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A Matter of Life and Death World Tour 2006. inc. Sheffield Hallam Arena and Earls Court: The tour was never billed as the Greatest Hits Tour and many of the music press reporters missed the point of the way the show was put together and the content of the running order.
As a result the reviews were not as enthusiastic as previous concerts and many fans were left feeling short changed as they were not as conversant with the new material as the usual Maiden fare.
Those of us that were aware in advance that the first half of the evening would be taken up showcasing the latest album, A Matter of Life and Death were far from disappointed and were soon to realise that many of the tracks will become Maiden classics in the future.
Support bands are supposed to be just warm up acts for the main event, but on this occasion the management provided quality appreciated by the ardent Iron Maiden fans waiting for their I.M.fix.First up Lauren Harris, [eldest daughter of I.M’s Steve Harris] performing at Earls Court for the first time and in front of her largest audience so far in her short career, having wowed full houses in smaller venues throughout Great Britain and North America during the last year. Look out for her at this years Download Festival and other Festivals this year as she’s something special and will be going places very soon. Talented, super voice for her rock style and stunning looks will soon establish her as `The new kid on the block` that everyone will want to see and hear. Maiden fans were quick to respond to her 30 minute set and were calling for more at the end, pity time did not allow, as Trivium were ready and waiting.
Trivium, according to the dictionary. `In mediaeval schools, the name given to the first three liberal arts- grammar, rhetoric and logic. Only true Trivium fans will know from the bands songs and lyrics whether good examples of grammar,rhetoric or logic feature but one thing was clear there were plenty of Trivium supporters in the mush pit and they were having a great time. Backstage after the set the overused `awesome`was very much in evidence but I could see where that was coming from, as a Trivium virgin I was entertained, impressed by the quality of the performance and musicianship and the reaction of the waiting Maiden faithful, to the point that I might look into their back catalogue.
On the stoke of nine the main event, the arrival of Iron Maiden on stage after the usual fanfare and musical crescendo of noise. Knowlegeable Maiden fans were aware of the format and that the band would be running through the AMOLAD album and each item was received with the expected fan responce. What wasn`t expected was an announcement by Bruce Dickinson, thirty minutes into the Earls Court concert that the amplification equipment was on fire backstage and everything was in danger of going up in smoke. Calmly he announced that all the stage power was being turned off for at least five minutes and then the multi-talented frontman proceeded to entertain the crowd without a mike for nearly twenty minutes. Even the band members were surprised out patient I.M. devotees can be. They had to be patient as the classics and the favourites were kept to the last section of the concert and it was not until the strains of " Two Minutes to Midnight", "Fear of the Dark" "The Evil that Men do" and so on did we see the excitement that Iron Maiden can create when they are in full flow. New and old fans will be back and no doubt many of the new tracks will become classics and will be greeted with the same enthusiasm that the latter part of the concert received.
The current album `A Matter of Life and Death` may be considered a concept album and may take some time to be accepted as one of the bands best, but it does have the appeal , not only hardened Maiden followers but also the more philsophical who are trying to work out the relationship between warfare and religion,the fulility of war, and the meaning of life. A subject just as comfortable in the corridors of parliament, places of worship and thinking songwriters and musicians lyrics.
Thanks to OnlineScene.
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