Iron Maiden Concert Review – Philadelphia Pa July 30th 2019 – The Legacy of the Beast Tour

Iron Maiden brought their Legacy of the Beast Tour to Philadelphia on a sultry Tuesday night. The looming threat of work in the morning did not keep the Maiden faithful away. A glance around the arena confirmed a full house. Even the upper levels were packed!

The tour is a departure from previous outings. Instead of recreating a specific era in Maiden history, the production was built around The Legacy of the Beast video game. A stage set designed to recreate the virtual worlds inspired a setlist composed of crowd favorites and long neglected songs.

As the lights went down and “Churchill’s Speech” filled the arena, the audience rose to their feet and let out a roar of approval. From my vantage point on the floor I had a clear view of WW2 images flashing on oversized screens.

The anticipation built to a fever pitch as the recorded intro to “Aces High” came over the PA. Finally there was an explosion and the mighty IRON MAIDEN came charging out with all guns blazing. Guitars swirled in unison, recreating the intricate harmonies that comprise the main theme of “Aces High.” Bruce spit out lyrics in rapid succession with the energy of a man half his age.

Iron Maiden wasted no time in showing off their lavish new stage show. A giant fighter aircraft loomed overhead as the band tore through the opening number. This was not just any airplane but an exact replica of a Spitfire that saw active duty in 1941.

Although the size had to be cut-down 10% to accommodate stages, the prop is a testament to Maiden’s obsession with accuracy. After all, this is the band that hired a Mayan scholar to approve artwork for the Book of Souls. The same eye for detail is evident with the Spitfire.

Next up was “Where Eagles Dare.” This is the type of song selected for the die-hards. Ludicrously under-played, it was a joy to hear the resurrection of a forgotten classic. From Nicko’s drum intro to the spirited guitar break, every moment channeled my adolescent self.

“2 Minutes To Midnight” occupied the third slot. The three songs flowed perfectly, keeping the vintage vibe of the legacy theme in tact. Hearing the song so close to “Aces High” brought the spirit of Live After Death into 2019. A brilliant backdrop with the single artwork enhanced the performance.

Although Maiden touched on multiple eras, Piece of Mind proved to be a popular album for this tour. “Revelations” was finally dusted off after years of neglect. It’s long absence felt sacrilegious but needed. Rather than succumb to the tired list of overplayed standards, “Revelations” remains a sacred gem. It’s presence tonight felt like a blessing.

“Flight of Icarus” endured an even longer banishment. Like “Revelations,” its ongoing absence baffled my mind. It’s resurrection for the current tour sent hardcore fans scrambling to reserve tickets. Their patience was rewarded with a giant Icarus specially built for this tour.

Bruce even got to play with a flamethrower during the track! It was easy to see that he was having a blast with props. Dickinson ran across the stage like an excited child with a new batch of toys. This is no legacy act going through the motions. Iron Maiden are having a genuine good time playing for their fans.

Naturally “The Trooper” rounded out the songs from Piece of Mind. The song also marked the evening’s first appearance of Eddie!

Other rarities were rather curious. The band revisited not one but TWO songs from the Blaze Bayley albums. Both “The Clansman” and “Sign of the Cross” hover around the ten-minute mark. It’s surprising that Maiden would devote 20 minutes of a “classics” set to an era ignored by large segments of the fan-base.

It’s admirable that Maiden honor all periods of their career. Still, by choosing lengthier songs from the Blaze albums, inevitable time constraints hinder a balanced embrace of the Maiden discography. The most glaring consequence was the absence of Paul Di’Anno songs.

The only Di’Anno song of the evening was the obligatory “Iron Maiden.” Of course this timeless classic signals the arrival of our beloved mascot. Fans cheered as a new “Legacy of the Beast” Eddie rose from the stage.

Iron Maiden also touched on the post-reunion albums. It’s funny, I still view “The Wicker Man” as a “new” song but it’s been in the catalogue for almost 20 years! At this point, the song has been integrated into the Iron Maiden canon. Judging by the crowd’s enthusiastic response, “The Wicker Man” can now be considered a “classic.”

“For The Greater Good” is the final rarity of the evening. Like the Blaze era songs, this epic song borders on the 10-minute mark. Combined, we are looking at a solid half hour of a set meant to revisit classic songs.

I respect that the band is embracing multiple eras of their career. The problem is key aspects of Maiden’s “legacy” were absent.  Like Killers before it, Somewhere in Time became a setlist casualty. Even Seventh Son was largely neglected. Instead of digging deep, the band opted for a default performance of “The Evil That Man Do.”

It’s like Nicko said in his hilarious pre-tour video, “You can’t please everyone.” In the moment, no one dwells on missing albums. They’re too busy rocking out to “Flight of Icarus.” A phenomenal stage-set combined with rarely played songs made The Legacy of the Beast tour a crowd-pleasing success.