IRON MAIDEN /
CLUTCH
Orpheum Theatre; Boston, Mass. -
07/18/1999
Reviewed by Christopher J. Kelter
A sweltering heat wave hit the magnificent city
of Boston for the third time in the Summer of 1999. Only Iron Maiden could make it hotter.
The Orpheum is an old concert hall that has been a center of musical performances ranging
from classical performances (when it opened in 1852) to more contemporary musical acts of
today. Unfortunately, the Orpheum lacks air conditioning; the heat and humidity inside the
Orpheum was stifling, but this did not stop a sell-out crowd from experiencing great
anticipation for the return of Iron Maiden.
The Orpheum show was the third date in Iron Maiden's month-long jaunt through the small
clubs of the United States. Iron Maiden has been selling out shows with virtually no press
whatsoever; tickets with face values of $40 were being sold for more than $120! I was
particularly excited at the prospect of seeing three guitarists perform the songs Iron
Maiden has made so famous over the years. However, Adrian Smith had to return to England
to attend to emergency family matters so I was not able to see Iron Maiden work their
three guitar magic.
Clutch opened the show to polite applause. Undoubtedly, this was Iron Maiden's show and
the fans in attendance appeared to take Clutch as a curious anomaly of the hard rock
scene. These conditions did not prevent Clutch from presenting their trademark sound to
win new fans. Neil Fallon was slightly more subdued than the previous times I've
seen the band, yet still managed to perform in his consistently maniacal form. Tim Sult
(guitars), Dan Maines (bass), and Jean-Paul Gaster (drums) provided a rock solid sonic
attack. Clutch, ever mindful of the audience, kept the set filled with their harder edged
tunes. "Ship Of Gold" and "The Soapmakers" were two particularly
intense cuts from their latest release "The Elephant Riders" that really got the
crowd's collective attention. The folks running the stage operations, obviously employing
union workers, unceremoniously pulled the plug on Clutch as their last chordal cacophony
were ringing through the hallowed halls. Tim Sult appeared to be furious at this
occurrence, but it was obvious that the show would go on and finish early so as to avoid
paying union help any overtime.
After a moderate wait, whilst the temperature was getting hotter by the moment, a video
collage of the new "Ed Hunter" video game started the Iron Maiden set in good
spirits. Iron Maiden took to the stage blasting through "Aces High" which sent
the devoted fans into a glorious frenzy.
Iron Maiden did a great job balancing the past
and the present in their set list. Songs included "Two Minutes To Midnight,"
"The Trooper," "Fear Of The Dark," "The Evil That Men Do,"
"Wasted Years," "Phantom Of The Opera," "Wrathchild," and
"Powerslave." The ever present Eddie made an appearance much to the delight of
the fans.
Nicko McBrain was as solid as ever; the truly stellar Steve Harris consistently delivered
his unique bass lines. I've always admired Dave Murray's skills and his seemingly
unlimited enjoyment of playing in a concert setting. This was the first time that I had
seen Janick Gers play and I was impressed - he often played Adrian Smith's solos
note-for-note, but also took the time to showcase his skills and unique approach to the
Maiden catalog. However, Bruce Dickinson stole the show with his classic voice, energy,
and unrelenting passion; there's a reason Bruce Dickinson is considered one of heavy
metal's greatest vocalists and this show was solid proof of that reputation. Bruce
Dickinson even had the evening's greatest laugh; a fan had managed to pass Dickinson a wig
that very much made Bruce look like he did in the '80s with his long hair. Harris, Murray,
and Gers nearly all fell over they were laughing so hard.
The show ended with a three song encore that included "The Number Of The Beast,"
"Hallowed Be Thy Name," and closed with "Run To The Hills."
"Hallowed Be Thy Name" might possibly the best song I've ever heard in a live
setting - I thought this was true in 1987 when I saw them on the "Somewhere In Time"
tour and this night cemented that feeling. All in all, Iron Maiden enjoyed a triumphant
return to the stage. It appears Iron Maiden will be getting into the studio this Fall and
will be releasing a new disc in early 2000. If this night is any indication, Iron Maiden
are well on their way to producing another classic metal disc. Up the Irons!
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