Iron Maiden had a problem: Legacy of the Beast was already pretty much perfect. When the tour last passed through Paris four years ago, the production was a meticulously constructed piece of heavy-metal theatre. Then COVID put everything on hold, Maiden released Senjutsu, and suddenly a tour built around the past had to accommodate the present.
Hence the slightly reworked show arriving at Paris La Défense Arena. Several Senjutsu songs have been inserted into the set, inevitably displacing older favourites. There is a trade-off. The original production flowed beautifully as a self-contained spectacle, and tampering with it means sacrificing some of that balance. But leaving it untouched would have meant pretending the previous four years hadn't happened. Maiden have a new record and, unlike plenty of bands at this stage of their career, they actually want to play it.
The spectacle certainly hasn't suffered. The backdrops are enormous, the pyro appropriately ridiculous and the stage remains packed with the props and theatrical flourishes that have turned Maiden concerts into their own peculiar form of travelling theatre. Eddie makes three appearances: first in his new samurai guise, then as the giant inflatable demon looming over “Iron Maiden,” before Trooper Eddie arrives during “The Trooper” and gives the audience the finger. High art it isn't. Heavy metal doesn't need it to be.
The pandemic has therefore created an odd but satisfying hybrid. Had everything gone according to plan, Legacy of the Beast would have finished two years ago and Maiden would now be deep into a full Senjutsu tour. Instead, the new songs have been grafted onto the old production, allowing the band to celebrate its history without getting trapped inside it.
Iron Maiden know exactly what their audience wants. More importantly, they still don't always give them exactly that. That's why they're still moving forward.
Hence the slightly reworked show arriving at Paris La Défense Arena. Several Senjutsu songs have been inserted into the set, inevitably displacing older favourites. There is a trade-off. The original production flowed beautifully as a self-contained spectacle, and tampering with it means sacrificing some of that balance. But leaving it untouched would have meant pretending the previous four years hadn't happened. Maiden have a new record and, unlike plenty of bands at this stage of their career, they actually want to play it.
The spectacle certainly hasn't suffered. The backdrops are enormous, the pyro appropriately ridiculous and the stage remains packed with the props and theatrical flourishes that have turned Maiden concerts into their own peculiar form of travelling theatre. Eddie makes three appearances: first in his new samurai guise, then as the giant inflatable demon looming over “Iron Maiden,” before Trooper Eddie arrives during “The Trooper” and gives the audience the finger. High art it isn't. Heavy metal doesn't need it to be.
The pandemic has therefore created an odd but satisfying hybrid. Had everything gone according to plan, Legacy of the Beast would have finished two years ago and Maiden would now be deep into a full Senjutsu tour. Instead, the new songs have been grafted onto the old production, allowing the band to celebrate its history without getting trapped inside it.
Iron Maiden know exactly what their audience wants. More importantly, they still don't always give them exactly that. That's why they're still moving forward.
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