A sea of black T-shirts adorned with the band’s iconic logo and skeletal mascot Eddie poured into the Adelaide Entertainment Centre for the sold-out Future Past Tour, Iron Maiden’s first visit since 2016.
With pandemics and global shutdowns delaying the band’s inevitable return, the passion for the legendary UK rockers was unwavering. Some fans outside the show admitted they’ve seen them more than 150 times, travelling from as far as Brazil and the UK.
This show, however, was different for many, no matter how many Iron Maiden concerts they’d attended.
Focusing on the classic 1986 album Somewhere in Time and Iron Maiden’s most recent effort Senjutsu, the night was a blend of deep cuts and new classics. Never fear, though, there was still a handful of the iconic singalongs that have filled arenas, bars and bedrooms alike for decades.
Along with anthemic duelling guitars, galloping basslines and operatic singing by frontman Bruce Dickinson, Maiden has always delivered a theatrical show with more bells, whistles and demons than you can count black T-shirts in the venues they fill.
Kicking off with “Caught Somewhere in Time” and “Stranger in a Strange Land”, from the aforementioned 1986 classic, it was powerful start for the six-piece.
Iron Maiden at the AEC. Photo: Sam Kelton
Dickinson danced and darted around the large stage with the energy and confidence of a hyperactive teenager. He is every bit the commanding frontman, with a voice just as powerful as the historic legends he sings about.
Bassist Steve Harris cut a menacing figure on stage, while the three-pronged attack of guitarists Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers danced around and shredded solos throughout the night. “The Prisoner”, from their 1982 album The Number of the Beast, was the perfect platform for the powerhouse guitarists to unleash solo after solo.
Band mascot Eddie also made several appearances in different eras of the band in guises ranging from a cowboy to a samurai – and even getting into a pyrotechnic shootout with Dickinson across the arena stage.
New track “Death of the Celts” was 10 minutes of rock pantomime with lyrics such as:
“Spirits cry for a God from the grave
In darkness, fortune favours the brave
Dying, a warrior Celt has no fear
Immortal, for he will live evermore”
But Dickinson explained there was a much deeper meaning to the song that saves it from heading into serious Spinal Tap territory.
“When you’ve got culture, music and family, nothing can kill you, no matter what,” he said.
He also mentioned his connection with Adelaide through one of his best mates and world-renowned psychologist Professor Kevin Dutton at Adelaide University. Dickinson explained his friend moved here to be close to his area of expertise, psychopaths, which got quite the cheer from the 8000-strong crowd.
Following up with the classic “Can I Play With Madness”, “Heaven Can Wait” and the anthemic singalong of “Fear of the Dark”, it was a big finish from the legendary rock act.
As they closed the main set with fan favourite “Iron Maiden”, roaring applause gave the band barely enough time to catch their breath.
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The three-song encore of “Hell on Earth”, “The Trooper” and “Wasted Years” was an epic curtain call for the UK legends, who insisted they will be back. And with Dickinson piloting them, you can count on it.
It’s clear to see there’s still plenty of flight time for one of the world’s biggest rock bands.
Iron Maiden’s The Future Past Tour continues with concerts in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney.
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