Iron Maiden put San Siro on fire

We waited a long time, but in the end it was worth it: the Scala del Calcio succumbed to the call of the heavy metal. With the concert of Iron Maiden at the San Siro Stadium in Milanheavy metal officially conquers the Milanese temple. The Iron Maiden celebrated its fifty years of history by transforming the Meazza into a boiling cauldron of passion, flames and pure British steel.

The awakening of the monster

The opening is a breathtaking tribute to the band’s roots. No warm-ups, no mercy: the roar of San Siro welcomes the frontal attack of “Murders in the Rue Morgue” And “Wrathchild“. Bruce Dickinson, in excellent vocal form, interprets the classics of the Di’Anno era with a theatrical ferocity, supported by the machine-gun bass of Steve Harris.

The audience explodes during “Killers“, when the band’s giant mascot, Eddie, makes his first appearance on stage, towering over the musicians and menacing the front rows, before giving way to the progressive and hypnotic complexity of “Phantom of the Opera“.

Already from these first songs the charisma of Maiden emerges in all its power. If Harris and Dickinson are the commanders in chief, the real harmonic engine lies in the three-guitar formation: the fluidity of Dave Murraythe precision of Adrian Smith and the inspiration of Janick Gers. From the rear, however, the stainless Simon Dawson dictates tempo changes and dispenses grooves and smiles from behind his drums.

Between Ancient Egypt and the ocean depths

The concert changes visual and sound gear with the entry into the golden era of the 80s. “The Number of the Beast” the Scala del Calcio lights up, while the public sings the famous chorus “666”. Immediately afterwards, a rare and precious gem: “Infinite Dreams“, which rocks and then shakes San Siro with its variations in tempo.

The dive into Ancient Egypt is inaugurated by the impressive pyrotechnic explosions of “Powerslave” and by Dickinson’s entrance with her face covered in ears of corn, followed closely by the anti-militarist anthem “2 Minutes to Midnight“. The most evocative touch of the evening – on a narrative and graphic level – is undoubtedly “Rime of the Ancient Mariner“: Immersed in the foggy atmosphere, the band navigates through the thirteen minutes of the maritime epic while holding the stadium in their grip.

The blood, the ice and the gallows

The race towards the finale is a succession of generational anthems. “Run to the Hills” makes the stands tremble, accompanied by new jets of flame, and prepares the way for the glacial and mystical atmospheres of “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son“.

With “The Trooper” absolute chaos returns: Dickinson, waving the Italian flag, engages in another duel with Eddie. But it is with “Hallowed Be Thy Name” that Iron Maiden’s theatricality reaches its peak. With Dickinson raised in the air on a scaffolding that resembles the gallows, the story of the last hours of a condemned man is poignant and ferocious. The first part of the set ends with the homonymous “Iron Maiden“.

50 years of history in one finale

The encore could not fail to be up to par. Churchill’s speech is the prelude to the flight of the Spitfire to the lightning notes of “Aces High“. The most exciting moment from the point of view of communion between band and audience, as per tradition, arrives with “Fear of the Dark“: San Siro transforms into a single, gigantic choir, almost towering over the sound system.

The seal on these legendary 50 years of history is “Wasted Years“. The riff closes the evening on a note of nostalgia and triumph, reminding everyone not to waste their time. Iron Maiden certainly didn’t do it: they conquered the temple of Italian football, half a century after their foundation, because the Iron Maiden never rusts. A piece of history carved in metal. Up the Irons!