"Gig Report: Iron Maiden – Legacy of the Beast Tour, Athens July 2022"

It's summertime… It's hot… Why don't we head to O.A.K.A. to listen to Iron Maiden! That's what everyone who showed up at the Olympic Stadium last Saturday, July 16, 2022was thinking. On stage, the British band, as part of the Legacy of the Beast Tour 2022, reminded us of all those reasons why they're considered the biggest power metal act on the planet.

Some things never change!

The day was excellent. It was hot enough, but nothing could stop the thousands of fans of the British band. There was also great interest in the bands that supported Maiden at the Olympic Stadium. Lord of the Lost and Airbourne warmed up the stage and got us ready for the entrance of the 'Iron Maiden' herself!

Lord of the Lost and Airbourne

It often happens at gigs of this scale that we don't pay much attention to the bands warming up the crowd before the headliners. Big mistake! It started with Lord of the Lost, who brought a really interesting flavour to the night. The band from Germany formed in 2007 and creates music that leans heavily into heavy and dark rock, as well as industrial.

Their tracks also carry a lot of classical music elements. Although their style points towards Rammsteinn (there's theatricality, part of their musical style recalls the well-known band, as does their stage presence), we shouldn't confuse the two. Their songs have plenty of differences. From the small taste I got, they piqued my interest and I'll definitely keep them in mind going forward.

As for Airbourne , I can say I knew them a bit better. The Australian rockers with their unique old school rock style seem to be picking up the baton from AC/DC, carrying on that well-known rock tradition that comes from down under. Their sound was pretty loud and intense, and their energy really made them stand out. They too made the most of their first appearance in Greece, and I think they left the best impressions.

Time for Eddie and his crew

Between one thing and another, the time came for Eddie and his crew to take the stage! The Tour may not have been mainly built around their wonderful newer album Senjutsu, but the Brits still treated us to tracks from the record, like 'Stratego' and 'Writing on the Wall'. In fact, the latter came right after a comment from Bruce Dickinson, who, keeping up the years-long tradition, didn't say Alexander The Great, which has by now become a popular demand from their Greek fans!

Specifically he said: "So…. Alexander The Great…. He didn't live to see The Writing On the Wall!". And just like that, Iron Maiden kept on giving us wonderful moments, without doing us the favour regarding the Greek, Macedonian general. In doing so, they continued a love affair with the Greek audience.

Full stage setups and plenty of effects

Every Maiden gig is rounded out by the wonderful stage sets and effects that accompany each of their songs. I can understand the reaction when ticket prices came out. High prices in tough times. But if you think about the scale of the logistics behind everything they brought and put on show, I think we can show a bit more understanding.

Among the highlights were also the now-familiar appearances of Eddie, who showed up on stage both in a look straight out of Senjutsu, and as Trooper! The stage sets and the setlist varied. All of them massive hits from the long career of Iron Maiden. Personally, I'd like to single out Blood Brothers (a track I'd never heard them play live before), Sign of the Cross (an excellent track with incredible power), and also maybe my favourite song (or at least one of my favourites), The Clansman.

A wonderful night that nothing could tarnish

By now you've probably read about the well-known incident that threatened to tarnish part of Maiden's presence in Athens… Allow me not to rehash it, since in my opinion, nothing could ruin what I experienced that Saturday night. I'd like to close with the encore part of the concert, where Maiden traditionally save the best for last. With plenty of powerful tracks, among them The Clansman, Trooper and Aces High, the Brits closed out their set in the most powerful way possible. Of course the most powerful moment came during Aces High, when a model Spitfire hung above the stage, performing dogfights and 'dancing' to the melodies of the track.

A few words on the organisation

As for the sound and the logistics, I can say that compared to other concerts I've attended at the vast O.A.K.A., this one was really good. That said, such a vast venue does create problems for producing quality sound. At the same time, the sound seemed to differ depending on where you were standing and how it bounced around the stadium. Still, the bands' sheer power seemed to overcome whatever issues the venue created.

Personally, I missed the connection with nature that you'd get if the show had been at Terra Vibe. In my opinion it's a much more suitable venue for this kind of concert, especially considering all the big European festivals take place in parks.

Iron Maiden are already legends of music

It doesn't matter what kind of music you listen to or where you're from… Iron Maiden have for years now been a band universally embraced. We can all agree they're perhaps the biggest band in the world. From the quality of their live performances (not a single note lost in any solo), to their sheer productivity, which has given us countless albums. Greece loves Maiden, and they show that the feeling is mutual.

For everyone who hasn't seen the band live even once yet, I suggest you do so right away on their next tour. You'll be amazed. For everyone else, let's wait patiently for the next time we get to see them up close!

Thank you, Iron Maiden!

Scream for me Athens!!!