Wafricnews - June 22, 2025

Birmingham roared as heavy metal legends Iron Maiden stormed the stage on their 50th anniversary tour, delivering what frontman Bruce Dickinson described as the band’s closest thing to a greatest hits show.

The evening kicked off with Maiden’s signature energy—fast, ferocious, and theatrical. By the fourth track, Dickinson belted out his iconic battle cry: “Scream for me, Birmingham!”—a moment fans knew was coming, and they responded in full voice.

Staying true to their classic formula, the British metal titans gave fans a full-throttle performance loaded with old-school favourites. From war epics like Aces High, to supernatural themes in The Clairvoyant, and the demonic anthem The Number of the Beast, Iron Maiden’s setlist was a dive into the dark and fantastical realms their music has long explored.

Dickinson, as animated as ever, climbed the stage risers, acting out lyrics with theatrical flair. Bassist Steve Harris didn’t miss a beat, machine-gunning riffs into the crowd with his iconic “galloping” technique. Meanwhile, Janick Gers stuck to his own quirky stage routine—kicking one leg onto the speakers and swinging his guitar like a weapon of choice. No one quite knows why. But that’s Janick, and that’s Maiden.

In a rare twist, the band skipped their usual newer material. “This is as close as we get to a greatest hits show,” Dickinson told the crowd, with the most recent song, Fear of the Dark, dating back to 1992. For casual fans, it was a welcome nod to the early, sharper years of the band—though they still slipped in marathon epics like Rime of the Ancient Mariner, a song nearly as long as a trip on a cross-channel ferry.

Not everything was perfect. The band’s age is beginning to show: Dickinson’s once “air-raid siren” vocals have softened slightly into something closer to a car alarm. And the sound mix in the venue left something to be desired. New drummer Simon Dawson was buried so deep in the mix that the beat occasionally vanished, while soaring guitar solos drowned out the rest of the band.

Still, the magic of Iron Maiden remains. Few bands have survived 50 years without bending to industry trends or diluting their identity. Maiden didn’t just stick to their guns—they built an empire on them.

And Birmingham, birthplace of heavy metal, screamed long and loud for their hometown heroes.

• Iron Maiden continues their UK and Ireland tour through 30 June.


By Wafricnews Desk.