Humbled and Honored In Phoenix

[ronnie ward]

Hey everyone, just wanted to comment on what an incredible show the Maidens put on at Cooperstown this past Saturday night in Phoenix. My band, KraiseD was honored to have the opportunity to open for the Maidens and was blown away by the talent, energy and professionalism displayed by these 5 rocking ladies of metal. The crowd was great, everyone was screaming the entire set and I woke up Sunday with no voice! Jaws were dropped (including mine) and all around me all I heard were comments such as "Unbelieveable", "Better than Maiden themselves" (blaspheme, i know), "No way!", "Amazing!", "Oh My God", etc... plus many expected comments on the physical appearance of the ladies...

The setlist was well thought out and couldnt have been better, its obvious the Maidens are TRUE Maiden fans from way back and understand the material through and through. I cant remember the entire setlist but from what I remember (not in order):

Fligt Of Icarus, Die With Your Boots On, Remember Tomorrow, HBTN, Murders In The Rue Morgue, Wrathchild, Phantom Of The Opera, Losfer Words, The Trooper, Ides of March/Killers, NumberOTB, Revelations, Run To The Hills, Fear Of The Dark, 2 Minutes To Midnight, Wasted Years, Children Of The Damned, The Prisoner, Purgatory OR Transylvania (get those 2 confused).

I could be forgetting something, it was a long crazy night. We got some decent photos of the show from stage right which I'll post later if its cool with the band. In closing, I'll say the Maidens made a BUNCH of new friends/fans including me and KraiseD and my buddy Fritz from 22RED who talked Linda into getting a cool pic with him. (Im jealous) Looking forward to the opportunity to see the Maidens again or better yet, share the stage again.

Hoping we did a decent job opening for you guys!

Ronnie "Psych" Ward

 

[Metallicat180]

Great review!! Glad that you had a good time!!

Oh and on the subject of Pugatory and Transylvania - the latter is an instrumental so that should help you if you get confused!!

 

[ronnie ward]

Great review!! Glad that you had a good time!!

Oh and on the subject of Pugatory and Transylvania - the latter is an instrumental so that should help you if you get confused!!

Haha, thanks. Mustve been Transylvania then. So many great tunes, I get some of the early stuff confused...

 

[spideyjg]

We got some decent photos of the show from stage right which I'll post later if its cool with the band.

If you look back most California shows the next day pictures are posted and the ladies have never discouraged posting concert shots that I have seen.

Come on already!!!

You often see those reactions from the noobs at TIM shows.

They truly are a class act, outfreaking standing performers, and I always encourage folks to go see them.

Jim

 

[Metallicat180]

Haha, thanks. Mustve been Transylvania then. So many great tunes, I get some of the early stuff confused...

I just realised I mis-spelt Purgatory! Ooops!! Don't worry about it, for the longest time I kept thinking The Prisoner was on Piece Of Mind, and I have no idea why!! Hehehe!

 

[Metallicat180]

If you look back most California shows the next day pictures are posted and the ladies have never discouraged posting concert shots that I have seen.

Come on already!!!

You often see those reactions from the noobs at TIM shows.

They truly are a class act, outfreaking standing performers, and I always encourage folks to go see them.

Jim

I remember that reaction from my friend Steve when I let him hear the album. He was especially impressed with Linda's drumming.

 

[ronnie ward]

If you look back most California shows the next day pictures are posted and the ladies have never discouraged posting concert shots that I have seen.

Come on already!!!

You often see those reactions from the noobs at TIM shows.

They truly are a class act, outfreaking standing performers, and I always encourage folks to go see them.

Jim

Ok then, heres a few pics, I was standing by the mains stage right so keep the POV in mind, wish I coulda got more center but the drunks were hard to get through.

BTW, did anyone see that drunk guy that knocked over 2 tables? first time I was like OK, good times, second time it was "Someone grab that fu*K" and BAM! Bouncer had him by the shirt and GONE! Hahahaha. That was great.

 

[ronnie ward]

I remember that reaction from my friend Steve when I let him hear the album. He was especially impressed with Linda's drumming.

Werd! Lindas drumming was world class. The whole band sound like they are very accomplished musicians.

 

[Metallicat180]

Werd! Lindas drumming was world class. The whole band sound like they are very accomplished musicians.

Awesome photos, thanks for sharing!!

Yep, they certainly are!!

I totally agree!! If you want to hear some of what she can do, check out her old band Phantom Blue. They kick ARSE!!! They are one of my top 5 bands of all time! Jojo (who used to be in the Maidens) also played on some of the later stuff. Amazing music - especially Lied To Me, Going Mad, My Misery, Mutha and Anti-Love Crunch. Those are my fave songs of theirs. Sara also plays with Mistress Of Reality which is a tribute to Sabbath, again she kicks arse in that. Wanda plays alot with various symphony orchestras and Liz also has her own band (I forget the name!! ) so yes they are all VERY accomplished musicians.

 

[ronnie ward]

Awesome photos, thanks for sharing!!

Yep, they certainly are!!

I totally agree!! If you want to hear some of what she can do, check out her old band Phantom Blue. They kick ARSE!!! They are one of my top 5 bands of all time! Jojo (who used to be in the Maidens) also played on some of the later stuff. Amazing music - especially Lied To Me, Going Mad, My Misery, Mutha and Anti-Love Crunch. Those are my fave songs of theirs. Sara also plays with Mistress Of Reality which is a tribute to Sabbath, again she kicks arse in that. Wanda plays alot with various symphony orchestras and Liz also has her own band (I forget the name!! ) so yes they are all VERY accomplished musicians.

Wow! Thats awesome, thanks for all the cool backround info. I knew I recognized Linda from somewhere, Phantom Blue used to be in the guitar mags back page all the time I believe. Im gonna have to check out Phantom Blue and Mistress of Reality. Thanks so much! And Wanda playing in symphony doesnt surprise me, her right hand technique looks effortless, my bass player was in awe.

 

[Metallicat180]

Wow! Thats awesome, thanks for all the cool backround info. I knew I recognized Linda from somewhere, Phantom Blue used to be in the guitar mags back page all the time I believe. Im gonna have to check out Phantom Blue and Mistress of Reality. Thanks so much! And Wanda playing in symphony doesnt surprise me, her right hand technique looks effortless, my bass player was in awe.

Not a problem mate! I picked up all that info from posting on here so long!! If you go to www.phantomblue.com you can hear some little clips of their songs. I love that band so much! Also, I have a live cd of MOR if you'd like to hear any of it. I couldn't find any clips of them anyway and then Sara kindly hooked me up with a live show which is excellent! Let me know! I would quite like to go see Wanda playing with an orchestra - maybe she could get them to do a Metallica style orchestra show with the Maidens! That would rule!!

 

[RouxBodine]

Thanks for the awesome photos!

Btw, Metallicat, you may also notice I end some of my posts with a but those are reserved mainly for threads wherein Wanda is mentioned or there are photos of her. What can I say, I am for Wanda.


.

 

[DRZ]

Sara also plays with Mistress Of Reality which is a tribute to Sabbath, again she kicks arse in that.

Sara does not play with MOR any longer, but she and Linda play in an all female tribute to all eras of Ozzy! You can check that project out at www.thelittledolls.com and can hear them at www.myspace.com/thelittledolls in the jukebox.

Also, Aja does session work and jingles most days of the week when the Maidens aren't playing or rehearsing, and has a solo cd out called "Modern Babylon". You can check her stuff out at www.ajakim.com

 

[Lord of Delusions]

BTW, did anyone see that drunk guy that knocked over 2 tables? first time I was like OK, good times, second time it was "Someone grab that fu*K" and BAM! Bouncer had him by the shirt and GONE! Hahahaha. That was great.

Was that the guy that tried to play it cool, took a few steps to the right and ignored the bouncer once he got down there, and then didn't aknowledge him untill there were four of them to escort him out? The girl that was standing next to me literally decided to "run to the hills" when that started going down...lol Still, I would have to say it was a pretty well behaved crowd.

 

[ronnie ward]

Was that the guy that tried to play it cool, took a few steps to the right and ignored the bouncer once he got down there, and then didn't aknowledge him untill there were four of them to escort him out? The girl that was standing next to me literally decided to "run to the hills" when that started going down...lol Still, I would have to say it was a pretty well behaved crowd.

Hahahahaha! Yeah, that was some funny stuff. You must have been pretty close to where I was, what started that whole thing? Was it just someone drunk and falling all over or was the dude getting all rowdy and crazy and shite? There was another wasted nutbag during TNT, that resulted in a lot of broken bottles, did you see all the glass on the ground?

Other than one or two guys that had a little "too" much fun, it was definately a cool crowd. But now I understand why the Maidens want the gate up front. Although Aja looks like she could probably handle any overzealous stagedivers...

 

[spideyjg]

Wanda playing in symphony doesnt surprise me, her right hand technique looks effortless, my bass player was in awe.

Every bass player I know that has heard or seen the Maidens has a great respect for Wanda's skill.
She kinda is infuriating like Geddy Lee or John Entwistle in that no matter how hard the part she makes it look effortless.

As you see they are all very accomplished.

Yo Sara what happened to the Killers guitar? In the shop?

Jim

 

[Lord of Delusions]

Hahahahaha! Yeah, that was some funny stuff. You must have been pretty close to where I was, what started that whole thing? Was it just someone drunk and falling all over or was the dude getting all rowdy and crazy and shite? There was another wasted nutbag during TNT, that resulted in a lot of broken bottles, did you see all the glass on the ground?

Other than one or two guys that had a little "too" much fun, it was definately a cool crowd. But now I understand why the Maidens want the gate up front. Although Aja looks like she could probably handle any overzealous stagedivers...

I have no idea what started it, I only caught it just as the bouncer hopped the barrier. Once the chick next to me bailed, that guy was only a few feet away. Unfortunatley we didn't get to stay and see TNT. My freinds and I had had a pretty long day and we bailed as soon as I could make my way to the meet and greet tables...

...and yeah, I don't think they call Aja "Bruce 'Lee' Chickinson" for nothing!:Shedevil:

 

[Tap_Legion2]

Hey Ron , great pics ! That Sara looks like a character....

Any word if the Maidens plan on coming to SXSW ?

 

[ronnie ward]

Hey Ron , great pics ! That Sara looks like a character....

Any word if the Maidens plan on coming to SXSW ?

My pleasure everyone. If Im not overstepping my boundries, here's a few more:

 

[Creed28]

HEY Ronnie, great opening performance. Thanks for posting the pictures, left my camera on the desk at home as were we in a rush to get out the door to shoot down there! Took some with my camera phone, but they sucked!

The Maidens rocked the house, no music clip on this website does them any justice at all, I was one of the ones who constantly turned to my boys and said "UNREAL", "OH MY GOD", "THE NAILED IT", "ARE WE AT DONNINGTON PARK"?

I've been a Maiden fan since i can remember, was ---><--- close to seeing them in NYC last year, had my tix, day of the show the Hammerstien annouced that there was a booking issue and canceled the show. After the show I told Eja this story, and she made my Maiden Dream come true.

Anyways...i was right next to the moron who knocked the table over, and while it was funny for a second, kinda felt bad for the guy in the wheelchair that got all that junk dumped in his LAP!

Alright...nuff for now.

Thank you lord up above for giving us 5 chicks who can PLAY MAIDEN AS WELL AS MAIDEN THEMSELVES!