Dance of Death Tour: Iron Maiden, Arch Enemy
Average Rating: 5
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Dance of Death Tour: Iron Maiden, Arch Enemy |
There are 2 Reviews of this tour.
Average Rating: 5 |
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Death's Review (1/30/04, Universal Amphitheatre, Universal City, CA):
Iron Maiden
Photos by HelI liked Dance of Death, and I knew that this show was going to feature a whole lot more material from that new album than the greatest hits tour did this past summer. Openers Arch Enemy set the tone for a night of metallic mayhem, and they took the stage just as I entered the venue. I watched them from a seat at the back of this 3,500 seat venue, taking the band in from a different perspective. Angela looked cool, playing to the whole audience and winning over the skeptics, most of which had never heard of Arch Enemy. All the expected recent Arch Enemy tunes we're played, including "Heart of Darkness," "We Will Rise," and closer, "Ravenous." A good gig by a great band that is working hard to earn some higher-profile exposure.
Arch EnemyAs usual, Iron Maiden were awesome. A bombastic stage show, as is to be expected from Iron Maiden, with an amplified set design that was much more elaborate than the greatest hits show this past summer. This was of course the "Dance of Death" tour, and the new material was heavily featured. "No More Lies," was awesome, as was the title track (Bruce wore a mask like on the album cover), but the real highlight was the new Maiden classic, "Paschendale," which was absolutely killer in the live setting, complete with full battlefield setting. The obligatory song they hadn't played in a while for this tour was "Can I Play With Madness," which featured cool Seventh Son visuals. The obligatory Blaze-era tune this time was The X Factor's "Lord of the Flies," which (as they all do) sounded fresh with Bruce singing it. The classics were present and accounted for too - "Hallowed Be Thy Name" (Bruce wiped out during this song and looked to be knocked unconscious! He laid there for what seemed like forever during the guitar solo before hopping up just as the verse came back in), "Wrathchild," "The Trooper," "The Number of the Beast," the list goes on and on. The band lost a little momentum with the acoustic "Journeyman" from Dance of Death, but finished strong with an appearance by a giant Grim Reaper Eddie that delighted the crowd, and a rousing rendition of "Iron Maiden." Harris, Murray, Smith, McBrain - heck, even Gers, they all kick ass. Once again, a wonderful show by a killer band. Sad to think that their touring days may be dwindling. Catch them while you can.
Hel's Review (1/30/04, Universal Amphitheatre, Universal City, CA):
For a change, Death and I actually arrived at the venue promptly this evening. Even after waiting in the long will call line and having an encounter with an old friend not seen in over a decade, I still managed to be down in the photo pit before Arch Enemy took the stage. Amazing, I know. Even more amazing, however, was the killer performance by Arch Enemy.
Arch EnemyAfter years of noticing the obvious Maiden influence in Arch Enemy’s music, I could not help but think opening for these legends must be a dream come true for the band. Certainly playing giant venues like this must also be a dream come true. The best part of all – despite the fact that it was clear most of the people present had no idea what the hell they were seeing and hearing – the audience was genuinely enthusiastic in their response to Arch Enemy’s stellar set. I may have seen the band perform this exact set countless times before – but most of the crowd had never seen anything like it. So that was a bit of additional fun for me, the cherry on top, to add to the joy of a fantastic set.
Another bit of additional fun was the fact that we had been gifted backstage passes for this event. Usually backstage passes are really not that exciting – the action usually goes on inside of closed dressing rooms and so there’s not a lot to do if you’re not invited inside those. Universal Amphitheatre, however, has a patio area where drinks are served and snacks are even provided. This highly unusual set up provides a great environment for schmoozing, and on this evening, was absolutely packed with luminaries great (Chuck Billy, anyone?) and small (like me!). Much fun was had here between Arch Enemy and Maiden, and after the show as well.
Iron Maiden’s set on this night was, as always, absolutely mesmerizing. Every member of the band is always joyfully animated and interesting to watch, and tonight was no exception. The staging was far more elaborate than on the last tour, and many “hidden Eddies,” as I have decided to call them, were embedding in the construct. There were many wonders displayed for us: Bruce in mask and cape, Bruce in black hooded cloak, Bruce in military garb complete with mine field setting, and a seemingly endless variety of backdrops, not to mention the occasional Eddie appearances. Each and every one was a treat.
Arch EnemyThere was one dark spot in the evening - when Bruce fell. I happened to be looking right at him when it happened, and I remember thinking to myself, “But there aren’t any steps there” as he began his descent. For the first moment, it almost looked like he was stepping down a set of stairs, such was the way his foot slipped out from under him. He clutched at the fabric (which until now I had believe to be faux stone, which was how it appeared from the crowd) as he fell from the platform, and managed to slow himself. I believe this also aided him in landing on his back, and probably spared him from serious injury. Still, I watched him lie on the riser next to the drum kit for what seemed like endless moment before he moved. As he began to rock back and forth, obviously stunned and in pain, trying to get up, I recall wondering, “Where the hell are all those people who kept constantly running onstage?” Throughout the performance, people had been onstage fixing cords, wiping the floor with towels, bringing out props, etc. – it was almost like there was constantly someone not in the band onstage. But now that they were really needed, where the hell were they? Finally, Janick looked around, as if wondering, “Where the hell is Bruce?” He was the first one to reach him, and even continued trying to play one handed, while using the other to reach out to Bruce. Immediately after, more and more help arrived, and Bruce was quickly on his feet again, continuing the song without hesitation. His performance was slightly more subdued for the remainder of the evening, but not greatly so, and later I heard some people in the audience had missed his fall entirely. I consider Bruce’s resiliency in this instance to be a fine example of what an excellent showman he is. I have to give him and the rest of the band much credit for handling the situation, continuing the show, and finishing it out in such fine form.
Iron MaidenAfter the problems that plagued the New York dates, I couldn’t stop myself from wondering if the tour was cursed as I watched Bruce plummet, but it turns out that wasn’t true at all. Besides this unfortunate moment, nothing unduly unusual occurred for the rest of the show, and the next night went forward as planned. And at one point during the show, Bruce reassured everyone that the rumors that they were no longer going to tour were untrue, and that they would indeed be back in LA in the future.
I look forward to their return, as I’m sure everyone else there that evening does as well. While I have fond memories of every Maiden show I’ve ever seen, this one will stand out in my mind as one of the best ever, not only for the great performances provided, but also for the awesome people who shared this evening with me. It was fantastic to see Iron Maiden play another quality set, including the rare gem “Can I Play with Madness,” and to see Arch Enemy’s star continue to rise. I couldn’t have dreamed of a better evening than the one I had on this night.
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