Concert Review: Iron Maiden cross The Final Frontier

Iron Maiden returned to Madison Square Garden on Monday night, promoting their forthcoming record The Final Frontier. Maiden have been in peak form ever since Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith rejoined the band ten years ago. The current tour is a celebration of that last decade, featuring songs from Brave New World, Dance of Death and A Matter of Life and Death.

The current tour has a science-fiction motif, with a starry background and the amps resembling loading bays on a space station. After intro-ing with Holst's "Mars, the Bringer of War" (fine British classical music), the band tore into "The Wicker Man" and proceeded to burn down the house. Bruce Dickinson pinballed around the stage, somehow managing to stay on pitch, exhorting the sold-out Garden crowd to lift their voices in song.

Highlights in the set included the title track from "Dance of Death", the powerful "These Colours Don't Run" and "The Prisoner", a surprise insert from The Number of the Beast. The band stuck to the new material until it was time for "Fear of the Dark." The encore was "The Number of the Beast", "Hallowed be thy Name" and in another deep-catalogue surprise, "Running Free."

Despite playing material that might be unfamiliar to the casual Maiden fan, the boys from Leyton played an excellent, far-reaching set. All three guitarists were in good form, with their contrasting styles and close harmonies providing considerable pleasure. Steve Harris and Nicko McBrain are the tightest rhythm section in metal, with 'Arry's bass-lines occasionally roaming up the stave to thrilling effect. Bruce Dickinson's instrument is in excellent shape. Even Eddie got in on the act, strapping on a Fender Stratocaster during the last few bars of "Iron Maiden." Thankfully, it wasn't plugged in.

Taking the stage one hour before their heros, Dream Theater tore into "As I Am" and proceeded to grab the crowd of jaded Maiden fans by the throat, beating them over the head with six heavy, complicated tunes. A winding, swirling performance of "Home" filled the seats, and the one-two punch of "Constant Motion" and "Panic Attack" made some converts to this tremendous band. Their set closed with the classic "Pull Me Under." Probably their best-known song, this was the first time that this writer has seen DT play this since the 2004 Train of Thought tour.