A Real Trooper

Hello folks. I hope this entry finds you guys in good spirits and the humidity hasn't gotten you yet for the summer. We all know what summer means for me. Musicals and outdoor rock concerts. Life doesn't get much better than that, and this summer opened with a big metallic bang. IRON MAIDEN. I must admit this was one of the most intense musical sensations in my life. Yes, in my LIFE.

The concert opened with Steve Harris' s (Bass-Iron Maiden) daughter, Lauren Harris. She has a band put together of what seems to be generic studio rockers putting on a stereotypical metal look for her. Their performances were nothing to write home about. Lauren Harris, I am not sure about. She has skills, and her stage presence is an Ozzy Osbourne derived "Stand and Deliver" style. The issue is that she hasn't settled on a style and I would have preferred her to be a screamer (hehe). She sang very low, in a tenor range. If she sang like an alto, even in falsetto, she would have been killer. In the range she sang it would have worked for her to go country, which would be a shame since shes a Brit. I mean, Iron Maiden's male lead singer sang two octaves higher than her at times. It was the first time I really felt bad for an opening act. The girl is very good looking and has talent and her songs weren't bad, just I think her vocal range needs to be thought about and she needs a real band with whom she has a bond.

After about forty-five minutes since Lauren finished, and the sun has gone below the horizon, the lights go out. A video clip of the members of Iron Maiden boarding their private Boeing 757 (thats right, I can recognize some different models of commercial jets, my grandfather worked for the airlines), then a camera shot through the window of the cockpit and there sits none other than Bruce Dickinson, lead singer, airline pilot, DJ, and historian. Bruce Dickinson this evening demonstrated some amazing front-man skills, of keeping the crowd entertained while the set changed and the guitarists changed guitars or re-tuned. Combine that with one of the most recognizable voices and you have a Freddie Mercury of metal. Those of you who know me and read this, know how high I regard the late Queen lead-man. This is big for me to compare him. Bruce's voice was right on for being a live performance. A lot of bands, understandably, change the vocal lines some from the album for live performances. I heard maybe, MAYBE three instances of this at the concert. Very impressive considering they just played the night before in Philadelphia.

This concert was very special since Iron Maiden was not pushing a new album on this tour, and only had 14 shows in the United States on this massive world tour. The theme of the tour is "Somewhere Back in Time". They are basically touring their greatest hits from the years 1980-89. This means the set included hits like "Number of the Beast", "Run to the Hills", "The Trooper", and their 13-minute masterpiece based on Samuel Coleridge Taylors famous poem, "Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner". They were coming to rock, and melt your face. The shredding along with the pyro just did exactly that. After playing a set with those songs plus about 7 others, they leave the stage. The audience already running only on adrenaline and alcohol, screaming for more. They come out and perform three more songs as an encore, ending with their title song "Iron Maiden" which includes a giant walking and dancing Eddie (the zombie alien that appears in all the Iron Maiden logos and art). This was very amusing as the guitarists (all three of them, not including the bassist and band leader, Steve Harris, who is one of the best bassists in metal) formed together to battle Eddie with their guitars.

After three encores the audience seemed defeated, just rocked into surrender. Even after the lights came up you had to just stand there and catch your breath. This concert was a barn stormer and will be tough to beat, but with a line up of Rush on July 19th, The Masters of Metal Tour, featuring Judas Priest, Motorhead, a reunited Heaven and Hell, and Testament on August 7th, Journey, Heart, and Cheap Trick on August 27, and Several Species on September 20th, there will be ample opportunity for others to turn up the heat. Its going to be a hot summer. I leave you with a clip of "Number of the Beast" by Iron Maiden, performed live at Merriweather Post Pavilion. I was at this performance and I feel the clip demonstrates what I was talking about! I wish you guys peace and nimble fingers for your board tapping in your massive solos.