The Greek audience had the chance of witnessing all 3 Iron Maiden singers on stage in a period less than 6 months. This is a surreal sentence by all means. And surreal is also the fact that Blaze Bayley sold out the venue once and Paul Dianno twice! But behind those facts there’s a realization. How is it possible that these artists just a while back used to play for a fraction of this year’s crowd and went from that mediocre state to that of total worship?
The answer is quite simple if you ask me. People have come to realize that we are at the end of an era. And not just any era but the one of legends, stars, or even fathers if you prefer, of an entire musical universe. They keep flocking to events that bear even a glimpse of that prestigious past and are very likely to never happen again since all these heroes either retire or transcend to another state…
It’s no secret that Paul Dianno is not capable of performing adequately (to put it mildly) the songs that he branded with his signature performance back in the day. But the fans packed the venue, sung their lungs off and couldn’t stop cheering. And that is a fact that Dianno himself is the first one to acknowledge and did his fair share of self-mockery and self-criticism. That is exactly where he won the bet. Accessible, blissful and grateful, he seemed to enjoy every bit of those moments on stage. Moments that may never have the chance to experience again if we want to be honest and a bit raw. This is a man who went through a lot, he even faced extinction and nevertheless found the courage to expose himself on stage. Even while sitting on a wheelchair, even under a great deal of pain.
Under that scope, there are no more things to be said. His backing band was flawless and deserves a special mention since all four of them delivered these classic songs with fidelity, respect and a sense of responsibility. Gus G of course was under the spotlight, a true star. He didn’t forget though not even for a single moment who the man of honour was underlined the fact with his entire presence and gestures. I am more than certain that this show was more important for Dianno himself than for the people that attended. He needed it the most.
Kostas Kounadinis
*photos taken from the first show
