Iron Maiden / Avenged Sevenfold / Within Temptation / Lauren Harris

It's difficult to overstate exactly how huge the prospect of Iron Maiden's first ever stadium concert in the UK is to heavy metal fans. Not only will they play to their largest ever audience on these shores, but they will be doing so while airing choice cuts from their eighties heyday that haven't seen the light of day for two decades. This, along with the inclusion of their most impressive ever stage show (one that will also nod to their golden era), should ensure one hell of a night by anyone's measure.

Perhaps it's the fact that she's the daughter of Maiden bassist Steve Harris, or maybe it is simply that Maiden's long-serving followers are finally starting to soften up in their old age, but the fact remains that Lauren Harris draws a relatively polite response from an infamously hostile fanbase, notorious for its dismissive attitude towards supporting acts. Her simple, riff-filled rock is a pleasant enough way to start the afternoon, but it pales in comparison to the polished and professional delivery of Within Temptation, who have honed their symphonic cheese metal to a fine art.

Given their extremely confident nature and controversial attitude, it is a surprise to find that Avenged Sevenfold receive a relatively enthusiastic response to their ever-evolving niche of hard rock-cum-heavy metal. Plundering from their newest, self-titled release as well as their breakthrough 'City Of Evil' album, their impressive slot is only dampened by their decision to finish early due to an injury in the crowd. Of course their choice should be applauded on moral grounds, though it is a shame that it meant only half of one song from the excellent 'Waking The Fallen' album could be aired.

This is all irrelevant by the time Churchill's legendary wartime speech signals the start of 'Aces High', a breathtaking way to kick off what will surely go down as one of the greatest heavy metal concerts of the last twenty years. The decision to play such classics as 'Wasted Years', 'Heaven Can Wait' and a stunning 'Rime Of The Ancient Mariner' is rewarded with an almost hysterical crowd response, and Maiden lap it up like the hardened (but ever humbled) pros that they are. Iron-lunged singer Bruce Dickinson is on immortal form as he baits the crowd into a frenzy, and over two hours of metal heaven are only occasionally interrupted by genuinely fun crowd banter.

By the time the epic 'Moonchild' begins the encore, it really does seem like things cannot possibly get any better, but closing numbers 'The Clairvoyant' and 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' soon change that perception. Be it the perfect setlist (although 'Infinite Dreams' is perhaps a noticeable absentee), the energy shared by both crowd and band or the abundance of pyrotechnics and props (including a mummified Eddie), this has been a truly triumphant homecoming for this legendary act, and the cheer that greets the announcement of an impending new studio album firmly underlines the fact that Maiden's music is far from a nostalgia trip. In fact, on the evidence of tonight, they are just as relevant as ever.

FUTURE GIGS

sorry, we currently have no gigs listed for this act.