Iron Maiden at the Birmingham NIA, 31st July

Iron Maiden have been going strong for over thirty years, and at this concert I truly realised why they are so highly regarded in the metal community and seen as influential to many generations. They are one of the best live bands I have seen and they do so much more than just play their songs; they put on a proper performance with amazing special effects and of course... Eddie!

The support band were Airbourne; a hard rock band from Australia. It was apparent through their playing style that they were heavily influenced by AC/DC, however, they did not have a unique enough sound to stand out and draw in the audience. Guitarist Joel O'Keefe is well-known for climbing objects on stage (including his infamous climbing incident at Sonisphere 2011), but there were no climbing antics at Birmingham, which was slightly disappointing as it would have given their performance the edge that it needed. They came on stage to the Terminator 2 theme and played a mediocre set including the songs 'Raise the Flag', 'Blackjack' and 'Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast'. However, 'No Way But the Hard Way' sounded much better than the rest of the songs in their set as it was played with more enthusiasm and they gained the crowd reaction they desired; moshing, dancing and happy 'metalheads'. Airbourne played well and I do not have anything against them, however, I do not think they were the right band to support Iron Maiden and there should have been another support band for the price of the ticket.

After a long wait (which had been longer anticipated by years by some fans), Iron Maiden's set began. They played songs that appealed to all variations of Iron Maiden's fan base, such as 'El Dorado', 'Blood Brothers' and 'Fear of the Dark'. The back drop changed frequently and with all the props and videos it felt more like a dramatic performance than a concert, but the music was of such a high standard too. Bruce Dickinson's interaction with the crowd was great and it was obvious he is a well-respected man with valued opinions. Although some people think the band are getting older and maybe 'less capable' in performing, this show proved their critics wrong as their performance was as energetic as it has ever been. 'Dance of Death' was performed perfectly and it was apparent that it was a real crowd pleaser. For their encore they played the three most commonly-known Maiden classics: 'The Number of the Beast', 'Hallowed be thy Name' and Running Free', and they were performed brilliantly and must have been a great form of nostalgia for the older generation of Iron Maiden fans.

All in all, it was a great concert and Iron Maiden deserve all the respect they have and more. Whether you loved The Final Frontier or hated it, there was something for every Iron Maiden fan to enjoy at this concert and I'm so happy I finally got to see such an incredible band.