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

If Eternity Should Fail is, probably, as good as Wicker Man as a opener. Worst than Moonchild and Aces High, probably on the sane level of Futureal and Be Quick or Be Dead, and above the others. I mean, Caught Somewhere in Time is an amazing song, but i can see i the bootlegs that, even in 1986, Bruce weren't able to sing the song exactly like the album record

Seen some footage as well and have to agree.

Probably too hard to catch the sound live vocally as well as musically, takes some of the magic away.

Makes me sad actually, SiT being my favorite Album :(
 
Let's compare the setlist of this album tour and that of the previous one (based on En Vivo but taking into account that it underwent changes from its original form) and relish on how methodically they are designed. ;)

1. Satellite 15 / The Final Frontier - 1. If Eternity Should Fail
2. El Dorado - 2. Speed of Light
In both cases, the openers of the album. The Necropolis bit tend to create a first pause - which the segue of "TFF" into "El Dorado" managed to avoid - but I think it is a question of equipment (tuning? I haven't checked yet).

3. 2 Minutes to Midnight - 3. Children of the Damned
4. The Talisman (!) - 4. Tears of a Clown
5. Coming Home
An oldie or classic, followed by the slower song from the new album. (!) Remember that "The Talisman" used to be between "TETMD" and "FOTD" when the tour started in Russia in February 2011)

6. Dance of Death - 5. The Red and the Black
The first big complex one.

7. The Trooper - 6. The Trooper
'Nuff said :D (a good way to inject some power and speed back into the show)

8. The Wicker Man - 7. Powerslave
9. Blood Brothers - 8. Death or Glory
10. When the Wild Wind Blows - 9. The Book of Souls
The "thick of it", in which the climax is represented by the long, complex song from the new album (or one of those, when there are several on the album, in this case "TRATB" and "TBOS" - "EOTC" not being eligible for live performance).

11. The Evil That Men Do - 10. Hallowed Be Thy Name
(11'. The Talisman - in the first dates of the tour)
A classic that more or less has the same dynamic and crowd-pleasing function as "The Trooper" but a bit longer and/or more complex.

12. Fear of the Dark - 11. Fear of the Dark
13. Iron Maiden - 12. Iron Maiden
The "mandadory" end sequence of any Iron Maiden set: it seems that, while "Iron Maiden" has always occupied this spot, "FOTD" - after being played in the late middle of the set when it was new in 1992/93 - has grown to accompany it "naturally" (like ZZ Top's "Jesus Just Left Chicago" with "Waiting for the Bus" - though in this case, it is more of a technical coincidence they have exploited). Can someone research for how long it has been at this spot? From memory, it must be since "the X Factour" (20 years...).

Encores
14. The Number of the Beast - 13. The Number of the Beast
Another "mandatory" one - with the first comers and classic-oriented members of the audience, but still a shoe-in to get the crowd pleased and excited. The only time it was put aside was in the first leg of the AMOLAD tour. I feel that this song is just "predictable" or "boring" on paper only, not when you are in the crowd.

15. Hallowed Be Thy Name - 14. Blood Brothers
16. Running Free - 15. Wasted Years
This part seems to be where Maiden has been the most original compared to the previous tour, even though each song can be labelled a 'classic' (even "BB" for a lot of Maiden fans - I for one still consider it a rather new song, but it is starting to change ;) ). The only analytical aspect I can make out of these for the moment is that there is one song which is about relatively 'passively' appreciating it ("HBTN", "Wasted Years") and another one which requires more crowd participation ("Running Free", "Blood Brothers"), and that this order has been reversed from one tour to another.

To conclude, this comparison shows how well thought-out Maiden setlists are in so far as they offer a mix of predictability and surprise, while taking into account at the same time the physical capacities of the musicians (see "The Talisman", displaced because it was too much for Bruce's voice at this moment of the concert).
 
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Caught somewhere in Time, Moonchild, Aces High clearly rips it in terms of energy and coming out with a bang to start a show.

One of the great aspects of the new setlist is that Maiden didn't succumb to the obvious and "come out with a bang to start a show". They could have kicked things off with Speed Of Light, which btw sounds as though it totally rocks live according to those at the first couple of shows, but instead the band chose to go with the atmospheric, grooving mid tempo IESF. My hat goes off to the band for opening the show with the album opener, and I throw my hat high in the air with delight because Bruce sings the opening lines of the song live and it isn't pre-recorded.

Maiden has selected its best set list in a long, long time.

1) Six new songs! I was disappointed that only five TFF songs were played on the last album tour so this is really pleasing news.
2) Two 10 minute+ epics and five other songs over 7 minutes in length. Aside from the AMOLAD tour has Maiden ever played this many long songs in a single concert?
3) Children Of The Damned, Powerslave and Wasted Years are the best selection of classic era songs to accompany the 5 "mandatory" classics for any reunion album tour.
- BNW was Wrathchild, 2 Minutes, The Evil That Men Do, Sanctuary
- DOD was Wrathchild, Can I Play With Madness, Run To The Hills
- AMOLAD was 2 Mins and TETMD
- TFF was 2 Mins, TETMD and Running Free
- TBOS blitzes all of the above

I would love an AMOLAD song squeezed in somewhere, perhaps instead of Blood Brothers, but all in all it is an outstanding setlist.

Bring on Sydney and Melbourne.
 
For the users that went to the merch booth in Fort Lauderdale, can someone inform me if the Powerslave T-Shirt have a identification of the tour?

Well I didn't go to the FL gig but have you seen this image? Shows you both front and back of most (all?) the shirts. The powerslave one is second last I believe?

merch2.jpg
 
Well I didn't go to the FL gig but have you seen this image? Shows you both front and back of most (all?) the shirts. The powerslave one is second last I believe?

merch2.jpg

I saw, but not so big. I can read now "The Book of Souls World Tour".
Now i don't know if i'll buy the Powerslave or the Brazilian Tour T-Shirt...
 
I love IESF as the opener. The moment I heard this song (in pretty inspiring surroundings at the studio listening party) I wanted it to open the live show. A very grand and impressive song with such an intense, atmospheric and scene setting build up, and launching into a hallmark Maiden harmony. That song was meant to start shows in my opinion. The stage show even looks a lot like I envisioned it on first listen.
 
If Eternity Should Fail was already a strong competitor for my favourite opening track, probably closely tied with Aces High and Moonchild, but upon seeing videos of it opening up the current tour I think it will become my favourite concert opener.

The atmosphere and theatricality is fantastic and the stage show is amazing, along with one of the catchiest Maiden choruses.
 
Just found out that my ticket to Dortmund will be General Acces... even on the Ranks. A Festival in an Arena will be deadly.

So if i go to take a piss after Sabaton and waiting for Maiden my place might be gone.

What a catastropic organisation
 
Sounds an expensive option, even if it would make them less likely to be mobbed outside the airport.
 
I've been looking for some decent Death or Glory footage and finally a couple of videos emerged.
Tulsa one is very nice. Steve's bass is amazingly clear! Check that YT users for more songs.

Tulsa:


Ft. Lauderdale:


PS. H is dropping his slide on the floor - risky. He should have already known better. :bigsmile:
 
I'm sorry, don't want to knock a seasoned singer like Bruce here, but the first verse sounds very out of breath here... both shows
 
It was a Dave-related fall in Vancouver, I believe. I've seen that vid from a different angle and it's a cable he trips on.
 
I've been looking for some decent Death or Glory footage and finally a couple of videos emerged.
Tulsa one is very nice. Steve's bass is amazingly clear! Check that YT users for more songs.

Tulsa:


Ft. Lauderdale:


PS. H is dropping his slide on the floor - risky. He should have already known better. :bigsmile:

Great footage there. From one of the clips I saw the other day, I got the impression Bruce was being hesitant to belt out longer high notes, he's keeping them short.
 
Ya, Bruce has been keeping notes short since I heard him on For The Greater Good Of God back on 2006. However, that jump over the speaker is freaking awesome!
I love IESF as the opener. The moment I heard this song (in pretty inspiring surroundings at the studio listening party) I wanted it to open the live show. A very grand and impressive song with such an intense, atmospheric and scene setting build up, and launching into a hallmark Maiden harmony. That song was meant to start shows in my opinion. The stage show even looks a lot like I envisioned it on first listen.
And what a unique thing they're doing with Bruce coming on the stage to sing the opening part and staying there and then the rest of the band comes out. And I think this might be my most favorite stage production because of all the torches and the way they light up the eyes of those statues. They've really created an amazing atmosphere with this one.
 
And what a unique thing they're doing with Bruce coming on the stage to sing the opening part and staying there and then the rest of the band comes out. And I think this might be my most favorite stage production because of all the torches and the way they light up the eyes of those statues. They've really created an amazing atmosphere with this one.

Absolutely, the moment I saw Bruce standing in the spotlight over the incense burner I had a huge grin on my face, simply awesome. I can't wait to see it in person at Donington.
 
Does anyone have a actual physical ticket from the Fort Lauderdale show that you would sell for my collection and i would also like to buy any guitar picks or sweatbands from the new tour if you are willing to sell them thanks.
 
I don't get people saying that. Like , get real.

Caught somewhere in Time, Moonchild, Aces High clearly rips it in terms of energy and coming out with a bang to start a show.

I'm not one of those "the 80's songs are Maiden, nothing else", but please...

Best opener in the 00's is much more appropriate

Agreed. Nothing beats Churchill's speech followed by Aces High with the pyro. I was lucky enough to experience that on the World Slavery Tour and the Somewhere Back in Time tour.
 
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