Eddie Rises Again: Iron Maiden Deliver Theatrical Brilliance in Scorching Birmingham Show

Utilita Arena in Birmingham, 21st June 2025

IMAGES ALEKSANDRA HELENA HOGG / WORDS CHRISTIAN GOULD

Iron Maiden

We're here at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham for the first UK show of Iron Maiden's 50th Anniversary 'Run for your Lives' tour. It's an absolute scorcher... at least for England, with the temperature pushing past 30c. The stifling heat hasn't put off the Maiden faithful and the pubs surrounding the arena are packed with black T-shirts, battle jackets and the odd perplexed tourist. Iron Maiden's fanbase has aged along with the band but it's endearing to see younger kids and teenagers accompanying their parents, the heavy metal torch still being passed down through the generations.

Our photographer is dispatched to the box office to collect her accreditation and I head into the arena to pick up some merch. It's a great selection but as I grudgingly hand over £50 for a Powerslave T-shirt, I find myself wondering whether energy bills or gig merch prices have risen the most since 2020.

Raven Age

Support for this tour is provided by The Raven Age. It felt slightly nepotistic when they were opening for Iron Maiden back in 2016 but 8 years later they now have 3 studio albums and a lot of live experience behind them. We've generally seen The Raven Age headlining 500 capacity venues on their own tours so they're making the most out of an opportunity to play in front of 15,000. The setlist trends towards their more melodic, heavy metal songs and there's only a hint of the metalcore stylings that have featured on some of their albums. It's an assured performance and it does the job of hyping up a crowd who are already starting to wilt from the heat down on the packed floor of the arena.

Iron Maiden

The lights dim and the familiar strains of UFOs' 'Doctor, Doctor' ring out over the PA, signalling the imminent arrival of Iron Maiden. 'Run for your Lives' is a celebration of Iron Maiden's 1980s offerings and before they take to the stage the newest addition to this tour, a giant videoscreen, sets the scene as the audience are taken on a tour of the ruined neighbourhood from Iron Maiden and Killers album covers. The Ides of March reaches a crescendo and Iron Maiden take to the stage with Murders in the Rue Morgue making it's first appearance since 2005.

It's a frenetic opening sequence as the band seamlessly shift through Murders into Wrathchild and then Killers. As the band hack and slash their way through the aggressive punk-stylings of Killers they're joined on stage by a 12ft tall axe-wielding Eddie, Maiden's long-time mascot, who does battle with the band. It's only a small part of Iron Maiden's touring repertoire but it's the little theatrical touches that really elevate their live performances.

We hit our first break before Phantom of the Opera and Bruce takes the time to introduce their new drummer, Simon Dawson, who has joined the band following the sad retirement of Nicko McBrain due to health issues. Simon still seems to be finding his feet but stepping into the shoes of someone who played with the band for 42 years was always going to be difficult.

After Phantom of the Opera the setlist moves away from Iron Maiden's earlier punk trappings and towards their legendary New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) offerings. The iconic speech echoes across the Utilita ("...for it is a human number") and it's time for Number of the Beast. Pyro explodes and Bruce demonstrates that he's still able to hit that blood-curling, demonic wail. Following on from the touring staple that is Number of the Beast it's time for two relatively deep-cuts with The Clairvoyant (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son) and the title track from 1984s Powerslave. The slower pace of Powerslave allows the band the chance to settle into a rhythm that has felt slightly absent during earlier songs. It's an epic song complimented by some sublime, evocative set design and it highlights the musical craftsmanship that has defined Maiden over the last 50 years.

Unfortunately things go slightly wrong after Powerslave with Two Minutes to Midnight. The intro sounds off-tempo and Bruce quickly loses his place as he attempts to launch into the first verse. There's a moment where I think they might have to restart but it's averted as Dickinson manages to mumble his way to the chorus where they get back on track.

Following on from Two Minutes it's Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Maiden's epic, being performed for the first time since 2009. It's a sensational rendition elevated into a theatrical spectacle by the visuals provided by the video screen. 13 minutes seem to fly by in an instant - trademark galloping intro giving way to a brooding and reflective instrumental before reaching a triumphant crescendo. Maiden may have written longer, more complex songs but Rime will always remain a personal favourite.

Perennial set-list fixture Run to the Hills acts as a palate-cleanser for the audience, it's eminently singable chorus the perfect opportunity to harness some of the crowd's energy. After Run to the Hills it's time for the deepest cut of the setlist, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. Seventh Son has only been played around 200 times, mostly between 2012 and 2014 and I feel as though it's one of those love it/hate it tracks. I'll admit that I'm not a fan, I find the chorus repetitive and the second-half guitar solos to be indulgent. But the placement in the setlist affords Bruce, who looks fairly exhausted at this point, the opportunity for a rest.

It's time for a run of setlist favourites to close out the show with The Trooper, Hallowed be thy Name and Iron Maiden. The encore kicks off with Winston Churchill's 'Never Surrender' speech before the band storm back onto the stage and into Aces High. There have been question marks around the placement of Aces High this late into the set and it's apparent that Bruce is struggling with the chorus. Watching him leap and swashbuckle around the stage it's possible to forget that he's now 66 years old but it does feel as though this is a song that is now increasingly becoming out of reach for his once-vaunted vocal prowess. Dickinson misses the high-note completely in the final chorus and produces a ragged scream of frustration. It's a notable blip on what has otherwise been a stellar performance.

It's been a theatrical masterclass by Maiden, the video-screen has been divisive among the fanbase but I feel that it enhances the stage experience and allows the band more opportunities to experiment. The crowd has been somewhat lacking in energy but given that it feels as though it's 30c inside the Utilita you can forgive them for not being able to move. The focus on their earlier albums prompts you to remember just how influential Maiden were in the 1980s. A 50th anniversary tour does start prompting questions about how long they may have left but from what I've seen tonight they could keep going for another few years if they wanted to. If you have the opportunity to see them on this tour - take it.

Setlist:

1. Murders in the Rue Moruge

2. Wrathchild

3. Killers

4. Phantom of the Opera

5. The Number of the Beast.

6. The Clairvoyant.

7. Powerslave.

8. Two Minutes to Midnight

9. Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

10. Run to the Hills

11. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

12. The Trooper

13. Hallowed Be Thy Name

14. Iron Maiden

Encore.

15. Aces High.

16. Fear of the Dark

17. Wasted Dream

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