The Official Book of Souls Tour 2016 Thread (Warning: Spoilers within!)

Several people I know have gone straight from Florida to Vegas. It looks like this show is bringing people from all over the world too.
 
StormTheTrooper said:
And about FotD, Trooper, NotB...would you ask for the Stones to not play Satisfaction? Would you ask Purple to quit Highway Star? AC/DC retiring Back in Black and Highway to Hell? "Hey, Page, could you not play Stairway to Heaven? I'm tired of listening to it". Those songs are the symbol of the band, the marks that all the crowd will surely follow, that made them (even more) famous, and, damn it, the song they like to play. Maiden did a big thing by skipping Hallowed on 2012/13/14, RttH on 10/11/16, 2MTM this tour...you don't see other rock/metal bands dropping "hit songs" like that. That kind of song is the core of EVERY band, specially on an album tour. I'm amazed and thrilled that they are actually bringing back 2 gems. Every other band would play safe and execute the famous songs (2MTM and RttH).
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Fucking this. I've always said that about hits, and for that matter any other song. If a band, Maiden or otherwise, wants to play a song, let them. There's bound to be something in the set you like. I'm fine with Metallica playing Enter Sandman at the end of every show, and I'm certainly fine with Iron Maiden including NotB in the encore. ....But to be honest I'm glad Run to the Hills isn't in this set.
 
Hello guys. New here. I'll just leave you my humble opinion on the setlist:

1 . If Eternity Should Fail
2. Speed of Light

Nothing to say. Totally expected.

3. Children of the Damned

OMFG I literally let out a silent one when I found out this one made the list. Superb classic. It's great to see them play it once again after SBIT tour.

4. Tears of a clown

It seems like you people either love or hate this song. No grey area. Well, if I had to pick a side, I would choose the hater one. But not because I hate the song. I love it as I love all Maiden songs. It's just that I'm not a big fan of the lyrics. I mean, the music is great, the GUITARS ARE EFFING AWESOME, but I don't think the lyrics really live up to the song (or its intended message). I would rather they had included When the River Runs Deep instead of this one, but what the hell, I'll enjoy it all the same.

5. The Red and the Black

I would have cried like a sissy girl if this one hadn't made the list. Probably one of the best songs of the album (and the best Harry has written in years). Ideally suited for live performance.

6. The Trooper

What can I say? If it weren't for this song I probably wouldn't be into Maiden. Yes, I've seen them play it live on every show since 1983. Yes, as a hardcore fan I'd prefer to see them play rarer stuff, like say, Out of the Silent Planet. But hell, it's their signature song. Probably half the audience at every concert is attending an Iron Maiden gig for the first time in their lives, and they deserve to hear it.

7. Powerslave

Holy sh*t, I didn't expect this one. Good pick. Again, like COTD, it's nice too hear it once more after SBIT tour (it's been 7 years already?).

8. Death or glory

Probably the best song on Disc 2, leaving Empire of the Clouds aside. IMO, at least. Still, I would rather it traded places with When the River Runs Deep. Man, what I wouldn't give to hear that song live.

9. The Book of Souls

After two months or so of being madly in love with RATB, I discovered this song. I had overlooked it on my first album listens. I mean, I liked it from the start, but I didn't notice its MAJESTICNESS until later. Now, it's my favourite, hands down.

10. Hallowed be Thy Name

The return of the king.

11. Fear of the Dark

Same as the Trooper. I would rather hear something else by now. But it would be sinful to remove it from the list.

12. Iron Maiden

If I were to define this song I would say: "a ritualistic act of worship". As such, it's a no-brainer.

13. The Number of the Beast

See Fear of the Dark and The Trooper.

14. Blood Brothers

This song turns me into a hugging bear. Curious choice for the encore. But I found that good for a change.

15. Wasted Years

I'll now for sure when I see them live in two weeks, but this struck me as a great concert finisher. Timeless classic and great chorus for singing along.



The total running time of the setlist is about an hour and fifty minutes. I read a couple of complaints about it, but I don't think Maiden has played any longer than two hours since Rock in Rio 2001. Still, a 16th song wouldn't have killed them (would it?). Personally, I would have thrown in something off of the "newer" stuff, like No More Lies, Different World, The Talisman...
 
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After watching some footage from Florida and most of the live stream of Tulsa, I can honestly say that the band still has it 110 fucking percent!!! Bruce's voice is still it top shape and sounds just incredible! Him singing "we're blood brothers" over and over again at the end of the song where he does it a bit higher was FREAKING AMAZING!!! And he ran around the upper part of the stage like his usual madman self! WOWWWWW!!!!!
 
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So folks here it is......

Iron Maiden shattered every expectation I had.

They seemed like a completely different band than the one I saw in 2012! And the band I saw in 2012 charged the stage and kicked ass! WOW. JUST, WOW. I bought a seat in section 316, but I knew I wouldn't sit down the entire show (which, I didn't). I was pretty disappointed at how dreadful The Raven Age were, so when the guys were setting up Maiden's stage I sat down, screwed with my phone, etc....

Then I heard it.

Doctor, Doctor came on. Alright keep it together, keep it together.

Lights dim.

Intro keyboard from If Eternity Should Fail blares through the arena.

I swore I jumped 4 feet off the ground. I started screaming, "HEEREEEEEEEEEEE IS THE SOULLLLLLLLLLL OF AAAA MANNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!". When the intro was done and the band blew onto the stage...... Wow, my jaw dropped. And stayed there. These guys' energy is insane! I headbanged, I jumped, I yelled "ADRIAN FUCKING SMITH I AM NOT WORTHY" more than 10 times..... Ahhh, it was bliss. So many great memories!!! Each solo rocked! I couldn't believe I was in the presence of the Three Amigos! What a group of guys! And Adrian! Oh GOD! He just pulls notes out of thin air! It was magical! Also, Bruce HAS NOT skipped a beat! He killed it. Steve and Nicko also kicked major ass!!!! The bass solo in TRATB made my knees weak! Every single drum fill almost killed me hahahaha.

So, I think I've already made the point of the band being in top form. The set was PERFECT! I screamed like a little girl was Powerslave was announced! WOW DID NOT SEE THAT ONE COMING!!!!!!!! Also, Iron Maiden (the song) sounded so fucking heavy. What a rocker. Seeing FotD was a treat, goosebumps as always. Also, HALLOWED!!!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!! IT WAS MAGIC! I hugged everybody on my row during Blood Brothers. The decision to have TNotB in the encore was killer! Excellent choice guys! I HAD A BLAST!!! Definitely one of the greatest days of life!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm still in disbelief!!! Speed of Light was soooooooooooooooo damn good live! Best live song from TBoS imo.

My favorite part of the concert was definitely Wasted Years! As I said before, each solo completely floored me. The buildup to Adrian's solo was so intense. I felt something surge through me and I threw off my battlejacket and ripped off my shirt and swung it around my head and pointed STRAIGHT AT ADRIAN AND I KEPT YELLED "THAT'S ADRIAN FUCKING SMITH!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOOOOOODDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!". Definitely my favorite part, so much passion put into that solo!!! It really brought a tear to my eye!

Overall, one of the greatest moments of my entire life. 10/10, perfect set, perfect performances...... IF YOU HAVEN'T BOUGHT A TICKET YET YOU NEED TO!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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Chip said:
It IS the masterpiece of the album. People have been asking about it regularly despite interviews they've done.
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Empire of the Clouds is a very nice song. But it is by no stretch a master piece. The piano part is probably at the advanced stage of level 1 piano, Level 1, 2, and 3 are very much beginner stages. I'm a beginner in piano and I find Empire very easy to play. From a technical, difficulty and complexity perspective the song is simple, beginners level. It is certainly not a master class.
All that said, it is an enjoyable and emotional song. I like it, BUT it isn't a must for a concert, It is way too long. You could listen to this one song OR listen to three medium length or two very long songs.
 
StormTheTrooper said:
And about FotD, Trooper, NotB...would you ask for the Stones to not play Satisfaction? Would you ask Purple to quit Highway Star? AC/DC retiring Back in Black and Highway to Hell?
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It's a trade off isn't it. Ive seen too many concerts, have too many DVD's with these same songs over and over again.
Personally I'd like to hear other songs, rare live performances. Perhaps Still Life, perhaps To tame a Land, perhaps Alexander the Great, ...

But, of course from a commercial aspect, most people that attend the Maiden concerts aren't hardcore Maiden fans that own all the albums and have all the DVDs, most of the people have heard the singles on the Rock radio stations, they want to hear the "famous" classics live for themselves.

I'm really stoked they are playing The Red and the Black, I think Speed of Light, From here to Eternity, and Book of Souls is great. Personally I could do without Death of Glory and I am on the fence regarding Tears of a Clown. I think in the context of the album having two slow "ballads" together at the end of the album with TOAC and MOS really kills the momentum of the album, it should be climactic in energy. By the time the second ballad comes on I feel Oh no, not another one and I start to regret both of the songs.

But in an almost two hour concert, having one ballad might be a treat, will see, when they come to NZ and I get to experience it myself.

Really happy they are playing Powerslave and Children of the Damned. A tad disappointed there is nothing from AMOLD and FF, but I can't have everything. Just shows how great their catalogue is, they can't fit everything into just one concert.


Oh, I love the idea of having Wasted Years as the closer, It's such a great song and not played live that much.
 
Poto said:
I don't get the hate for Tears of a Clown. I like it, it's a bit different than what we normally get from Maiden. And the guitar solos are terrific.
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As far as I am concerned, it is among the best songs on the new album, in terms of efficiency (a quality that has slightly dwindled in Maiden's music since the X Factor, I think).
 
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Awesome review James! So glad you had a super amazing time!

If it wasn't for being about Robin Williams, Tears Of A Clown wouldn't do anything for me. I'm not quite sure what you mean by "efficiency" Bart.
 
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