Influential theatrical metal veteran Iron Maiden kicked offits Maiden England World Tour at Charlotte’s Verizon Wireless AmphitheatreThursday. The opening night show marked the British band’s first Queen Cityconcert in nearly 25 years as frontman Bruce Dickinson (pictured above) noted following “2Minutes to Midnight” four songs into its set.“Last time we were here it was1988. I’ve become a daddy three times since,” said the 53-year-old who added thatthe last Charlotte show was actually August 9, 1988. Dickinson said theaudience held a few thousand more people this time as Thursday’s crowd swelled around 14,000.
The crowd response was that of fans that had been waitingover two decades (and in some cases their entire lives). The reaction to “TheTrooper,” which featured Dickinson wearing a red and white military jacket andwaving the Union Jack, was arguably unparalleled throughout the night. “Run Tothe Hills” had heads banging and bodies thrashing in nearly equal measure withthe band’s mascot Eddie in giant form twice the height of the band members bounding across the stage in Colonial military attire (above). Though it wasn’t a song-for-song recap, the show closelymirrored 1988’s “Seventh Son of a Seventh Tour” (which was released on VHSunder the name “Maiden England”) down to the opening track “Moonchild” and the arcticstage that placed the members on a giant floating iceberg with drummer NickoMcBrain imbedded in the center of the glacier.
Following the hit "Can I Play with Madness," the crowd roared as footage of the cult `60s TV show “The Prisoner” flashed on screens to introduce the song of the same name, which the bandreportedly hasn’t performed live in decades.
Up to this point the sound was muddy with little definition,but it began to improve during “Afraid to Kill Strangers.” Friends on the lawnagreed. But opening night technical bugs are to be expected (yes Maiden hasbeen rehearsing here all week, but not cushioned by 14,000 bodies). FounderSteve Harris’ (pictured above) bass cut through everything. If you’re going to have bass licksrising to the top of the mix Harris’ are the ones you want. Miming most of thelyrics, Harris with his waist-length brown waves and tall frame stalked thestage emitting crisp, elastic notes.
The only other bug was with pyrotechnics that didn’ttrigger on the first try when Dickinson was “raising” flames during “Phantom ofthe Opera.” He just shrugged it off with a laugh.
Age hasn’t affected Dickinson who pounced and ran across thestage athletically, jumping through the air at one point. Vocally he remainsone of the strongest in metal. What was different from 1988 was his attire. Nowwith close cropped hair, he wore a sleeveless black t-shirt beneath a vest thatlooked like it was made of actual thick fishing rope (not fishnet) and brownpants laced up the sides.
Guitarist Adrian Smith astounded with his solo on “WastedYears.” Songs like it, “Phantom,” “The Clairvoyant” and “Fear of the Dark” withsignature twin guitars and changing tempos and dynamics reminded me what a hugeinfluence Iron Maiden has had on contemporary hardcore and metal bands thatregularly juxtapose intricate picking and theatrical classically-influencedpassages with wailing layered guitars and charging heaviness.
The theatrics included plenty of Eddie who hovered over theband in different forms - always a part of the changing backdrops in costumed stilt-walkerform during “Run to the Hills” (another obvious crowd favorite) and as a huge red-eyedBuddha-like statue resurrected from the original `88 tour that rose during “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.” A goat-headed god stoodto one side of the stage with its head hanging during “Number of the Beast” andan evil organist appeared during “Seventh Son,” but the creepiest prop awardgoes to the creature that was squirming in giant Eddie’s hand during the final song“Iron Maiden.”
Eddie wasn’t the only 12-foot tall figure on stage Thursday.Alice Cooper’s opening set included his own towering Frankenstein. While openersare often relegated to performing for a small portion of the crowd, Cooper (pictured on podium below) and hisfive-piece band performed during daylight for a packed house receiving the mostenthusiastic response for an opening act that I’ve witnessed since the BlackKeys played Verizon with Kings of Leon in 2010.
While not quite as long or theatrical as his 2010 co-headliningset with Rob Zombie, Cooper’s set was even better thanks to his timelesscharisma and the addition of guitarist Orianthi (well-known as part of MichaelJackson’s “This Is It” lineup). Despite the fake blood slashed across her lipsand neck (a reference to her role on the new song “Bite Your Head Off”),Orianthi appeared less road-worn with her bright blonde hair andsparkling leggings than the typical leather-clad rock guys that make up Cooper’sband. But she shredded like she’s been touring almost as long as her new boss.Her contribution was most notable on “Poison,” which was elevated by the highbacking vocals that appear on the original recording. Hits like it, “I’m Eighteen" (pictured below), “No More Mr. Nice Guy” and “School’s Out” were equaled in energy by a couple oflesser known tracks. Cooper didn’t shy away from theatrics either - spearing aphotographer (not a real one, mind you) with a microphone stand and gettingbeheaded with his infamous guillotine. He ended the set wearing a #18 Panthersjersey and a studded top hot that would dwarf Slash’s with “School’s Out,”during which the band briefly referenced Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in theWall Part 2.”
Charlotte was definitely treated on both counts although it’shard to compete with an opening night concert that Carolinians have waited overtwenty years for. The “Maiden England Tour” hits Atlanta Saturday and BostonTuesday.
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