When Swedish Death Metallers Arch Enemy was ousted from the supporting spot in Stockholm a collective sigh went through the read-up swedish metal crowd. While Arch Enemy is nowhere near a perfect pick for a group with such broad appeal as Iron Maiden, they would no doubt have done a better job than the horribly misplaced Murderdolls who, try as they might, are unable to do anything to wake up the 31.000 heavy metal fans at Stockholm Stadium. The band explodes onto the scene, with genuine energy and feriocity, launching into "Slit my Wrist" with the discretion of a bull in a china shop. Guitarist Joey Jordison proves every bit why he was a major player in Slipknot with riffs churned out at high velocity. Vocalist Wednesday 13 is headbanging like crazy and tries to pull the audience into his frenzy between songs but...they just stand there...they don't cheer, they dont' whistle, they don't boo. Apathy would probably be the closest description of their state. When the set is about to close and the Dolls play through "Motherfucker I don't care" things just get embarassing. I want to like them for their honest energy but their entire act and pose just feels so contrived and fake that it's hard to be moved by their music. Truly a band that would be better of without their shitty makeup image. they get points for trying, but no one will be remembered for just trying.
As a result of this the audience is, contrary to the Murderdolls stated mission, far from warmed up. By the time Brain walks onstage and parks his ass behind the drums it is evident that Maiden will have to carry the entire consert on their shoulders, and they are just the band to do it. The starting rhyme of "Number of The Beast" tells the audience all they need to know, and a deafening cheer sounds across the entire arena. Bruce doesn't join the rest of the band onstage until the first chorus but sings from behind the stage he comes hopping onto the stage like the energizer bunny. Where Murderdolls tried brute force Dickinson is just going for a carefree spunky approach all the while he howls through the first song with devastating effect. The cheer roars even higher as the song comes to an end and Bruce greets the audience. from his facial expression alone you can tell he enjoys being here tonight. They continue with the same determination, and it's now you that you start to realize how easy they make it look. The 6 man strong group is smiles all around all the while ripping through "Die with your boots on", "Revelations", "22 Acacia Avenue" and "The Trooper" like they could do it in their sleep.
All the while the band is tearing up the arena I must also mention the commendable performance by the bouncers who pass water bottles around from very early in the set to the very end. Some crowd surfers are plucked down and sent along the sides, the security is harsh but fair, the kind that is the best possible at gigs this size.
Bruce is generous with chatter between songs, taking long breaks and filling the audience on on everythign on what's happening in the Iron Maiden world. "You know it's very naughty to download from the Internet" he says with a harsh voice. "Metallica don't like it!" he continues to which the audience gives of a mix of laughter and cheers. He makes his statment on the internet and mp3s as brief as it is brilliant. "Go out there, download our new songs, and if you like them, go buy the album! And if you think it's shit, then what the hell! Keep it anyway because I think it is a great album!" The natural continuation to such a stance on their music is the new song "The world's wildest dream" which has a rocky groove to it, nothing spectacular, but it's instantly catchy and it will no doubt make people hum it everywhere when their new Album "Dance of Death" is released this autumn.. By the time they hit "The Clansman" the crowd is drowning out band making them jolly as ever, Gers throws his guitars high in the air and catches it, Brain sends his drumsticks flying as well and Bruce, jumps around in a fashion that makes you wonder if he was closer to 20 than the 50s he really is. Needless to say, they save the very best for the encore, the crowd is starting to look weary but happy and despite that the brits has been playing for close to 2 hours hardly anyone is leaving the arena. Bruce is visibly touched by the sizzling hot reception from the crowd and promises to be back in the autumn as well as stopping by in Gothenburg at the 55.000 seat arena Ullevi. The last song, "Run to the hills", comes as no surprised but is none the less well recieved, the crowd knows this is the end and join the band on every note until there's only the soft hum of the PA left.
As a result of this the audience is, contrary to the Murderdolls stated mission, far from warmed up. By the time Brain walks onstage and parks his ass behind the drums it is evident that Maiden will have to carry the entire consert on their shoulders, and they are just the band to do it. The starting rhyme of "Number of The Beast" tells the audience all they need to know, and a deafening cheer sounds across the entire arena. Bruce doesn't join the rest of the band onstage until the first chorus but sings from behind the stage he comes hopping onto the stage like the energizer bunny. Where Murderdolls tried brute force Dickinson is just going for a carefree spunky approach all the while he howls through the first song with devastating effect. The cheer roars even higher as the song comes to an end and Bruce greets the audience. from his facial expression alone you can tell he enjoys being here tonight. They continue with the same determination, and it's now you that you start to realize how easy they make it look. The 6 man strong group is smiles all around all the while ripping through "Die with your boots on", "Revelations", "22 Acacia Avenue" and "The Trooper" like they could do it in their sleep.
All the while the band is tearing up the arena I must also mention the commendable performance by the bouncers who pass water bottles around from very early in the set to the very end. Some crowd surfers are plucked down and sent along the sides, the security is harsh but fair, the kind that is the best possible at gigs this size.
Bruce is generous with chatter between songs, taking long breaks and filling the audience on on everythign on what's happening in the Iron Maiden world. "You know it's very naughty to download from the Internet" he says with a harsh voice. "Metallica don't like it!" he continues to which the audience gives of a mix of laughter and cheers. He makes his statment on the internet and mp3s as brief as it is brilliant. "Go out there, download our new songs, and if you like them, go buy the album! And if you think it's shit, then what the hell! Keep it anyway because I think it is a great album!" The natural continuation to such a stance on their music is the new song "The world's wildest dream" which has a rocky groove to it, nothing spectacular, but it's instantly catchy and it will no doubt make people hum it everywhere when their new Album "Dance of Death" is released this autumn.. By the time they hit "The Clansman" the crowd is drowning out band making them jolly as ever, Gers throws his guitars high in the air and catches it, Brain sends his drumsticks flying as well and Bruce, jumps around in a fashion that makes you wonder if he was closer to 20 than the 50s he really is. Needless to say, they save the very best for the encore, the crowd is starting to look weary but happy and despite that the brits has been playing for close to 2 hours hardly anyone is leaving the arena. Bruce is visibly touched by the sizzling hot reception from the crowd and promises to be back in the autumn as well as stopping by in Gothenburg at the 55.000 seat arena Ullevi. The last song, "Run to the hills", comes as no surprised but is none the less well recieved, the crowd knows this is the end and join the band on every note until there's only the soft hum of the PA left.
