Iron Maiden
Concord, CA

Attending my very first Iron Maiden show I must admit I was a bit skeptical. The whole "Eddie" thing really raised red flags with me, were they just putting on a show without the musicianship? Were they going to be simply loud and obnoxious without any real content? I needn't have been concerned, as friends had claimed, they are not only some of the greatest showmen on the planet, but also incredibly talented musicians. Even as I was thrashed about in the pit by the younger generation who have somehow discovered and claimed Iron Maiden for their own, my proximity to the stage gave me the opportunity to take it all in and really enjoy the whole package that is Iron Maiden. Showmen? Yes. Gimmicks? Yes. Loud as fuck? Yes...but so much more. Vocalist Bruce Dickinson simply blew me away with his tonal clarity and projection. The guitarists Dave Murray, Janick Gers, & Adrian Smith performed in flawless 3 part harmony, while bassist (and song-writer) Steve Harris kept the crowd enthralled with massive chords, devilish sneers and posing on drummer Nicko McBrain's riser. The stage set was artfully designed, bringing to mind a futuristic prison camp. The nearly sold-out crowd was on their feet almost the entire show, which did not disappoint as Iron Maiden cranked out two hours of metal featuring classics such as Wrathchild and Iron Maiden, alongside fresher tunes such as Blood Brothers, The Wicker Man, and (judging from the crowd's reaction) the instant hit El Dorado (thanks in large part to making the song available as a free MP3 download to hype the new album, The Final Frontier, which will drop on August 16). Continually producing new material, Iron Maiden has worked nearly ceaselessly since its inception in 1975, and despite the occasional juggling of band members, over the years they have remained consistent in their energy and their enthusiasm. These guys stay in shape and perform with gusto for the entire set! I can't think of any other band born of the late 70's/early 80's that will draw a crowd of teenagers and AARP members, each age group enjoying the show for it's currency. Many bands of that era fall back on older material, staging “comeback tour” type gigs, more concerned with recreating a moment in time, than in creating new moments. The Final Frontier will be record number 15 for the band, all of which have featured some incarnation of the grotesque creature affectionately called Eddie. As the giant robotic monster made his requisite appearance to the delight of the masses, I personally found him distracting and well, sort of silly. But most Iron Maiden fans would contest that Maiden isn't Maiden without Eddie. As for the latest version of the mascot, Steve Harris said, "he will scare the hell out of you". Well, not exactly, but he was pretty evil looking, even if his guitar playing was a bit clumsy, but then, what can you expect from an 12 foot tall remote-controlled alien playing a standard human sized Strat? As far as any other negative expectations I had about Iron Maiden - they were torn to shreds by the time I had left the venue. To paraphrase: If you aren't impressed, you aren't paying attention.

- Lisa Walters