A Matter of Life and Death World Tour 2006

Brabanthallen, Den Bosch, 27 November 2006

I have been a fan of Iron Maiden since I was 13 years old. Ever since I watched the Live After Death video, I always dreamed to watch them live. Earlier this year I got a chance to make my dream comes true when I knew that Iron Maiden would include Den Bosch, Holland in the end year tour. Luckily I got the ticket quite early, since after a while the show was sold out.

Waiting impatiently until November, my adrenaline pumped faster when Iron Maiden released the AMOLAD album last September. Listening to this great solid album only triggered me to imagine the great live concert that would come.

Finally, the longest day was come. I started the day as usual, went to Den Bosch to work although my mind already soared away with Bruce's voice. During the day I got e-mail from Aleksandar that he would go together to the show. Great, I had company!

I arrived at Den Bosch train station around 6 PM to meet Aleksandar. There were already some crowds in Iron Maiden and Trivium t-shirts gathered there. After had quick dinner and met Aleksandar, we walked to the Brabanthallen. On the way we met someone who also went to the show. It turned out that he just back from the show in Stockholm and he was in the Bruce Air from Oslo to Stockholm. Wow man...I can't imagine to be in the plane piloted by Bruce Dickinson himself. We discussed other stuffs while walking: the set list (which I already had known before), the chance to meet Janick and Adrian in an Irish Pub in town after the show, and the picture he had with Bruce on the plane (damn lucky he was!).

We arrived at Brabanthallen around 7 PM. As my-concert-visit-ritual, I visited the shirt corner and bought one tour t-shirt, then we queued for the ticket check and entered the hall.

The Brabanthallen was quite a big hall. A seat tribune was set at the backside of the hall, and there was a pit in front of the stage. There were two large video screens on both sides of the stage.
The hall was about half full when we entered. Lauren Harris already started her act. Her performance was quite OK, supported with old-looking guitarist, bassist, and drummer. The songs were standard heavy-rock style, quite fit to her voice. On top of that, she was a good-looking girl.

Lauren finished her act at about 7.30 PM and the stage was set for Trivium. We decided to enter the pit to get a closer look to the stage. The background slide of the stage was the Trivium logo with images of their album covers, quite cool. They started their show with an instrumental opening, similar style as the Iron Maiden's Rock in Rio opening.

Trivium Stage

Trivium's performance was good in general. I must admit that I was not really knowledgeable about their songs, but I enjoyed the power and aggression of their performance. The crowd was also enjoying the act, some were already headbanging and moshing.
I recognized they played two songs that I know: Like Light to the Flies and the final song Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr.
They had solid skills and performance style. I especially enjoyed the cool style of Paolo, the bassist, who was headbanging most of the time. Matt Heafy also was quite communicative as the frontman, keep asking the crowd to headbang and mosh. His command was "I want to see some movements!"

After about 45 minutes full of heavy powerful songs from Trivium, we had another break. We got out from the pit to grab a drink, and back inside the pit right on time when the stage was nicely set.
The stage setting was quite 'minimal' for Iron Maiden show. The nuance was about war, with both sides and the back of the stage being raised and decorated as barrack walls with camouflage leaves and nets. There were two war spotlights and wires at both sides, with a hanging para soldier at one side. The backslide showed a ruin in fire-red colour.

All of a sudden, they entered the stage. Steve Harris with his usual Fender bass with Westham United logo, wore the Eddie war logo shirt. Dave Murray and Janick Gers wore Maiden shirts, while Adrian Smith in his usual outfit: vest and leather pant, the three amigos with their Fender Stratocasters. Bruce Dickinson wore a black shirt with monster head image. Unfortunately I could not see Nicko at all, he was buried behind his drums :).
The only noticeable thing from Nicko was his famous screaming to open Different World.

Great for opening song, Different World was performed very solid by Iron Maiden, although Bruce had a challenge at the high tone part. The crowd started to sing and headbanging in this heavy fast song.

These Colours Don't Run had a slower speed than the Different World, but more powerful bass and drums sounds. The backslide was changed to Eddie in military outfit grabbing Union Jack flag.

Dave and Adrian in These Colours Don't Run

Iron Maiden played directly the powerful Brighter than a Thousand Sons and continued with The Pilgrim, a fast melodic song with a nice guitar intro, that triggered the crowd to bang our head and raise our punches to the sky. I mostly enjoyed the drums and bass parts of this song.

The Pilgrim

The backslide was changed to newspaper stories about World War II when they played The Longest Day. Wonderfully the crowd joined the singing in these five songs, especially in this war-epic song..
"how long on this longest day...til we finally make it through...".
Also the guitar solos were wonderful.

The Longest Day

After The Longest Day, finally we had a short break when Bruce did his conversation with us. Greeting us then informing that this was one of the biggest tours in Maiden's career with most of the shows were sold out, including the one in Holland. He also indicated that they would play the whole AMOLAD album. One surprising part was after he finished, the whole crowd started to applause, screamed, and then chanted "Maiden, Maiden, Maiden,..." for about one minute. It was nice to see Bruce's face expression on this occasion. That was one of the amazing moments during the show. I still shiver if I remember this. I could not find this mutual loyalty between the band and the fans in the other live shows that I have watched before. Totally amazing!

After the speech Bruce gave us Out of the Shadows (and into the sun). It was amazing ballad with nice lyric, where some people lit the zippos, plus very nice guitar solos from Dave and Adrian.
"there is beauty and surely there is pain...but we must endure it to live again.."
Bruce led the crowd to clap during the instrumental part after Adrian's solo.

Then the backslide was changed to Benjamin Breeg. This first single from AMOLAD album was very dark yet powerful to be performed live. The opening part really made a creepy feeling on me. Bruce brilliantly sang
"Let me tell you about my life...let me tell you about my dreams...
let me tell you about the things that happen...always real to me...."

The show was continued with dark stage with only a spotlight on Steve Harris playing the opening of For the Greater Good of God. It is one of my favorite songs of the album, with nice bass lines, guitar rhythm, and great meaningful lyric. Again the shiver back to me when Bruce sang the final lines.
"He gave his life for us, he fell upon the cross
To die for all of those who never mourn his loss
It wasn't meant for us to feel the pain again
Tell me why....tell me why...."

After some softer songs, the crowd was jumping and banging again in the Lord of Light. This song was really great in live version, with complex song progression, strong guitar sound, and powerful sound of Bruce.

For the last song of the AMOLAD album, there were three acoustic guitars prepared on the stage. The Legacy is again a wonderful song from the album, with Genesis guitar style in the intro and rich acoustic sounds thanks to Janick Gers who penned this song with Steve Harris.
In this song Bruce turned on the war spotlight and blinded us.

After Bruce said "that was A Matter of Life and Death"...we knew that it was the time to go back to the great old era of Iron Maiden.
The stage was dark, creepy feeling came again, because of Fear of the Dark. I could not imagine myself as part of the crowd singing this brilliant song when Bruce sang.."Fear of the dark....Den Bosch..."

The crowd went crazy when Bruce asked Holland to scream for him (yes...the famous "Scream for me...Holland") and the band played very familiar riff of Iron Maiden. This song still sounded very raw and energic after more than 26 years!
To make it even more special, a real size tank appeared at the back stage behind Nicko's kit. Off course there was Eddie at the top of the tank with binoculars monitoring the crowd from side to side.

Eddie with the tank

After this adrenaline-pumping song, finally Nicko appeared to the front, throwing away few drumsticks and frisbees, then disappeared to the backstage with the rest of the band.

Off course we knew it was not over yet. Screaming and again chanting "Maiden..maiden..maiden..." until they were back on the stage. Bruce thanked us for the great show, informing that they will tour again in 2008 performing golden years songs. I believe that will be the Early Days part 2 with Powerslave and Piece of Mind as menu....aaarrghhh...I cannot wait to watch them again.

After that great announcement, the band played 2 Minutes to Midnight, another great song from my youth when I first knew about Iron Maiden. The backslide was showing the single cover of the song. Now I cannot really remember the detail anymore because I was in total ecstasy enjoying the song live performance.

2 Minutes to Midnight

Not finished there, they continued the ecstasy with the familiar intro riff of The Evil That Men Do from Seventh Son album. Similar with Rock in Rio live show, during the guitar solo Eddie appeared on the stage, but this time in green military outfit and helmet complete with a rifle. Always a pal of Janick, they played the guitar together with the rifle.
The song was ended with the crowd chanted "Eddie...Eddie...Eddie..."

Eddie

After the energic Evil that Men Do, the stage was darkened again, same creepy feeling again, then Bruce magically sang the intro of Hallowed be Thy Name. It was an ultimate dream came true to sing together the calm intro of the song with Bruce and headbanging along the powerful rhythm of the song.

The song marked the end of the show. The band came together to the front, bowed to the crowd, and the stage was reddened and darkened again, until finally all lights turned on and the crew started to clear up the stage. I went out of the hall together with the very pleased people and walked back to the train station with Aleksandar. He was a damn lucky fans because he went to the front row and got a wristband from Adrian Smith himself!

In conclusion, the show was terrific, classic Iron Maiden show with unbeatable quality, style and power. On top of that, the fans loyalty made the whole show as incredible experience. I still had the songs played in my head until two days after the show!

Thank you for Iron Maiden to make my dream to watch their live came true. Until the Powerslave show in 2008, and while waiting..Up the Irons!!!

Set list:

A Matter of Life and Death
- Different World
- These Colours Don't Run
- Brighter than a Thousand Suns
- The Pilgrim
- The Longest Day
- Out of the Shadows
- The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
- For the Greater Good of God
- Lord of Light
- The Legacy

- Fear of the Dark
- Iron Maiden
==========================
- 2 Minutes to Midnight
- The Evil That Men Do
- Hallowed be Thy Name

Nice pictures can be found at:
http://ironmaiden-trivium.fotopic.net/