Photos by Justin White
Words by Belinda Quick
Already gracing audiences across Europe and North America, IRON MAIDEN broached the hemispheric divide. Revisiting the music that spans their lifetime and inspired so many of ours, the heavy metal legends returned to Australia.
After a mammoth 2023, and 37 previous performances, IRON MAIDEN opened 2024’s first chapter of The Future Past Tour.Landing in Perth on September 1st, Adelaide was treated to the second performance mid-week; Eastern States waiting with bated breath to see what stalwart classics and potential surprises were in store on the UK legends’ Australian leg.
Last visiting our shores in 2016 as part of The Book of Souls World Tour, this was a split celebration of the bookends of IRON MAIDEN’s almost 50-year career. Connecting their most recent album, Senjutsu, with 1986’s Somewhere in Time, this was a night for all ages, and enjoyed as such.
Supported by a formidable and interchangeable group of bands over the nineteen months across the globe, including ATREYU, DISTURBED & THE HU, Australia’s accompanying act, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, undoubtedly took the crown of the collective. Themselves performing a set constructed from 25 years of musical experience; theirs is only half of the lifespan of the hosts, yet still an amazing feat.
As Daylight Dies outside and the house lights dim within the Adelaide Entertainment Centre Arena, My Curse explodes. With Strength of Mind and body, legendary vocalist Jesse Leach screamed words of “honour, basking in this” opportunity. As if enveloping the thick crowd on the floor with Arms of Sorrow, embrace was matched by emotion and appreciation.
Sharing a personal connection of a father crushing cassetted dreams and “devil’s music” underfoot, Leach’s passion for The Number of the Beast has never been extinguished. Laughing demonically he cries, “Look at me dad, I’m opening for IRON MAIDEN!” to the audience’s delight. Energies Unleashed, This is Absolution and the music is forever.
In Due Time, telltale signs hinted that KILLSWITCH ENGAGE’s time was coming to its end. The Rose of Sharyn beginning the final arc, melancholic was the moment knowing The End of Heartache soon arrives. My Last Serenade bittersweet, and with the cover of DIO’s iconic hit, Holy Diver, ringing in our ears, we knew: ‘This fire burns always’, for now something even more epic beckons.
There are few words to describe the monumentalism of IRON MAIDEN. Determined by any measure, the end result is the same – traversing the earth for half a century, amassing legions of fans and defying all earthly expectations, they are iconic.
Mascot effigy, Eddie the Head hovering in syndicate over the crowd; legions of armies swarmed into the arena floor, preparing for both heaven and Hell on Earth. House lights dropping, individual ones glowing from the crowd like UFOs, end credits crafted by VANGELIS for the cult classic, Blade Runner,set the tone. Then, taking us in The Time Machine through all the Days of Future Past,the mighty IRON MAIDEN stormed the stage.
With energy that defied their age, and enthusiasm that rejected routine of experience, Bruce Dickinson careened and proclaimed ‘time is always on my side!’ The stage design mimicking the set of the aforementioned film, post apocalyptic in style, these icons embraced the ‘brave new world’ before them. Never Strangers in a Strange Land but rulers over every kingdom.
Asking us ‘Have you seen the Writing on the Wall?’, Dickinson regails us with tales of what he, his friends and the world know Adelaide for – our “speciality in psychopathy”. Far from deterred by the global reputation, we’re asked to bring it on and teased; Can I Play With Madness?
Unequivocally proving that they can, IRON MAIDEN, the wardens of tonight’s incarceration, control The Prisoners with the vigilance of a first visitor back in 1982. Time having no determinant in the performance or reception, history does have an important place for this band, so we talk on “Jurassic Park shit” for a moment.
This set not only traverses the breadth of their own lifetimes through song, but the stories of other iconic genealogies too. Death of the Celts first explores the beliefs of the UK band’s ancestors, and their shared rebellion: “You can never truly exterminate anyone, as long as there’s literature, music and art”.
Later, the gripping performance of Alexander the Great was an unequivocal highlight. Almost 40 years young, it has merely aged a day, not least because it has never been played live until this tour. With the quartets of guitars telling the tales of forgotten lore, it was like no real measure had passed at all.
Janick Gers tearing up stage, Dave Murray guitar solos, with youthful ease; the indomitable Steve Harris would be mistaken for resting rather than playing another show just last night with BRITISH LIONS. “A combined age greater than 360 years”, it is beyond phenomenon to witness the exuberance as Dickinson runs atop the raised platform.
Nicko McBrain not skipping a drumbeat, as the frontman IRON MAIDEN is living proof that Heaven Can Wait. Even as a reanimated Eddie takes his shot at the players, pyrotechnics setting the stage ablaze, it’s clear – it’ll be a hell of a long time yet for these legends to lay down their instruments.
Fear of the Dark coming ever nearer, the falling silence following track after fiery track, the only saviour is encore. Captivated still by The Trooper and his command, each and every soldier, on and off stage, recommitted. Capturing that message in our final moments together, through one last song, it was attested – never shall we acquiesce, to Wasted Years or miss golden opportunities.
Why on earth would we, when there is magic like this in the world? ‘Iron Maiden can’t be fought’, so we won’t deny them or ourselves, not even for a second. It’s truly an easy task to Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, when music and musicians like this exist.
CATCH IRON MAIDEN ON THEIR REMAINING AUSTRALIAN DATES OF THE FUTURE PAST TOUR…
Friday 6 & Saturday 7 September: MELBOURNE, Rod Laver Arena
Tuesday 10 September: BRISBANE, Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Thursday 12 & Friday 13 September: SYDNEY, Qudos Bank Arena
Tickets available via TICKETEK
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