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Strolling
through the streets of downtown Belgrade, or Beograd as the locals call
their beloved city, it’s hard to take your mind away from the dark
days which the Serbian capital has survived. Home to the
Yugoslavian Parliament until 2006, and the victim of severe NATO
air-strikes in 1999, this Balkan city has quite literally been through
the wars. However tonight is a night of unity and excitement, as
Belgrade serves as the location for the final European date of Iron
Maiden’s groundbreaking Somewhere Back in Time world Tour.
Beogradska Arena, located in Novi Beograd, or “New Belgrade”, is a
23,000 capacity Arena (the second biggest in Europe), built for major
sporting events, and in 2008 was the host for the 2008 Eurovision song
contest. Chosen as the last European stop for Ed Force One,
Belgrade closes the book on a European tour which has snaked through
over 20 countries, just a small part of the bigger picture, which has
seen the band fly around the world twice, playing venues from Sydney to
Buenos Aires, resulting in the forthcoming movie “Flight 666”, which
follows the band on the first leg of the SBIT tour in early 2008.
As is an all too familiar sight for Iron Maiden fans, the oversold show
in Belgrade opens with Lauren Harris and her pop/rock catchy tunes.
However for the first time in 3 years, Maiden fans are treated to brand
new songs, which will be featured on the follow up to her debut album
“Calm Before The Storm”. While not much of a departure from
her tried and tested formula of tunes which will bring a smile to your
face, “Smoke And Mirrors”, “Wishing On A Star”, and the slightly
Maidenesque “Waiting For Yesterday” receive the Serbian seal of
approval. Definitely a good start as regards new material.
Perhaps the greatest cheers of all however came on the appearance of
Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain behind the drum riser, although what more
do you expect from 20,000 crazed Iron Maiden fans?
Which leads to the main event, Maiden’s first live appearance since
the halfway point of the tour in Moscow last August, and an edgy return
to the live scene. While as the world knows, there is no such
thing as bad Iron Maiden show, there are a few mistakes and nerves
flying around onstage tonight, but all add to a bit more off the cuff
excitement for the audience. Having promised prior to this final
leg of the tour to make at least 5 changes to the set-list of 2008,
anticipation is ripe among the faithful, and perhaps some of the band
are even a little unaware as to what comes next. Opting to stick
with the iconic combination of Churchill’s speech followed by
"Aces High" to get proceedings underway, confusion on
guitarist Adrian Smith’s part sees the band power on through 2 minutes
to midnight, as opposed to the planned "Wrathchild".
Most of these surprises were featured early on in the show; the return
of both "Children Of The Damned" and "Phantom Of The
Opera" to the set, the latter having not been played since the 2005
Early Days tour. Further confusion among the band sees Smith start
"Wasted Years" without the rest of the band’s prior
knowledge, and a few vocal slip-ups by front-man Bruce Dickinson.
Minor glitches in what is as usual a fantastic and memorable show by the
British metal titans (and Brit award winners, as time has now
revealed!).
Perhaps the greatest surprise in a performance drawing on songs from the
bands beginnings up to the "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son"
album (with the exception of 1992’s "Fear of the Dark"), is
the choice not to end the show with the fan favourite "Hallowed Be
Thy Name". Instead choosing to place the song just before the
encore, Steve Harris ensured a few late night debates on the pages of
various internet websites, but where Iron Maiden are concerned, it would
be very hard for them to get it wrong. Welcoming back "The
Evil That Men Do", along with set closer "Sanctuary",
Maiden end both the European tour, and a Serbian show which featured
fans from “Norway, Sweden, France, England, Scotland, Ireland… the
whole bloody world!”, to quote their pilot/vocalist.
Unfortunately it is unlikely that European and British fans will get a
chance to see Maiden live again until late 2010, as the remaining dates
of the tour in New Zealand and South America lead the band into a long
overdue break from touring. According to the band, writing for a new
album will commence this winter, and a new album should be out sometime
in 2010.
Tonight however, brings an end to what was an exceptional European tour,
Maiden’s biggest, and most memorable. From the record breaking
shows in Scandinavia, to the midsummer evenings in Eastern Europe, and
of course the triumphant hometown show at Twickenham Stadium in London,
the Somewhere Back in Time European tour can rest in the history books
as one of the greatest of it’s kind, ever.
Review
by: Shadow Warrior
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