No other heavy metal band delivers such a monstrous onstage presence as Iron Maiden, and these five stage sets are, in our eyes, their very best!
Even at their most restrained, Iron Maiden have always been a musical and visual spectacle and, as any die-hard fan will tell you, their stage sets are simply in a league of their own.
(V) Seventh Tour Of A Seventh Tour
Weird, floating mutant figures and a torso-only, hovering Eddie, replete with a seemingly remorseless wall of fire and retina-wrenching lights, the Seventh Son set was true to form in keeping with the album’s grandiose conceptual core.
Recreated in 2012 to great effect, it was a magical triumph for unapologetic heavy metal ambition.
Iron Maiden – The Clairvoyant Live at the NEC Birmingham Maiden England 1988 (HD)
(IV) Somewhere On Tour
A cult favorite from a tour that has never been given a proper DVD release, the Somewhere On Tour set was a dazzling recreation of the incredibly detailed, futuristic Somewhere In Time artwork. Eddie had morphed into some kind of malevolent cyborg with the added bonus of giant hands that appeared from the edge of the stage. Eddie literally had Bruce in the palm of his hand. Not funny, but true.
Iron Maiden – Stranger In A Strange Land (Official Video)
(III) Matter Of Life & Death
Maiden’s darkest album demanded a visually startling stage set and while some fans may have flinched at the prospect of hearing a brand new album in full, being hurled into the dusty shadows and bleak horror of a First World War trench brought unfamiliar songs vividly to life. War… what is it good for? Stage sets for metal bands!
(II) The Book Of Souls
With faint echoes of the World Slavery tour, Maiden’s current stage set up once again taps into the spooky mysteries of the ancient world, with a giant Mayan Eddie looming over proceedings looking angrier and scarier than ever.
Iron Maiden – Speed Of Light (from The Book Of Souls: Live Chapter)
Sadly: The absence of “Empire Of The Clouds” in the set list meant no giant inflatable airship.
(I) World Slavery Tour
A no-brainer, of course, but it’s always worth stating that the World Slavery Tour was Maiden’s first lap of honor, as their status as the world’s favorite metal band was cemented, arguably for all time.
The Egyptian grandeur of the Powerslave artwork was lovingly recreated, with extra lights, fire and assorted theatrical trimmings, and history was made!
Iron Maiden – Iron Maiden (Live at Long Beach Arena)
Footnotes; Iron Maiden Live After Death was recorded over nine nights in two venues back in 1984-1985. Sides 1-3 were recorded at Long Beach Arena, California and side 4 was recorded at The Hammersmith Odeon, London. The result was one hour, two minutes and three seconds of heavy metal perfection.