Pop Break Live: Iron Maiden ‘Legacy of the Beast’ Tour with Within Temptation at The DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts — Monday October 17, 2022
Words + Photos by Lina Glasir (www.glasirphoto.com) | Edited by Kat Manos
Heavy metal legends Iron Maiden made their way to the new DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts on Monday October 17, and their Legacy of the Beast World Tour certainly left an impression on the New England crowd. Having released their 17th studio album Senjutsu (which loosely translates to “tactics and strategy”) in fall 2021 despite it being recorded sometime in 2019, Iron Maiden made their first stop to the Boston area since summer 2019. Fortunately, the heavily theatrical and exciting show they put on was certainly worth the wait.
Appearing on a stage theatrically arranged with Shinto temples and Japanese-inspired architecture, Iron Maiden brought their samurai-inspired record to live. During the first song – the opening track of Senjutsu with the same name – came out performing with high energy before being joined by a gigantic samurai fully dressed in armor and with a sword. The crowd roared as his eyes glowed red beneath his helmet. Later, during “The Trooper,” the character would reappear dressed as a giant British soldier and fight with lead singer Bruce Dickinson. The theatrical exchange ends with Dickinson shooting a rifle at the soldier and fireworks burst from his chest.
Large production screens and heavily-detailed sets not only set the scene for the whole performance, but drastically changed over the evening to fully accompany each song played. By the time the band performed “Sign of the Cross,” the set had transformed into a gothic cathedral with eerie skeleton faces looming in the back. Dickinson donned a large black cloak and carried a large lit-up cross as fire roared behind him. Smoke swirled from the stage and fireworks suddenly exploded over the band. When they started ‘Flight of Icarus’ the background turned into a sky and a gigantic Icarus figure with wings floated over the stage; then Dickinson deftly wielded a quick change of microphone for two flamethrowers.
Once the band started fan-favorite “Fear of the Dark,” Dickinson brought out a green, glowing lantern and the crowd went wild. Plumes of fire rose from the stage and a fearsome flying head with fangs appeared as the songs “The Number of the Beast” and “Iron Maiden” closed out the set before the first encore. During the final song “Aces High,” Bruce Dickinson appeared dressed as a 1930’s era aviator as a giant, nearly-life-size WWII-era fighter plane emerged from behind the stage and floated above the band. In the middle of the song, the plane solemnly began to fall, but the malfunction was easily covered by the band’s light-hearted approach to the situation.
Overall, Iron Maiden brought new meaning to putting on a performance at the DCU Center. Never a band to be subtle, everything from the stage design and costume changes, to live-action performers and huge set pieces proved that Iron Maiden take pride in entertaining an audience not just with their music.
Iron Maiden Setlist (Via setlist.fm)
Senjutsu
Stratego
The Writing on the Wall
Revelations
Blood Brothers
Sign of the Cross
Flight of Icarus
Fear of the Dark
Hallowed Be Thy Name
The Number of the Beast
Iron Maiden
Encore:
The Trooper
The Clansman
Run to the Hills
Encore 2:
Aces High
