The Raven Age had already started when we arrived. I thought I saw a stand outside but inside there was one for sure. But it was located floorside.
This time we stood at the back so my wife could have a better view. Also when you arrive late the best places are already taken. The show was good but the sound was not that good at the back.
As you mentioned last concert was in Arnhem as well. First time we were really early and both times we had a good get away. Some other places it took more time to leave the city as that it did take to get home last night.
Did your son enjoy it? And if so is he going to Oslo as well? For all the Oslo people, Enjoy!!!
This time we stood at the back so my wife could have a better view. Also when you arrive late the best places are already taken. The show was good but the sound was not that good at the back.
As you mentioned last concert was in Arnhem as well. First time we were really early and both times we had a good get away. Some other places it took more time to leave the city as that it did take to get home last night.
Did your son enjoy it? And if so is he going to Oslo as well? For all the Oslo people, Enjoy!!!
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Here some thoughts on the Arnhem gig.
Nothing from the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album! It can be seen as logical, after doing the Maiden England tour three freckin'years in a row, but it's still rare. This only happened in 2005, when Maiden played material from the first four albums (and the eternal Fear of the Dark).
Apart from Blood Brothers, we got nothing from any other albums by this line-up! If we do not count A Matter of Life and Death tour (where there was hardly room for anything else besides the new album), this is also rare for album tours by this line-up (always at least two songs from other recent albums).
I was spoiled (either here, either via YouTube) so I knew that Powerslave, Tears of a Clown and Children of the Damned would come, but these were nice additions in the setlist nonetheless! I had not expected Blood Brothers and Death or Glory(!). I thought Maiden would do 5 new songs, so I was very glad this last one came on!
@Brigantium I remember that you said Dave didn't look fit and now I know what you mean (I think?): the man has grown a fat head in the last six months. I didn't see it in that Hawaii footage early January, so something has happened in the meantime. Anyway, his playing was not affected. In the beginning his solos were not as loud as I'm used to, maybe his sound doesn't work well for the place where I was or it was due to the mixing. When Powerslave came on, that changed and it stayed well for the rest of the gig.
Highlights:
All new songs apart from The Red and the Black. On TRATB: after the first awesome 5 minutes I could easily have gone to the toilet, but decided to stay and see what happened. Well, just a lot of the same, as explained several times here. This setlist would have been so much better if we had one or two other (new) songs in its place, from the new ones e.g. The Man of Sorrows and/or The Great Unknown. Still I am glad that I saw the whole song, because I learned that Adrian and Janick did the melodies and Dave played the heavy riffs. It looked rather new, or odd, because often Dave did play melodies on many other songs (with Janick or Adrian, while one of these two does rhythm).
If Eternity Should Fail:
Nice to find out who plays what. Both Dave and Adrian do the long, open chords during the verses and Janick plays rhythm (like Steve).
The Book of Souls:
What a spectacle! Also visually of course, with that amazing walking Eddie. The whole song was great but I liked how Steve and Janick played that intro and outro. Just together, knowing and feeling that timing. Those duo moments (like in Lord of Light or Sign of the Cross) are always impressive to see, I think.
This was so atmospheric and haunting. Steve's stare during these moments is priceless.
Death or Glory:
I liked how Adrian threw his slide to Bruce, in the middle of his solo!
Oldies: Children of the Damned.
Bruce was very strong in that high chorus, and nice that Adrian used an acoustic guitar. It took the band 34 years to try that out.
Powerslave: solo feast! Cool to have this (in a none-history-ish tour!) instead of 2 Minutes or Aces High.
Wasted Years as set closer, never done before! I mean, the song itself can be expected, but Maiden often tend to end with Running Free or Sanctuary in the last decades. This particular Wasted Years (perhaps more often on the tour??) was enjoyable for Bruce playing "annoying" "tricks" with Adrian's microphone. Then Bruce and Adrian switch microphones, and Bruce even "forced" Adrian to say something at the audience at the end (asks Adrian "What do you think?" and I think Adrian said "How're you doing?" or "Thank you, goo'night", but I'm not sure). All this starts here.
Back to band fitness and interaction:
I felt that Nicko played better than in the previous 5 or more years. More tight, hardly mistakes and despite not liking that long second half, I was impressed how he kept going in The Red and the Black. He's sixty four!! And plays better! Perhaps not drinking anymore helps, who knows.
Adrian indeed looked very fit. Bruce performed phenomenally well. When I heard the chorus of Children of the Damned, it really was a WTF moment.
I had some worries because earlier this year I felt he didn't talk well but had no clue about his singing abilities.
There was more interaction than I've seen in many a year. Lots of fun and movement on stage! One of the best performances I've seen.
Last but not least: my son went to his first concert and he loved it!
Nothing from the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album! It can be seen as logical, after doing the Maiden England tour three freckin'years in a row, but it's still rare. This only happened in 2005, when Maiden played material from the first four albums (and the eternal Fear of the Dark).
Apart from Blood Brothers, we got nothing from any other albums by this line-up! If we do not count A Matter of Life and Death tour (where there was hardly room for anything else besides the new album), this is also rare for album tours by this line-up (always at least two songs from other recent albums).
I was spoiled (either here, either via YouTube) so I knew that Powerslave, Tears of a Clown and Children of the Damned would come, but these were nice additions in the setlist nonetheless! I had not expected Blood Brothers and Death or Glory(!). I thought Maiden would do 5 new songs, so I was very glad this last one came on!
@Brigantium I remember that you said Dave didn't look fit and now I know what you mean (I think?): the man has grown a fat head in the last six months. I didn't see it in that Hawaii footage early January, so something has happened in the meantime. Anyway, his playing was not affected. In the beginning his solos were not as loud as I'm used to, maybe his sound doesn't work well for the place where I was or it was due to the mixing. When Powerslave came on, that changed and it stayed well for the rest of the gig.
Highlights:
All new songs apart from The Red and the Black. On TRATB: after the first awesome 5 minutes I could easily have gone to the toilet, but decided to stay and see what happened. Well, just a lot of the same, as explained several times here. This setlist would have been so much better if we had one or two other (new) songs in its place, from the new ones e.g. The Man of Sorrows and/or The Great Unknown. Still I am glad that I saw the whole song, because I learned that Adrian and Janick did the melodies and Dave played the heavy riffs. It looked rather new, or odd, because often Dave did play melodies on many other songs (with Janick or Adrian, while one of these two does rhythm).
If Eternity Should Fail:
Nice to find out who plays what. Both Dave and Adrian do the long, open chords during the verses and Janick plays rhythm (like Steve).
The Book of Souls:
What a spectacle! Also visually of course, with that amazing walking Eddie. The whole song was great but I liked how Steve and Janick played that intro and outro. Just together, knowing and feeling that timing. Those duo moments (like in Lord of Light or Sign of the Cross) are always impressive to see, I think.
This was so atmospheric and haunting. Steve's stare during these moments is priceless.
Death or Glory:
I liked how Adrian threw his slide to Bruce, in the middle of his solo!
Oldies: Children of the Damned.
Bruce was very strong in that high chorus, and nice that Adrian used an acoustic guitar. It took the band 34 years to try that out.
Powerslave: solo feast! Cool to have this (in a none-history-ish tour!) instead of 2 Minutes or Aces High.
Wasted Years as set closer, never done before! I mean, the song itself can be expected, but Maiden often tend to end with Running Free or Sanctuary in the last decades. This particular Wasted Years (perhaps more often on the tour??) was enjoyable for Bruce playing "annoying" "tricks" with Adrian's microphone. Then Bruce and Adrian switch microphones, and Bruce even "forced" Adrian to say something at the audience at the end (asks Adrian "What do you think?" and I think Adrian said "How're you doing?" or "Thank you, goo'night", but I'm not sure). All this starts here.
Back to band fitness and interaction:
I felt that Nicko played better than in the previous 5 or more years. More tight, hardly mistakes and despite not liking that long second half, I was impressed how he kept going in The Red and the Black. He's sixty four!! And plays better! Perhaps not drinking anymore helps, who knows.
Adrian indeed looked very fit. Bruce performed phenomenally well. When I heard the chorus of Children of the Damned, it really was a WTF moment.
I had some worries because earlier this year I felt he didn't talk well but had no clue about his singing abilities.
There was more interaction than I've seen in many a year. Lots of fun and movement on stage! One of the best performances I've seen.
Last but not least: my son went to his first concert and he loved it!
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I admire the fact that you managed to avoid getting spoiled, especially when it comes to Death or Glory, climbing monkeys and the like
Indeed. I'm pretty sure there were monkey references all over the place!
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
It took me two times to appreciate it. When I first saw them do TRATB in Vegas I was also a little fatigued/bored/whatever after about 6-7 minutes. The second time in Chicago, I loved every single second. I actually enjoyed the instrumental more than the vocal parts.
Really the most important part of anything.
Yep, both times I saw TRATB I thought the instrumental section was a highlight of the show.
