[SPOILER] Here's the Book of Souls tour setlist

[phlogiston]

Every second tour (and I mean that literally) is a greatest hits tour. They've always toured in support of an album, and the tour heavily features that album.

I wouldn't be fussed if they dropped Tears of a Clown for something else (and Blood Brother's while they're at it), but for mine that's a pretty solid setlist. Children of the Damned is a classic. Run to the Hills, while also a classic, has been done to death. They've got a massive catalogue, it's good to see one or two "non-hits" pop up. Plus you've got Trooper, Number, Powerslave, Hallowed, Fear, Iron Maiden and Wasted Years to keep the "classic" crowd happy.

 

[H.P. Lovecraft]

I'm not even asking for a greatest hits tour, I'd just like to see something a lot better than some of those Book of Souls songs in there. I wouldn't even come close to calling a song as clunky and filler-ish as Children of The Damned a "classic", but to each their own. Run To The Hills done to death? Sure. But Children of The Damned is hardly any better, it's got a nigh constant place in their live repertoire. I love it when bands dig up the finest of their deep cuts in place of the hits everyone's already heard. That's why I suggested they do something like Deja Vu from Somewhere In Time. Or Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter from No Prayer For The Dying.

 

[phlogiston]

Can't argue with wanting to hear some deep cuts. Somewhere in Time is sorely under-represented, let alone the, let alone NPFTD and the Blaze era.

 

[H.P. Lovecraft]

Eh, I hated the Blaze era, so I wouldn't care for that. But No Prayer For The Dying and Somewhere In Time are both amazing albums I'd love to see get a fairer shake in the setlist.

 

[Spiff]

The first of three Australian shows for me tomorrow night. Weeee.

 

[Spiff]

Good show last night. Sydney tomorrow. I won't be spending much money at all on shirts - most of them are kind of average - but I've picked out two and might buy the hoodie if they have the right size.

 

[Southy]

I thought the merch was a bit overpriced, but I guess I am out of touch price wise

 

[phlogiston]

Why? How much were shirts?

 

[Spiff]

$55. The hoodie is $100. There's a rather ugly shirt which is also $100. I can't imagine why anyone would pay that much for it.

 

[Spiff]

Sydney gig was great. I bought the hoodie and two shirts - the Book of Souls cover one and the with Eddie standing there with the blue background.

 

[Spiff]

Perth next Saturday night.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I think the setlist is great aside from Tears of a Clown which is a weak track and would be better traded for something from an album that isn't represented at all. That said, when touring a new album Maiden ALWAYS play 5 to 6 new songs, so complaining about it is pretty ridiculous. Fans should know that is what to expect on an album tour. Also, Children of the Damned is a classic and was fantastic live. Many fans would be happier with this than Run To The Hills for the 100000000th time. I know I was.

Loved them in Christchurch, off to Melb gig tomorrow.

RE: every second tour being a greatest hits, I am REALLY hoping for a 90s nostalgia tour after this one in support of a DVD featuring Donnington 92 and a live gig from the Blaze era. I would travel back to the UK for that one. It would also make more sense as to why they only have 1 song from that 4 album era in the current tour setlist.

 

[phlogiston]

It was a fantastic show. I don't know if it was because I was able to get behind a bunch of short guys and could see the whole stage for a change, but they seemed much more "on" than they have been the last few times. Sounded as heavy as all fuck in places.

 

[Spiff]

The Final Frontier tour had a better setlist but performance-wise this is the best I've seen them.

 

[Winmar]

I had a great time on Monday night. I thought the Book of Souls material came across really well, and was happy with the older stuff they played. I was incidentally very glad to hear Children of the Damned for the first time instead of Run to the Hills. Wasted Years was also great to hear. I avoided setlists (including this thread!) in recent weeks, so I didn't know what was coming.

I got the shirt with the pyramids on the front. I was a bit surprised they didn't put Mayan ones on instead of Egyptian, but oh well. I thought the BoS artwork was really good in the live setting too. Then getting Eddie to be Mayan was a great touch.

 

[phlogiston]

I didn't bother with a shirt this time around. None of them really grabbed me.

 

[H.P. Lovecraft]

I think the setlist is great aside from Tears of a Clown which is a weak track and would be better traded for something from an album that isn't represented at all. That said, when touring a new album Maiden ALWAYS play 5 to 6 new songs, so complaining about it is pretty ridiculous. Fans should know that is what to expect on an album tour. Also, Children of the Damned is a classic and was fantastic live. Many fans would be happier with this than Run To The Hills for the 100000000th time. I know I was.

Loved them in Christchurch, off to Melb gig tomorrow.

RE: every second tour being a greatest hits, I am REALLY hoping for a 90s nostalgia tour after this one in support of a DVD featuring Donnington 92 and a live gig from the Blaze era. I would travel back to the UK for that one. It would also make more sense as to why they only have 1 song from that 4 album era in the current tour setlist.

I can complain about it all I like. Just because they do it consistently and it's expectable doesn't make it any less stupid. If this were some sort of truly amazing album, so be it. But The Book of Souls does not possess anywhere near the level of the quality that warrants it being 1/3 of a 15 song setlist. Particularly when you have a catalogue with breadth of Maiden's. You can toot Children of The Damned's horn all you like, I think it's filler schmaltz. And you're saying it's better than Run To The Hills because Run To The Hills has been done so many times? You're actually going to do that when Children of The Damned has appeared on the setlists of several hundred different Maiden gigs?

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I think you're in the minority here with those opinions. You think they're actions are stupid, I think your complaining about it is stupid. I enjoy reunion era Maiden more than any other era despite being a fan since the 90s, and I admire their confidence in their new material over the last decade. How many musicians of their vintage can play over half an hour of new material in a setlist, omitting numerous classics to do so, and get such stellar reviews from long time fans? Its almost unheard of, but in my opinion, and obviously many others, they pull it off.

Otherwise, after a few years of rotating 80s material again and again they would be a total bore live which is what has happened to Metallica. Maiden stay on the forefront by putting confidence into their new material and continue to put on excellent tours as a result.

 

[H.P. Lovecraft]

So what if I'm in the minority? That doesn't mean much of anything. You can say my complaints are stupid all you want, I say they're perfectly valid. They can put all the confidence they want into their new material, it doesn't improve the quality per say. I can walk outside with no clothes on, whether I have confidence about it matters nothing as to whether it's a smart thing to do. I'll tell you exactly how they do that, it's because Maiden has some of the most rabid fanboys of any band period. It's the same reason albums like Dance of Death didn't get critically spitroasted like the trite encephalopathy they were. I love Maiden, but my love of them does not extend so far as to be admiring of what I feel to be subpar output by them. The songs are the only thing lesser about it, that's all I'm saying, they give intense, vigorous performances of even their shittier songs, which is part of what makes the band great. But I'd sooner they stuck to their stronger material than knock about a release as average as The Book of Souls for such a protraction. I'd sooner they put that insane vigor and prowess into a song worthy of it. I'm not saying that they should omit it completely, but 1/3 of a fifteen song setlist? Jesus. Dig up some B sides from Somewhere In Time, Brave New World, No Prayer For The Dying, Fear of The Dark etc. if you want something beyond the hits, they've made enough good albums to the point where that wouldn't as big an issue. Or, hell, extend the setlist so it's more proportioned. Metallica isn't a total bore live because they recycle their 80's stuff, Metallica is a total bore live because they're nowhere near as good as they were, Hetfield's voice, Lar's drumming, and Kirk's guitar playing have all deteriorated to the point of parody.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Dance of Death is an excellent album...

I agree that more material from the past that they haven't played as much over the years would go over well as set filler, but I also realise that the band has set aside every alternate tour to do exactly that. This is not one of those tours.