Iron Maiden - Burgettstown, PA 8/11/2000

As stated both in the print media and by lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson himself, Iron Maiden’s “Brave New World” tour is not a rehash of their past glories, but an introduction to a new century of Maiden music madness.
Iron Maiden opened with 3 songs from their latest release “Brave New World”: “The Wickerman”, “Ghost Of Navigators” and the title cut. Dickinson still runs around the stage like a wildman using stage monitors as a catapult for his running leaps all the while sounding as powerful as his last visit to Pittsburgh as a solo artist several years ago.

The guitar trio of Adrian Smith, Jannick Gers and Dave Murray never played over each and all three guitarists were able to work as a cohesive unit.

Steve Harris looks virtually the same after 20 years of touring and is still the most distinctive bass player of the heavy metal era. Harris urges the crowd on to singalong with him and still appears to thoroughly enjoy himself on stage.

Maiden’s first nod to their past went back to the Paul Dianno era track “Wrathchild” a timeless track that even after almost 20 years does not sound dated.

”Blood Brothers” was a concert highlight with the band pulling off this most difficult track from the “Brave New World” CD. Also, the absolutely stunning “Out Of The Silent Planet” penned by Jannick Gers with the trademark galloping bass line is on its way to becoming another Maiden classic.

The band would only play one track from the Blaze Bayley era in “The Clansman” which went over quite well with the crowd. The overall set itself had a European feel to it in that many of the longer, intricate songs were played, ignoring the typically shorter attention span of American concert goers.

Other classic Maiden songs that made the show were “The Trooper”, “The Evil Men Do” and encore tracks, “Number Of The Beast”, “Iron Maiden” and set closer “Sanctuary”. This was much to the disappointment of many lukewarm Iron Maiden as their set did not feature such tracks as “Run To The Hills” or “Flight Of Icarus”.

After about one year into the current lineup, Iron Maiden still come off live very energetic and if anything the short time split with Dickinson and subsequent reunion has revitalized the band allowing them once again take their place among the leaders of the millennium metal movement.