Iron Maiden
Rock In Rio

THE REVIEW

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.