Iron Maiden – live in Birmingham

Iron Maiden at the Utilita Arena Birmingham on 4.7.2023 with Lord of the Lost supporting

Iron Maiden eh? Another deviation into the world of heavy metal, in particular that NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) as it was back when I was at school, and buying Sounds every week.

I bought the Running Free single when it came out in 1980 – I just may have been influenced by their allegiance to West Ham United. That was and is the sum total of my investment in their records but I have listened a lot (my school mate Rich T has a lot to answer for). In recent years I have seen Weymouth based tribute band Ironed Maiden three times. In Covid Lockdown two sparsely attended seated gigs saved my sanity during the gig desert. Tonight it’s the real thing.

The line-up is from the early 80s, although back in 1981 Bruce Dickenson was the new boy, having taken over front original frontman Paul Di’Anno.

On arrival into Brum I see Iron Maiden t-shirt clad fans everywhere, the clan gathering in numbers the closer I get to Broad Street and the Utilita Arena. (I now have such a t-shirt as an accessory for any future metal excursions.)

Lord of the Lost open the evening. They were Germany’s entry in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Most un-Eurovision. A decent heavy rock noise for starters.

The lights dim and UFO’s Doctor Doctor starts playing. This is their chosen build up music and it goes down a storm – even I have this EP – then a bit of Blade Runner soundtrack and they’re on, with a small backdrop to give a smaller gig feel than the 15,800 venue that it is. It opens out shortly after with a huge backscreen, but the basic shape doesn’t change, with the drummer tucked in his own cubby hole.

The setlist draws heavily on two albums: the latest release, Senjutsu (I’ve been listening and it stands up there) and the 1986 album Somewhere in Time, with five tracks from each of those. The first one I know well is The Prisoner, complete with Portmeirion backdrop (I visited several times in the 90s with my Coventry mates), from the classic album Number of the Beast (saw that title track video so many times in the 80s).

Dickenson still has a great rock voice. He wanders the limits of the stage, up behind the band as they work sway intensely at their art. Three guitars and a bass make for a wonderful wall of guitar sound. I’m enjoying my heavy metal outing. The guitar swinging stage right is jaw dropping.

The next song I must have been exposed to a lot is Can I Play With Madness, Dickenson’s rock voice at its high-pitched best.

I am still focused on Hammers supporting bassist Steve Harris – he writes a lot of the material apparently…but there is the distraction of a bit of metal stage show stuff. Almost a token gesture I think but that suits me – it’s about the music.

The show escalates with some belters. The end of the main set is Fear of the Dark, maybe my pick of the night and then that very early track Iron Maiden which I will always count as a privilege to hear live.

The encores included The Trooper (I like that ale – Iron Maiden linked) which was a biggy, good ‘un that – and Wasted Years. This experience was high on heavy metal quality and limited on pomp and posing. Iron Maiden are category winner in my life Oscars awards. They were the NWOBHM.