If someone had told us a few years ago that within two weeks we’d see the two greatest active metal bands of all time, it would certainly have seemed unbelievable. And yet, here we are. Metallica and Maiden came, saw, and left no one in their wake. Obviously, you don’t need me to tell you about the bond the Greek audience has with Maiden, let alone with their unsurpassed albums from the ’80s. The whole package became even more enticing since Anthrax was scheduled to open the concert. Let’s start from the beginning…
Once again, the organization was excellent, with plenty of staff who were extremely polite. It’s worth emphasizing the obvious because we’ve experienced bad behavior and situations in the past. And while the crowd may not have come close to Metallica’s numbers, I estimate there were over 50,000 fans of the Iron Maiden, and they were there early. Huge lines for merch even as Anthrax kicked off right at 7:00. In just 45 minutes, they played only their most famous hits, and I couldn’t have imagined a more ideal warm-up act, since the crowd was into it from the very first minutes, even though the sound was a bit problematic at the start (at least from where I was standing in the arena). Scott Ian, Frank Bello, and Joey Belladonna stole the show with their energy and the constant smiles on their faces, while it’s worth noting that Charlie Benante wasn’t present at the OAKA—due to commitments with Pantera—and Darby Todd took his place behind the drums.
Anthrax Set List: Among The Living / Madhouse / Caught in a Mosh / Metal Thrashing Mad / I am the Law / Antisocial / Got The Time / Indians
At a quarter to nine, the familiar opening notes of the legendary “Doctor Doctor” blared from the speakers, and we all knew what that meant. Amid the general chaos, everyone starts singing along rhythmically, and as soon as the tour video begins playing on the giant screen—featuring the…dangerous back alleys of East London and landmarks from Maiden’s history (e.g., Ruskin Arms, Cart & Horses, etc.), the signal was automatically given for what we’d all been waiting for. The set opened with “The Ides of March” and kicked off with “Murder in the Rue Morgue” and “Wrathchild.” From the very first minutes, it was obvious that Maiden were in top form, and it was impossible not to keep your eyes glued to the state-of-the-art videos and graphics accompanying each song. Especially during songs like “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” and “Hallowed Be Thy Name,” we were watching the video more than we were watching Maiden!
The setlist was the same as the previous leg of the “Run For Your Lives Tour,” with the exception of the massive “Infinite Dreams,” which was played for the first time since 1988, taking the place of “Clairvoyant.” Dickinson was once again sensational and easily the MVP of the night, though that doesn’t mean any of the others fell short. However, I’d like to give a special shout-out to Simon Dawson, who played flawlessly, and his drum sound was crystal-clear and massive. Obviously, we didn’t hear “Alexander The Great.” And I say “obviously” because if they had played it, you’d already know it both from the first paragraph of this text and from the countless social media posts.
Be that as it may, Maiden proved their greatness once again. In all our hearts, they will always be #1…by a landslide!
P.S. 1: Some people lit about 10 smoke bombs, though Dickinson didn’t say a word.
P.S. 2: That sound of the Leader’s bass will haunt us for a lifetime.
P.S. 3: Although Maiden have stated from time to time that they aren’t a band that easily changes their set list for various reasons, we must say that this way they lose whatever element of surprise might exist in one of their concerts. Oh well.
Sakis Nikas
