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Rating: Rock in Rio. Just this resounding name pleases and makes one think of a huge crowd turnout, its roar, and the adrenaline of those on stage and those below. In fact, the Brazilian fans are as many as 150,000 (it should have been 250,000, but the number was reduced for "public order reasons," as Brazilian metalheads do not have exactly an angelic reputation).
After their triumphant appearance in '85, the Irons return in grand style, with a historic, immense show featuring gigantic and evocative scenography. The boys are not as tight as they were sixteen years earlier, but it's hardly noticeable and doesn't matter much. The fact that it was the last show of the triumphant "Brave New World Tour" could perhaps have penalized the live performance, given that the six were a bit tired, but the fatigue is not noticeable at all. The atmosphere is charged with positive tension, and the show goes perfectly, without a hitch, as documented on the DVD.
The intro (taken from the film "The First Knight" with Richard Gere and Sean Connery) is dramatic and charges the atmosphere until it explodes in "The Wicker Man", undoubtedly the most successful start of recent tours (without counting the Ed Hunter Tour, which began with the legendary "Aces High"), with Dickinson gleeful in front of the vast audience that he immediately manages to engage the Brazilian public. On stage, the first to come out is the welcomed Adrina, who makes the stadium explode with the first notes of the song, then all the others arrive, running, as usual, with the usual dose of grit and desire to play. The impact is almost unique, well rendered by the audio (which however will have embarrassing gaps, but we'll see that later). The subsequent "Ghost of the Navigator" and "Brave New World" take us to an almost more "relaxed" atmosphere, with a descending climax. Played rather well, they are perhaps a bit predictable and leave a bitter taste because it becomes clear that the setlist will be a bit too conventional for a concert of this importance.
Dickinson is doing okay so far, but without the nice introductions to the songs he did in the '80s. However, he literally lifts Rio when he introduces the next piece: "Something old? Something new? Something from our Jurassic period? WRATHCHILD!!!" The apotheosis. The first classic of the evening is played divinely, without flaws, more powerful than ever, the best live version released. The following "2 Minutes To Midnight" is introduced by Bruce as follows: "Mister Janick Gers' on the stereo," with Gers playing the first notes that drive Rio mad, and you finally hear Dickinson's legendary "Scream for me Brazil." The guys let us know that the fun has just begun. "Blood Brothers", dedicated to all those who support the Maiden, is enjoyable but leaves the impression of not being an indispensable piece. The next "Sign of the Cross" is splendid, with Bruce improving on the performance that Blaze Bayley could have offered and the inclusion of Smith as the third guitar greatly improves the final result.
Then one of the great mysteries in the history of this band is why they insist on playing "The Mercenary", possibly the worst track of the latest album. Let's move on. But we quickly return to great levels: "Into the valley of death rode the six hundred? cannon to right of them, cannon to left of them, volley'd and thunder'd? THE TROOPER!" Rio explodes. "Dream of Mirrors", superfluous but graceful, doesn't leave much of a mark, but the version of "The Clansman" that follows is anthology-worthy, with well-aligned guitars, an audience singing at the top of their lungs, Bruce once again outperforming Blaze, Nicko and Bruce having a blast dancing (Nicko during the intro of the song, when Harris plays the acoustic and Bruce toward the end, evidently having a lot of fun).
The grand finale begins, full of classics; the first is "The Evil That Men Do", then "Fear of the Dark" makes Rio enjoy an incredible mosh pit, although it is played much more slowly than the original, but no problem, it's beautiful all the same. "Iron Maiden" and "The Number Of The Beast" present a problem: at certain moments, the guitars become confused without mixing properly, with a muddled and rather ugly sound. The sound is barely sufficient. "Hallowed Be Thy Name" is as usual the most beautiful of all, even though Janick Gers should be less crazy with the guitar during the solo (the second one). "Sanctuary" is grand, perhaps a bit slowed down, but beautiful, with Bruce, halfway through the song, when everything stops according to the script, makes the left half of the audience scream and then the right, then the left again and so on until the guitars return to the scene. It ends with photos and farewells (that part cannot be heard on the CD, only on the DVD) and then the final surprise is "Run to the Hills" (added to the setlist only in the final part of the tour), sung as well as ever, an anthology-worthy version, a legendary and worthy conclusion to a great show.
The musicians perform well (except sometimes that crazy Janick), and are liked for the grit and solidity showcased. Bruce may not have the voice of his golden years, but he is great as always (though he perhaps uses the word "fuck" too much, but that's not a terrible flaw). The only real shortcomings are the audio (as previously mentioned), the fact that missing pieces like "Wasted Years" or "Bring Your Daughter" would have been great instead of "The Mercenary", and the fact that the album, recorded on January 19, 2001, was released in stores a year later. But it was worth the wait.
Welcome back, Adrian, welcome back, Bruce. Until next time.
Tracklist and Lyrics
03 Ghost of the Navigator (06:49)
I have sailed to many lands now I make my final journey
On the bow i stand, west is where i go
Through the night i plough still my heart calculate and pray
As the compass swings my will is strong
I will not be led astray
Mysteries of time clouds that hide the sun
But I know, I know
I see the ghosts of navigators but they're lost
As they sail into the sunset they'll count the cost
As their skeletons accusing emerge from the sea
The sirens of the rocks, they beckon me
Take my heart and set it free
Carried forward by the waves
Nowhere left to run, Navigator's sun
Chasing rainbows all my days
Where I go I do not know
I only know the place I've been
Dreams they come and go, ever shall be so
Nothing's real until you feel
I steer between the crashing rocks, the sirens call my name
Lash my hands onto the helm, blood surging with the strain
I will not fail now as sunrise comes the darkness left behind
For eternity I follow on there is no other way
Mysteries of time clouds that hide the sun
But I know, I know
05 Wrathchild (03:06)
born into a scene
of angriness and greed
of dominance and persecution
My mother was a queen
my dad I've never seen
I was never meant to be.
Now I spend my time
looking all around
For a man that's nowhere
to be found,
Until I find him,
I'm never gonna stop searching
I'm going to find my man
gonna travel round.
so long wrathchild
Yeah I'm a wrathchild,
hello wrathchild
comin' to get you
oooh yeaheyeah
Some say it shouldn't matter
ain't nothing gonna alter
the course of my destination
But I know I've gotta find
some seriaus peace of mind
or I know I'll just go crazy
Now I spend my time
looking all around
For a man that's nowhere
to be found,
Until I find him,
I'm never gonna stop searching
I'm going to find my man
gonna travel round.
so long wrathchild
well I'm a wrathchild
yeah wrathchild
comin' to get you
oooh yeaheyeah
06 2 Minutes to Midnight (06:27)
Kill for gain or shoot to maim
But we don't need a reason
The Golden Goose is on the loose
And never out of season.
Blackened pride still burns inside
This shell of bloody treason
Here's my gun for a barrel of fun
For the love of living death.
The killer's breed or the Demon's seed,
The glamour, the fortune and the pain,
Go to war again, blood is freedom's stain,
Don't you pray for my soul anymore.
2 minutes to midnight,
The hands that threaten doom.
2 minutes to midnight,
To kill the unborn in the womb.
The blind men shout let the creatures out
We'll show the unbelievers,
The Napalm screams of human flames
Of a prime time Belsen feast...YEAH!
As the reasons for the carnage cut their meat
and lick the gravy,
We oil the jaws of the war machine
and feed it with our babies.
The killer's breed or the Demon's seed,
The glamour, the fortune and the pain,
Go to war again, blood is freedom's stain,
Don't you pray for my soul anymore.
2 minutes to midnight,
The hands that threaten doom.
2 minutes to midnight,
To kill the unborn in the womb.
The body bags and little rags of children
torn in two,
And the jellied brains of those who remain
to put the finger right on you
As the madmen play on words and make us all
dance to their song,
To the tune of starving millions
to make a better kind of gun.
The killer's breed or the Demon's seed,
The glamour, the fortune and the pain,
Go to war again, blood is freedom's stain,
Don't you pray for my soul anymore.
2 minutes to midnight,
The hands that threaten doom.
2 minutes to midnight,
To kill the unborn in the womb.
Midnight... is all night...
Midnight... all night...
07 Blood Brothers (07:15)
And if you're taking a walk through
the garden of life
What do you think you'd expect you
would see?
Just like a mirror reflecting the
moves of your life
And in the river reflections of me
Just for a second a glimpse of my
father I see
And in a movement he beckons to me
And in a moment the memories are all
that remain
And all the wounds are reopening again
We're blood brothers
We're blood brothers
We're blood brothers
We're blood brothers
And as you look all around at the
world in dismay
What do you see, do you think we
have learned
Not if you're taking a look at the
war-torn affray
Out in the streets where the babies
are burned
We're blood brothers
We're blood brothers
We're blood brothers
We're blood brothers
There are times when I feel I'm afraid
for the world
There are times I'm ashamed of us all
When you're floating on all the
emotion you feel
And reflecting the good and the bad
Will we ever know what the answer
to life really is?
Can you really tell me what life is?
Maybe all the things that you know
that are precious to you
Could be swept away by fate's
own hand
We're blood brothers
We're blood brothers
We're blood brothers
We're blood brothers
When you think that we've used
all our chances
And the chance to make
everything right
Keep on making the same
old mistakes
Makes untipping the balance so easy
When we're living our lives on
the edge
Say a prayer on the book of the dead
We're blood brothers
We're blood brothers
We're blood brothers
We're blood brothers
We're blood brothers
We're blood brothers
We're blood brothers
We're blood brothers
And if you're taking a walk through
the garden of life
08 Sign of the Cross (10:49)
Eleven saintly shrouded men
silhouettes stand against the sky
one in front with a cross held high
come to wash my sins away
Standing alone in the wind and rain
feeling the fear that is growing
Sensing the change in the tide again
caught by the storm that is brewing
Feel the anxiety hold off the fear
some of the doubt in the things you believe
Now that your faith will be put to the test
nothing to do but await what is coming
Why is then God still protecting me
even when I don't deserve it?
Though I am blessed with an inner strength
some they would call it a penance
Why am I meant to face this alone
asking the question time and again
Praying to God won't keep me alive
Inside my head feel the fear start to rise...
They'll be saving their prayers when the moment comes
there'll be penance to pay when it's judgement day
And the guilty'll bleed when that moment comes
they'll be coming to claim, take your soul away
The sign of the cross
The name of the rose
A fire in the sky
The sign of the cross
They'll be coming to bring the eternal flame
They'll be bringing us all immortality
Holding comunion so the world be blessed
my creator, my God, lay my soul to rest
The sign of the cross
The name of the rose
A fire in the sky
The sign of the cross
Lost the love of heaven above
Chose the lust of the earth below
Eleven saintly shrouded men
Came to wash my sins away
09 The Mercenary (04:43)
Pay to kill, die to lose
Hunter, hunted which you are
Diablo comes again
To make trophies out of men
Lose your skin, lose your skull
One by one the sack is full
In the heat dehydrate
Know which breath will be your last
Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide
You've got to kill to stay alive
Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide
You've got to kill to stay alive
Show them no fear, show them no pain
Show them no fear, show them no pain
Show them no fear, show them no pain
Show them no fear, show them no pain
Human heart, human mind
Intellect intertwined
Focus sharp in the night
Watch the jungle burning bright
Toe to toe throw the line
Everyone's caught hand tied
Iron will Iron fist
How could it have come to this?
Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide
You've got to kill to stay alive
Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide
You've got to kill to stay alive
Show them no fear, show them no pain
Show them no fear, show them no pain
Show them no fear, show them no pain
Show them no fear, show them no pain
10 The Trooper (04:35)
You'll take my life but I'll take yours too
You'll fire your musket but I'll run you through
So when you're waiting for the next attack
You'd better stand there's no turning back.
The bugle sounds and the charge begins
But on this battlefield no one wins
The smell of acrid smoke and horses breath
As I plunge on into certain death.
The horse he sweats with fear we break to run
The mighty roar of the Russian guns
And as we race towards the human wall
The screams of pain as my comrades fall
We hurdle bodies that lay on the ground
And the Russians fire another round
We get so near yet so far away
We were meant to fight another day.
We get so close near enough to fight
When a Russian gets me in his sights
He pulls the trigger and I feel the blow
A burst of rounds take my horse below.
And as I lay there gazing at the sky
My body's numb and my throat is dry
And as I lay forgotten and alone
Without a tear I draw my parting groan
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Other reviews
By let there be rock
Dickinson’s voice is perfect as well as the harmony among the three (!!) guitarists, the bass of the “boss” Steve Harris and Nicko’s drums.
A fantastic live performance of the Maiden, a double DVD... a bible for those who want to know Iron Maiden but also an essential double DVD in every Iron fan’s video library.
By thetrooper
A breathtaking setlist where only 'Running Free' and some of 'Somewhere In Time' are missing.
'Fear of The Dark' is the pivotal moment of the entire album, the crowd of spectators joins in a breathtaking chorus that replaces the Maiden themselves.
