Gut Reactions (post-gig memories and other trips): Iron Maiden

When these tickets went on sale, I was at work in the pharmacy. I hadn't been successful during the presale, so I was stressed (to be fair, it was a Friday morning, so that emotional state was always my default). I logged into the Ticketmaster waiting room at 9:45 a.m. and continued to check prescriptions and serve customers. At 10 a.m., I entered the buying queue. There were over sixteen thousand buyers (and bots) ahead of me. A team member informed me that a young woman had requested an Emergency Hormonal Contraception consultation. Frustrated, I huffed and puffed and eventually went down to speak to her. With the slow rate at which my number was decreasing, I probably had time to complete the consultation after all. However, I first advised her of my ticket quest, which she was cool about. And boy, was she attractive.

When I finally got through to ticket selection, the only ones left were on the top balcony. I had no interest in seeing the band from that height, so I closed the browser, gutted. The girl sympathised, advising me not to fret. She'd managed to get a Taylor Swift ticket the week before the concert, so I wasn't to give up hope. We completed the consultation, and I got on with my day, disappointed that I had been unsuccessful.

Obviously, that wasn't the end of the story. I hooked up with the girl and had the craziest sex, beginning an affair that continues to this day.

That didn't happen. That's just a (former) pharmacist's wet dream.

I did, however, buy a resale ticket.

Halestorm was the support act in Europe (and London), but in Glasgow, we got The Raven Age. That was disappointing, as was The Raven Age (but more of that later).

As it was a resale, I didn't have OVO entrance access, so I joined one of the five lines queuing for Standing. Even though I'd arrived well before the doors opened, the lines were already long. Fortunately, they moved swiftly as soon as the doors opened. Note to self: check how many people are wearing backpacks in the line before you join. Those bag searches really slow down progress. The fan club was handing out cards to every ticket holder, which became a nice souvenir and an opportunity to win a prize. (I didn't win.)

A hidden individual QR code link was on the reverse

Inside, I considered buying some merch. A tenner for a poster looked appealing, but where would I put it during the gig? I shelved that idea and headed into the arena.

Amazingly, despite the queues outside, I managed to find a position near the front, with about ten people between me and the stage. I had a clear view. The group of lads in front of me all wore the same T-shirt design: "UAIron Tour 2025, Brazilian Highlanders in Scottish Plains," with a list of names and locations. The shirt had its own Eddie-design mascot on the front. Pretty cool.

Then, when The Raven Age started, the lads rearranged themselves so the shorter chaps were in front of the taller ones. Bugger! My window of vision shrank to almost nothing. This irritation was further exacerbated by the stage lighting, with spotlight beams bouncing off my face and strobe lights sending painful signals to my brain. What a night to decide not to wear a cap.

The Raven Age did my head in. In other circumstances, I might have enjoyed their heavy but melodic music. But when the lead singer kept asking us to MAKE SOME FUCKING NOISE time and time again, I shut down. Fuck him and his crap banter. Away and find some new patter before you return.

At the interval, I decided to abort my pitch and took up residence near the back. This proved more successful. Although the band would be tiny figures in the distance, at least I could see most of the stage.

The excitement ramped up as UFO's "Doctor, Doctor" played over the PA, with the crowd singing along. As The Ides of March began, the lights over the audience went dark. The massive screen took us on an animated journey through London's backstreets, taking us around the band's historic early venues, with a mysterious figure appearing and disappearing as the streetlights flickered. Then the band burst onto the stage playing a rousing rendition of Murders in the Rue Morgue. The massive screen displayed a shot of Paris from above the rooftops.

This screen finally brought Iron Maiden into the 21st century. On previous tours, the staging consisted of backdrop curtains, which were gorgeous but static (they did toy with side screens on the last tour). This massive screen, complemented by additional displays within the set, enabled 3D imaging with clever lighting effects. Every song had a story to tell, with subtle animation, reminding us this wasn't just a picture. At times, it almost overwhelmed the band, given the grandeur of the scale. Bruce Dickinson, however, being such a dynamic frontman, despite his age, always managed to regain that attention.

The setlist was selected from the band's earliest albums and featured a full lineup of classics. The only dud was Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, which didn't sustain the excitement. Can I Play with Madness would have worked better.

As always, Eddie the Head played a pivotal role in the proceedings, appearing both in person and on screen. The person inside the suit was more comfortable moving, and as such, was able to give a less 'stilted' performance that brought out Eddie's personality, mimicking the guitarist's strumming, hitting himself in the nuts or miming a male personal activity that climaxed over the audience.

No, it's not Rod Stewart at Glastonbury.

Ouch!

The Trooper

Iron Maiden

I have no regrets about buying a resale standing ticket. It was a great show, finishing at 11 p.m. on the dot. The atmosphere in the crowd, even this far back, was amazing, with lots of people jumping and waving devil horns. The 'no-cameras' instruction was mainly ignored, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment. It couldn't really. I was one of them. I didn't take any vids, just photos.

Even the fact that it was pissing down afterwards didn't bother me, though I did wish I'd brought my jacket. It did sink the idea of buying a poster, though. I had a Toffee Crisp McFlurry from McDonald's instead.

Iron Maiden may be in their fiftieth year, but there is no sign of them stopping. They have promised to return. Based on the evidence here, I hope I'm one of the lucky ones who gets to see them.

Setlist

Doctor Doctor (UFO song) from tape

The Ides of March from tape.

Murders in the Rue Morgue

Wrathchild

Killers

Phantom of the Opera

The Number of the Beast

The Clairvoyant

Powerslave

2 Minutes to Midnight

Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Run to the Hills

Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

The Trooper

Hallowed Be Thy Name

Iron Maiden

Encore:

Churchill's Speech from tape

Aces High

Fear of the Dark

Wasted Years

Resale Ticket ×1 £111.55 (Face Value £95)

Service Charge (inc VAT) £16.74
Handling Fee £3.25
Total Paid £131.54

Killers

Murders in The Rue Morgue

The Clairvoyant

Powerslave

Two Minutes to Midnight

Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Run To The Hills

Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

The Trooper

Hallowed Be Thy Name

Aces High

Fear of the Dark

Wasted Years

Iron Maiden - the very first band I saw live on their 'World Piece Tour', back in 1983, at the Glasgow Apollo. As such, they hold a special place in my heart. I saw them again on the next two tours: the Egyptian-themed 'World Slavery Tour', again at the Apollo, and the Cyber-styled 'Somewhere on Tour' at the Edinburgh Playhouse. Then my interest dropped off. Other bands to see, other music to listen to. I returned for their 'Final Frontier' World tour in 2011 but wasn't impressed. I had moved on but they hadn't.

Their latest album, Senjutsu, was a return to form. The tour promised a mash-up of that album and the Somewhere in Time album so my interest was piqued but not enough initially to buy a ticket when they first went on sale. The gig sold out fast so I put the thought behind me.

Then, a week or so before the gig, I noticed Ticketmaster had a ticket for sale on level 2 in the centre. I snapped it up and my excitement started to build. Would they be better than last time? Would the staging be more modern, rather than using old-school curtain backdrops that the roadies pulled across between songs? How big would Eddie, their mascot, be this time?

Before these questions could be answered, I had to sit through the support act, Lord of the Lost (although their logo could also be misinterpreted as 'Load of the Lost'). They were okay, a bit like a little cousin to Rammstein, playing earnest European metal, the lead singer mauling English vowels with his thick German accent. I was impressed that Iron Maiden allowed them such a huge backdrop. Respect!

Then I caught up with someone I hadn't seen since our school days. David Ropper had also been at that first Maiden gig and we reminisced about the old days and the time between then and now. It was good of him to reach out as my shyness usually wins out in these types of social situations.

Then I waited for the mighty Maiden. UFO's classic Doctor, Doctor was a great intro to warm us up, then came the Blade Runner end title music to set the futuristic tone before the band burst onto the stage with the song Caught Somewhere in Time.

This was classic Maiden. I wasn't disappointed. The setlist was a good mix of old and new,. The staging felt grander than last time (albeit still using curtain backdrops but this time with bordering video screens). The music was powerful without being overpowering. Bruce's vocals were good, the new tunes more suited to his range these days, some lengthy guitar breaks giving him the chance to rest his voice. When he called for the audience to wave their arms, they all complied, resembling a field of corn, arms swaying from side to side. I was glad I wasn't among them. The standing area was packed and I'm getting too old for all that jostling. I was happy with my view from level 2 seating, thank you very much.

I'll admit they're still a band caught in time, that time being the '80s, but at least it's from when they were at their peak. They might have aged but they remain timeless. Up the Irons!

Ticket price: £83.15 (£70 plus fees) from Ticketmaster.

Setlist

Intro music - Doctor Doctor (UFO song

Intro Music - Blade Runner (End Titles) (Vangelis song)