There are bands and there are bands and then there’s Iron Maiden. This tour is celebrating 50 years of Rocking the World and on this performance they show no signs of letting up
The Raven Age
If there were ever any doubts that The Raven Age are ready to step out from the long shadows of metal royalty and claim their own spotlight, this performance shattered them. The band wasted no time setting the tone — dark, melodic, and heavy enough to rattle the walls. Frontman Matt James commanded the stage with confidence, his vocals soaring through the venue, effortlessly switching between gritty verses and anthemic choruses. The guitar duo of George Harris – Steve’s son and Tommy Gentry delivered tight, melodic riffs and intricate solos, their Iron Maiden pedigree subtly present but never overpowering. The Raven Age clearly forge their own identity — melodic metalcore with a modern edge, sprinkled with classic metal influences for good measure. Tracks like “Fleur De Lis” and ” Serpents Tongue ” showed off the band’s knack for balancing heaviness with melody, while the emotionally charged “Grave of the Fireflies” provided a moment of introspection, the crowd swaying to its haunting chorus. It wasn’t just about musicianship, though — the band’s stage presence has grown immensely. The lighting was slick, the transitions seamless, and the energy contagious.
Set List
Forgive & Forget
The Guillotine
Hangman
Essence of Time
The Day the World Stood Still
The Journey
Serpents Tongue
Grave of the Fireflies
Fleur de Lis
RAVEN AGE
Iron Maiden
Before the gig and making my way to the Utilita Arena, Birmingham city centre was a sea of people in Maiden shirts all making their way to see the highly anticipated “Run For Your Lives” tour. After nearly 50 yearsis less of a gig and more of a heavy show proved that even after nearly 50 years, the British legends can still outplay, outstage, and outlast the competition.From the opening salvo of Murders in the Rue Morgue going right back to the Killers album followed by Wrathchild, Killers and Phantom of the Opera a start which gave more than a nod to influence the sadly departed Paul Di’Anno – original iron maiden singer who passed away in October last year.
The setlist was a fan’s dream going through the first Ten years of their back catalogue — a blistering assault of classics like “Number of the Beast”, “2 Minutes to Midnight”, and “Run To The Hills”, mixed with a few deeper cuts like Rime of the Ancient Mariner to keep the diehards on their toes. And of course, it wouldn’t be Maiden without the iconic appearance of Eddie, once during Killers then later on in the set during The Trooper this time storming the stage in a menacing, battlefield-ready form that had the crowd roaring with approval.
Visually, the show delivered the full Iron Maiden spectacle: with a stunning digital backdrop and flame columns, It felt more like watching a live-action graphic novel than a rock show — and that’s exactly how Maiden fans like it. Steve Harris with Dave Murray and Adrian Smith traded licks with laser precision, while new member Simon Dawson’s drumming kept the whole machine pounding forward like a war engine.
By the time the anthemic “Fear of the Dark” rang out, followed by a thunderous, crowd-unifying “Wasted Years”, it was clear — these legends aren’t slowing down. They’re charging forward, still defiant, still larger than life.
Setlist
Murders in the Rue Morgue
Wrathchild
Killers
Phantom of the Opera
The Number of the Beast
The Clairvoyant
Powerslave
2 Minutes to Midnight
Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Run to the Hills
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
The Trooper
Hallowed Be Thy Name
Iron Maiden
Encore:
Aces High
Fear of the Dark
Wasted Years
IRON MAIDEN
