Iron Maiden (Vienna - Stadthalle - 08.06.03)
Written by: Ale¹ Podbre¾nik
I was watching Iron Maiden here on 15th of December in 1995. The band was Xfactouring with new frontman Blaze Bailey, and hall was almost empty. And now? It was completely packed.
What I'll never accept is decision of choosing such support acts as Murderdolls. My money went to feed their mouths. Hell no! Murderdolls are kind of thing that I will never understood. If you are looking for anti-propaganda that tries to smash down everything good that rock music ever delivered from Elvis Presley to Yes and further on till presence, than Murderdolls will perfectly suit you. All I could felt was how my pants were moving. I couldn't distinguish two different tunes. They were lost in filth of distorted disharmony. Singer was yelling as if someone would constantly torture a cat, by stepping on its tail. "Beat it suckers!" I was hardly dyin' for that moment to happen and as the audience would felt my vibes it reacted in the same vein by throwing three plastic glasses of beer on stage. It is unusual to see that, because Austrian audience is always correct and has iron nerves. This is no music if you ask me, never! And I paid for that torture. It was real paradox. When Metallica came to my hometown Ljubljana with phenomenal support Mercyfull Fate, I said as a true anti-Metallica fan to myself: "Metallica won't eat my bread!" And I had suffered from not seeing Mercyfull Fate. I could do the same this time, but... obviously I am able to survive everything just to see Iron Maiden. And they know that, so they don't care much, who is their support (at least in Europe). There are many bands that make a real great music and would grab with both hands opportunity of bein' support to Iron Maiden. Well, if Murderdolls were chased with cans of beer in peaceful Vienna town, they surely won't survive Zagreb. I hope that this band already wrote their testament, because hot temperament Croatian audience will kill them on the stage.
At 20,30 a light reflector spotted a well known one bass pedal drum kit fortress and a man, who tried to be funny behind it. Nicko himself! Crowd immediately reacted by raising some more noise. Narrative of The Number of The Beast followed and the thing started. Another one followed "Revelations, Chapter XIII, Verse 18 - 666 hit". It was The Trooper with hotfooted Bruce waving U.K. flag as usual for that occasion. Bruce did it phenomenal. Somehow he brought that "Live After Death" recordings back to life. But he wasn't alone. Sound was great. I mean superb. All three or two guitar harmonies were crystal clear all solos were in sound balance while guitarists were chasing their tunes. And The Trooper just needs that room to breathe because song is perforated with tierces. And this was perfect sound and perfect performance I've ever dreamed about. I saw Iron Maiden for five times prior to this gig. A story with Bailey reflected complete different band. They were good, but far from being what they used to be. With Bruce and Adrian rejoining the gang back in '99 and phenomenal set list in short reunion Ed Hunter tour ("All right Bruce, it wasn't reunion as you explained in Milan.") when I watched them in Milan (23. 9. 1999), I said to myself: "This is fuckin' it!" Okay. Next was Izola, Slovenia, (9. 6. 2000) and the band's sound wasn't good and even the band members seemed somehow lost and not being on the same page there. But this band here in Vienna was my ever dreamland. Bruce wore the same clothes as on Iron Maiden's Brave New World Tour. Steve disguised himself back from football player into "Fear of The Dark" era Steve. Band was determined to push to the limits and tear down the hall. They continued with real vintage set. Die With Your Boots On was the first song from that set. After that surprise, they slowed down things a little bit. "Here is a story about Ancient Egypt, Aliester Crowley, T.C. Chastain..." started Bruce and ended with his huge scream that pierced the hall's air: "Revelations!" After 18 fuckin' long years of waiting, back in their set list! Can't understand what is happening to me, this isn't real, this is only a dream! Okay I'm using "Heaven Can Wait" verses here, but I was truly launched in a real heaven here. And I wasn't the only one. What electricity fulfilled air! Faithful audience, real loyal fans carried an important part in making that possible. The entire hall was singing and breathing along with the band. Intro of Hallowed Be Thy Name was straight proof to that collision. Another vintage killer followed immortal piece; 22 Acacia Avenue with Adrian's in the center of the spotlights while playing the opening riff.
This was somehow closure of the first part of a gig. The Wildest Dream, a new song, short Wrathchild's fashioned buster of a length less than five minutes, opened band's second part of a set list that consisted mainly from newer material. It was followed by newer speedy Maiden's thing. The Wicker Man, with crowd that made some big noise here, and mini epic The Clansman with Steve doing intro on his acoustical bass, a brilliant piece, where you can be always amazed again and again over unique rhythm section jams. Jazzy Nicko's bridges well shielded and supported with Steve's thundering bass chops. I was astonished over the supremacy of Clairvoyant's performance. A perfect timing and what chemistry resurrected this band out from the ashes. I was thinking: "Why I keep on surrounding myself with all this metal stuff, while there are two bands that set all standards that satisfy my metal taste? Iron Maiden and Judas Priest! I really don't ask for more!"
Then piece taken from my favorite Maiden studio album ("Somewhere in Time", 1986), Heaven Can Wait came. I never got the opportunity to see and hear this song with Bruce on vocals. Powerful intro riff faded into blazing fast rhythm and full force singer's involvement. Band was in great shape on that day. Bruce's vocals were powerful in all his sequences, including the highest ones. In Heaven Can Wait, he left the audience some space to scream out the title verse in chorus. As usual fans, friends and relatives who are traveling along with touring band joined them on stage doin' together that "Ooh, ooh, ooh", part of a song. Iron Maiden satisfied also all those who wouldn't survive without Fear of The Dark, by including it on a set list, while I'm already pretty tired of it. At least I cooled down a bit here.
Also Iron Maiden came out in its best version I've ever heard from that band. Precise and speeded to the limits. They didn't forget to include a new silver dressed Eddie's figure that raised his lobotomized head behind Nicko's backs. The main set was closed. Oh, I almost forgot, walking Eddie was disguised as a king (the same one as appears on the front cover sleeve artwork of "Edward The Great" best of issue).
Encore. Bruce gave to all the people with daughters a very special advice. He began somehow in this style: "Does anyone have a daughter? As you might already know, we have another full length new studio album finished with its releasing date set for September. Well, let me see (while counting months with his fingers)... Vienna?!?! Would you like as to play here again in November?" After audience's huge positive reply, he finished: "Well, when we'll be back in town make sure that your daughters are well locked up!"
Intro of Bring Your Daughter...was a great communication between Bruce and audience that faded into straight rock'n'roll evil butchering riff. And band had a great time performing that piece again since Fear Of The Dark Tour. Of course, gig wouldn't be perfect if at least one Powerslave piece would be missing here. Two Minutes To Midnight was done in best version that ever reached my ears. Phenomenal, this piece in its middle instrumental section always brings tears in my eyes, and this time it was really convincible. Short, but very difficult piece was waiting for shouter right at the end. Run To The Hills with singing lines in chorus sounding the same as in golden eighties. Bruce kept all his shouting powers almost unharmed after all these years. And all guys are acting on stage as if they are teenagers again, aging around 20 and not well over 40. They are following the footsteps of the biggest ones, like Motörhead, Judas Priest, Uriah Heep or Yes. All examples are still sounding so young on stage, with such creative energy, as if they were born yesterday, full of reactivating power abilities that derives out from their strong faith. Only the strongest survive. And Iron Maiden are undoubtedly one of them.
Iron Maiden went through real resurrection and are marching with full force. Give Me Ed Till I'm Dead Tour is a must for every Maiden fan to visit it. Main reasons for that are: first of all, unbeatable form that this band finds right now and holds this fortress called Iron Maiden still hard to overmatch, and the second one is a fantastic refreshed vintage set list. I'm hoping that in the second European tour in fall this year Maiden's won't spoil that set list by putting around six new pieces in it. Meanwhile we're waiting for the band's second European leg, let us hope that current touring will run smooth for Maiden's and that Janick will not try to dive off the stage, like he did on previous tour.
Iron Maiden set list (8. 6. 2003, Vienna Stadthalle):
01.) The Number Of The Beast
02.) The Trooper
03.) Die With Your Boots On
04.) Revelations
05.) Hallowed Be Thy Name
06.) 22 Acacia Avenue
07.) The Wildest Dream
08.) The Wicker Man
09.) Brave New World
10.) The Clansman
11.) The Clairvoyant
12.) Heaven Can Wait
13.) Fear Of The Dark
14.) Iron Maiden
----------------------------------------------- Encore
15.) Bring Your Daughter...To The Slaughter
16.) Two Minutes To Midnight
17.) Run To The Hills
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