| IRON MAIDEN - LIVE IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 5-21-08 Review by: Blissfulviolet Live footage and pics by Steve Markowski & Blissfulviolet |
Never thought the words of Winston Churchill would give me chills but
when you know Maiden is going to bust out with 'Aces High' at any
moment, it can do ya wonders.
Overall, the show was the ultimate visual extravaganza and I'm sure all
the professional photographers in attendance had a ball. When I first
laid my eyes on the stage I was honestly left speechless. The entire
setting was beautifully customized to adapt Iron Maiden's legendary
Egyptian production of the 1984-85 Powerslave tour.
Egyptian tombs, statues, engraved stones with carvings depicting
ancient Egyptian symbolism- were just some of the vibrant eye candy
that filled the stage. What really caught my attention was Nico
Mcbrain's drum set, which was obviously handcrafted and painted with
baby blue, gold trimmings and bared the 'Eye of Horus' mark right
smack down on his bass drum.
As each song unfolded, a new customized backdrop drapery was
unveiled. Lighting was perfectly set and Maiden's mascot, Eddie made
his usual appearance, but this time around, we witnessed a 'Cyborg
Eddie' version- just like from 'Somewhere in Time'. Eddies character
was also displayed and worked into many of the settings, which added
that traditional Iron Maiden 'live show vibe.' I haven't missed an Iron
Maiden show since the early 90's and I must admit, this was the best
Iron Maiden show that I have yet to witness. Considering that I was an
80's child, it was great to experience the full theatrical Iron Maiden set
that I always dreamed of witnessing.
The energy throughout the crowd and band was flowing...Bruce worked
his hardest to entertain us with his witty humor and at one point
demanded that someone in the front roll turn off his joint. "Let's make a
deal, you stop smoking and I won’t stop singing," Dickinson demanded.
Bruce followed by mentioning something about his lungs and trying to
keep his throat and voice intact. Not sure if he was joking or serious
because he ended up trying to turn his words into a playful joke.
Nevertheless, the crowd did not fool around; the smelly pot filled
amphitheater dissolved, instantly.
If you are a true Iron Maiden fan or just learning about the band, this is
'The Tour' to catch them on. Musically, the set list spanned from their
early career in the 80's, hence the name 'Somewhere Back in Time
Tour'. Classic Maiden songs like Revelations, Powerslave, The Rime
of the Ancient Mariner, Wasted Years and Moonchild are a few of the
many phenomenal tracks that were performed. There was not one
moment where the crowd was left not entertained. If I had to pinpoint
one memorable highlight of this show, I would have to say it was
Maiden's performance of the track 'Powerslave.' Bruce spontaneity
jumped out on stage wearing a unique Egyptian/tribal like mask. His
voice, stage appearance and constant movement throughout the song
really made a huge impact. It was like image and sound collided for
one brief moment and 'Powerslave' came to life, right before our eyes.
If you were in attendance, you know exactly what I'm talking about. I
could brag and boast for hours about what one hell of a show you
either witnessed or missed; so I'll end my Iron Maiden rant here and
leave you with some footage from the show.
when you know Maiden is going to bust out with 'Aces High' at any
moment, it can do ya wonders.
Overall, the show was the ultimate visual extravaganza and I'm sure all
the professional photographers in attendance had a ball. When I first
laid my eyes on the stage I was honestly left speechless. The entire
setting was beautifully customized to adapt Iron Maiden's legendary
Egyptian production of the 1984-85 Powerslave tour.
Egyptian tombs, statues, engraved stones with carvings depicting
ancient Egyptian symbolism- were just some of the vibrant eye candy
that filled the stage. What really caught my attention was Nico
Mcbrain's drum set, which was obviously handcrafted and painted with
baby blue, gold trimmings and bared the 'Eye of Horus' mark right
smack down on his bass drum.
As each song unfolded, a new customized backdrop drapery was
unveiled. Lighting was perfectly set and Maiden's mascot, Eddie made
his usual appearance, but this time around, we witnessed a 'Cyborg
Eddie' version- just like from 'Somewhere in Time'. Eddies character
was also displayed and worked into many of the settings, which added
that traditional Iron Maiden 'live show vibe.' I haven't missed an Iron
Maiden show since the early 90's and I must admit, this was the best
Iron Maiden show that I have yet to witness. Considering that I was an
80's child, it was great to experience the full theatrical Iron Maiden set
that I always dreamed of witnessing.
The energy throughout the crowd and band was flowing...Bruce worked
his hardest to entertain us with his witty humor and at one point
demanded that someone in the front roll turn off his joint. "Let's make a
deal, you stop smoking and I won’t stop singing," Dickinson demanded.
Bruce followed by mentioning something about his lungs and trying to
keep his throat and voice intact. Not sure if he was joking or serious
because he ended up trying to turn his words into a playful joke.
Nevertheless, the crowd did not fool around; the smelly pot filled
amphitheater dissolved, instantly.
If you are a true Iron Maiden fan or just learning about the band, this is
'The Tour' to catch them on. Musically, the set list spanned from their
early career in the 80's, hence the name 'Somewhere Back in Time
Tour'. Classic Maiden songs like Revelations, Powerslave, The Rime
of the Ancient Mariner, Wasted Years and Moonchild are a few of the
many phenomenal tracks that were performed. There was not one
moment where the crowd was left not entertained. If I had to pinpoint
one memorable highlight of this show, I would have to say it was
Maiden's performance of the track 'Powerslave.' Bruce spontaneity
jumped out on stage wearing a unique Egyptian/tribal like mask. His
voice, stage appearance and constant movement throughout the song
really made a huge impact. It was like image and sound collided for
one brief moment and 'Powerslave' came to life, right before our eyes.
If you were in attendance, you know exactly what I'm talking about. I
could brag and boast for hours about what one hell of a show you
either witnessed or missed; so I'll end my Iron Maiden rant here and
leave you with some footage from the show.
| Iron Maiden Live Pics (Click to enlarge) |
| IRON MAIDEN SET LIST |
1. Intro (Churchill's Speech)
2. Aces High
3. 2 minutes to Midnight
4. Revelations
5. The Trooper
6. Wasted Years
7. The Number of the Beast
8. Run to the Hills
9. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
10. Powerslave
11. Heaven can't Wait
12. Can I Play With Madness
13. Fear of the Dark
14. Iron Maiden
Encore
15. Moonchild
16. The Clairvoyant
17. Hallowed be thy Name
2. Aces High
3. 2 minutes to Midnight
4. Revelations
5. The Trooper
6. Wasted Years
7. The Number of the Beast
8. Run to the Hills
9. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
10. Powerslave
11. Heaven can't Wait
12. Can I Play With Madness
13. Fear of the Dark
14. Iron Maiden
Encore
15. Moonchild
16. The Clairvoyant
17. Hallowed be thy Name