Iron Maiden
En Vivo!
Perhaps the greatest heavy metal band of all time, a British institution that has reached the hearts and souls of millions of people from all over the world, Iron Maiden have stamped their authority on the music world. With a truly British defiance and a rare ethosd a rare to do what is right for the fans the band have managed to reach a much larger and increasingly diverse audience than bassist and founding member Steve Harris must have ever dare imagine over thirty five years ago.
2010 saw the release of the bands fifthteenth studio album, The Final Frontier, which went to number one in twenty eight countries. The band proved to the world that they had managed to surpass the dizzying heights of the bands fame in the mid-eighties. This lead to the bands third venture on “Ed Force One” the Boeing 737 hired by the band and piloted by lead singer Bruce Dickinson, to fly the band and their set to the far reaches of the globe. The band have found a way to play huge stadium shows in different cities in days rather than weeks, an incredible feat by anyones standards. The band have always prided themselves on their live shows and have made a name for themselves as one of the best live acts in the genre.
Since the release of live album ’Rock In Rio’ back in 2001 to commemorate the triumphant return of Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith for the album of the bands career, ‘Brave New World’, it has now become standard practice for the band to release a live CD/DVD combination of world tours. 2012 marks the release of live album number ten, ‘En Vivo!’ To keep it fresh and address one of the problems with trying to replicate a live performance in a recorded version, En Vivo sees the introduction of a split screen view where the viewer is treated to multiple angles to cram as much as possible on screen. Luckily this is done rather well and whilst not perfect it is an interesting addition, one that I think other bands will replicate in the future.
1) Satellite 15… The Final Frontier
‘Satellite 15’ serves as an excellent build up. In my mind the inclusion of this intro and rather odd song on the studio album is confirmed. The video editing is well done and shows the band members leading up to the show whilst also showing the excitement in the crowd. You can feel the atmosphere is electric and as the crowd comes to boiling point the excitement burst out of the 50,000 strong crowd as the band come into full swing for ‘The Final Frontier’. This fast paced all out rock song has the crowd by its collective balls and indicates that the band won’t let go until Eddie says so!
2) El Dorado
The thundering bass gallop and Steve Harris getting the crowd going shows this band as a mighty live force. The footage of 50,000 people jumping and shouting on command really gets the pulse going. Bruce Dickinson shows why he is one of metals greatest vocalist conveying the passion whilst spiting venom into this very topical song.
3) 2 Minutes to Midnight
A staple in any Maiden live set which means nothing new for long standing fans. The song is no doubt one of Maidens best and does deserve its place in the set list. By this point in the performance the split screen effect feels totally natural. One minor mistake from Dickinson early on confused with his dates, Maiden fans I’m sure you know what I’m talking about!
4) The Talisman
This is by far my favourite song on ‘The Final Frontier’studio album but unfortunately it doesn’t come across well live. Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the live performance and I think it would have fitted better later in the set. At just under nine minutes I was glad it was over.
5) Coming Home
In contrast this was one of my least favourite songs on ‘The Final Frontier’ yet an excellent live song! The viewer/listener is compelled to sing along with the chorus and which really resonates with people, despite it being primarily about flying around the world. But the universal theme of returning to your family will hit home with many-a-listener.
6) Dance of Death
Last time this song appeared on a live album (Death on the Road) I wasn’t too sure. I thought it worked well on the studio album but I found it less exciting live. I was proved wrong this time around. A true triumph and this performance will cement this song as a Maiden classic. The blistering solos and the soaring vocals make this one epic song. The crowd become one entity united by Maiden. A highlight of this live performance and worth the nine minutes of your life!
7) The Trooper
Another Maiden classic and live staple, it is highly unluckily this song will be removed from a Maiden set list again anytime soon after the ‘A Matter of Life and Death’ world tour exclusion. In the main fans were disappointed and this song will always be seen as a defining moment in the bands catalogue. The Chilean crowd show the band their appreciation and go wild.
8) The Wicker Man
For some reason the editing on the DVD/Blu Ray experience is a real let down on this song. If you hadn’t noticed any continuity errors by now, which there are a few, then this will be your best chance to see them as some are so glaringly obvious. In particular check out Dave Murrays guitar change right at the beginning! It is obviously a brief clip from a different night as the back drop is still The Wicker Mans unique back drop. Which really takes away from the experience as up to this point you could almost feel as if you were there in the crowd on that night. It only serves as a stark reminder that this is edited and you suddenly realise you’re in front of your TV. The multi-screen fails here a bit too with positioning errors. Obviously less attention was spent on this song or maybe by some bad coincidence all 22 cameras recording the concert picked up footage deemed unsuitable for use and the only way was to piece the song together like some sort of Frankenstein monster.
9) Blood Brothers
Luckily someone spent a bit more time on this song and the editing is some of the best! Released on Facebook this song has the perfect mix of camera angles and split screen footage. Janick Gers guitar solo is one of the finest I have ever seen. The raw emotion and power in the song is incredible. This is by far my favourite song on this live album and I can not praise it enough. A true moment of glory for Maiden forever captured on film.
10) When The Wild Wind Blows
Another highlight on the album as it was on ‘The Final Frontier’ studio album, clocking in at just over 10 minutes this is also the longest song of the performance. You have to see it to believe it. A full story is conveyed through many intricate and well played parts and ten minutes flies by.
11) The Evil That Men Do
After the previous long song this is a welcome change of pace. Eddie makes his first appearance of the night and Janick Gers does battle with him. Personally I was pleased this song was included in the set as I feel it works really well at getting the crowd going and it’s also from the vastly under used era of Maidens history. It is unfortunately one of the songs that is often dropped in favour of other songs as is ‘Wasted Years’ ‘The Clairvoyant’ and ‘Moonchild’ all featured on the Somewhere Back In Time (2008) tour.
12) Fear of the Dark
The listener now enters that stage in the Maiden show where it is all classics till the end. This song kicks it off well and provides the perfect sing-a-long parts. The crowd participation is always great in this song and the excitement in the crowd you feel is still rising. I’m not sure this is the best recorded version of this song as is my opinion of the next few tracks. It’s hard to give a reason but ‘Flight 666’ is better.
13) Iron Maiden
A true Maiden classic and the (joint) oldest track on the set list. The guitar attack is brutal with one of Maidens most memorable riffs. The crowd is in the palm of the bands hand and as huge Eddie rises from behind the drum riser you feel you are part of something special and the crowd confirm this by responding with huge cheers as the song closes.
14) The Number of the Beast
Perhaps Maidens most famous song which has graced Maiden set lists since 1982. A true moment of defiance for the band as they virtually stick a middle finger to a Government that forbid the band from coming to Chile due to the satanic stature that this song gave the band. Not the best performance by the band but not too shabby.
15) Hallowed Be Thy Name
Without a doubt this is the best live song that Maiden have to offer. There is something magically about it that gets the listener every time. The best of all of Steve Harris’ epics and has deservedly been on every set since its inception back in ’82. Bruce works the crowd well and brings this set crashing back down to earth. You have just witnessed a band at their best and nothing can come even close.
16) Running Free
A welcome return to this song and the band is just about done. Steve Harris keeps the bass line rolling as Bruce works his way around all the band members so that the crowd can cheers each member. An excellent set closer which would normally leave the crowd singing the chorus “I’m running freeeeee yeah, I’m running free”. But this crowd know what they want and the set closes with the crowd chanting “Run to the hills, run to the hills!” You get the feeling that the crowd would have gone on all night and even the band might have been tempted to carry on, but as they say it’s always best to leave them wanting more!
Some people will unfortunately argue that they’ve seen it all before and bought a t-shirt or a few and that the band are capitalising on their ability to sell records in an ever decreasing market for the CD as many of the songs on the album already appear on previous live albums. If you were to take this view then there are only six new live songs, all from The Final Frontier. I think this is rather extreme as the band is not forcing its fans to purchase their albums. If you are of this opinion then hold out for the next studio album. But what I choose to believe is that as a fan of the band these live albums are available to get a snap shot of what it was like to see the band at a certain point in their career. It certainly serves as a good reminder for me when I saw them for the third time preform this set on the penultimate night of the entire tour.
The CD does not match the quality of the Blu Ray/DVD and is a real let down. This is the first time I have felt this with a Maiden live performance. Without a doubt the viewable format is far superior and the sound is 100% better. Satellite 15 does not evoke the same feeling on CD as it does on Blu Ray along with many of the other songs where the bass is too low or the crowd is all you can hear or the guitar just doesn’t come across in the same way. As I have said, other live Maiden releases don’t seem to have as much problem and sit on rotation on my Ipod as easily as the studio albums.
The split screen viewing is, for the most part, enjoyable and adds to an already great experience. There are a few points where the split screen is not utilised in the best way. One example springs to mind during an Adrian Smith solo where the screen splits to two different angles of Adrian. It seems pointless to have a half and half view of the same guitarist. Then at other points the split screen is not used and you miss the guitarists during solos in place of another band member. The split screen would be best used during solos so that the viewer can see the band member at the centre of attention and see the other band members rocking out all at once. I urge viewers to ignore the continuity errors possibly due to the challenges of piecing together split screen footage and just enjoy this amazing music.
Unfortunately En Vivo ultimately fails to replicate the real life gig experience as do any of the other Maiden live album with one possible exception being ‘Live After Death’ generally regarded as one of the greatest live albums ever. The feeling of the bass thundering away and pulsating throughout the stadium along with the crowds reaction and the ability to sing-a-long till your heart is content can not be replicated on a viewable format which is a shame as this band enters its twilight years. The feeling of comradery and knowing that every person in the vicinity of you knows the words to every song is a feeling that can only be replicated by going to see a band live. I hope for new generations of metal fans that these live performances will stand the test of time and that the band has a least a few more years, album and tours left in them yet.
See also: ‘Flight 666’ for more classic era songs.
En Vivo!
CD: 6/10
Blu Ray / DVD: 8/10
By RazorRich for mlm
Perhaps the greatest heavy metal band of all time, a British institution that has reached the hearts and souls of millions of people from all over the world, Iron Maiden have stamped their authority on the music world. With a truly British defiance and a rare ethosd a rare to do what is right for the fans the band have managed to reach a much larger and increasingly diverse audience than bassist and founding member Steve Harris must have ever dare imagine over thirty five years ago.
2010 saw the release of the bands fifthteenth studio album, The Final Frontier, which went to number one in twenty eight countries. The band proved to the world that they had managed to surpass the dizzying heights of the bands fame in the mid-eighties. This lead to the bands third venture on “Ed Force One” the Boeing 737 hired by the band and piloted by lead singer Bruce Dickinson, to fly the band and their set to the far reaches of the globe. The band have found a way to play huge stadium shows in different cities in days rather than weeks, an incredible feat by anyones standards. The band have always prided themselves on their live shows and have made a name for themselves as one of the best live acts in the genre.
Since the release of live album ’Rock In Rio’ back in 2001 to commemorate the triumphant return of Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith for the album of the bands career, ‘Brave New World’, it has now become standard practice for the band to release a live CD/DVD combination of world tours. 2012 marks the release of live album number ten, ‘En Vivo!’ To keep it fresh and address one of the problems with trying to replicate a live performance in a recorded version, En Vivo sees the introduction of a split screen view where the viewer is treated to multiple angles to cram as much as possible on screen. Luckily this is done rather well and whilst not perfect it is an interesting addition, one that I think other bands will replicate in the future.
1) Satellite 15… The Final Frontier
‘Satellite 15’ serves as an excellent build up. In my mind the inclusion of this intro and rather odd song on the studio album is confirmed. The video editing is well done and shows the band members leading up to the show whilst also showing the excitement in the crowd. You can feel the atmosphere is electric and as the crowd comes to boiling point the excitement burst out of the 50,000 strong crowd as the band come into full swing for ‘The Final Frontier’. This fast paced all out rock song has the crowd by its collective balls and indicates that the band won’t let go until Eddie says so!
2) El Dorado
The thundering bass gallop and Steve Harris getting the crowd going shows this band as a mighty live force. The footage of 50,000 people jumping and shouting on command really gets the pulse going. Bruce Dickinson shows why he is one of metals greatest vocalist conveying the passion whilst spiting venom into this very topical song.
3) 2 Minutes to Midnight
A staple in any Maiden live set which means nothing new for long standing fans. The song is no doubt one of Maidens best and does deserve its place in the set list. By this point in the performance the split screen effect feels totally natural. One minor mistake from Dickinson early on confused with his dates, Maiden fans I’m sure you know what I’m talking about!
4) The Talisman
This is by far my favourite song on ‘The Final Frontier’studio album but unfortunately it doesn’t come across well live. Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the live performance and I think it would have fitted better later in the set. At just under nine minutes I was glad it was over.
5) Coming Home
In contrast this was one of my least favourite songs on ‘The Final Frontier’ yet an excellent live song! The viewer/listener is compelled to sing along with the chorus and which really resonates with people, despite it being primarily about flying around the world. But the universal theme of returning to your family will hit home with many-a-listener.
6) Dance of Death
Last time this song appeared on a live album (Death on the Road) I wasn’t too sure. I thought it worked well on the studio album but I found it less exciting live. I was proved wrong this time around. A true triumph and this performance will cement this song as a Maiden classic. The blistering solos and the soaring vocals make this one epic song. The crowd become one entity united by Maiden. A highlight of this live performance and worth the nine minutes of your life!
7) The Trooper
Another Maiden classic and live staple, it is highly unluckily this song will be removed from a Maiden set list again anytime soon after the ‘A Matter of Life and Death’ world tour exclusion. In the main fans were disappointed and this song will always be seen as a defining moment in the bands catalogue. The Chilean crowd show the band their appreciation and go wild.
8) The Wicker Man
For some reason the editing on the DVD/Blu Ray experience is a real let down on this song. If you hadn’t noticed any continuity errors by now, which there are a few, then this will be your best chance to see them as some are so glaringly obvious. In particular check out Dave Murrays guitar change right at the beginning! It is obviously a brief clip from a different night as the back drop is still The Wicker Mans unique back drop. Which really takes away from the experience as up to this point you could almost feel as if you were there in the crowd on that night. It only serves as a stark reminder that this is edited and you suddenly realise you’re in front of your TV. The multi-screen fails here a bit too with positioning errors. Obviously less attention was spent on this song or maybe by some bad coincidence all 22 cameras recording the concert picked up footage deemed unsuitable for use and the only way was to piece the song together like some sort of Frankenstein monster.
9) Blood Brothers
Luckily someone spent a bit more time on this song and the editing is some of the best! Released on Facebook this song has the perfect mix of camera angles and split screen footage. Janick Gers guitar solo is one of the finest I have ever seen. The raw emotion and power in the song is incredible. This is by far my favourite song on this live album and I can not praise it enough. A true moment of glory for Maiden forever captured on film.
10) When The Wild Wind Blows
Another highlight on the album as it was on ‘The Final Frontier’ studio album, clocking in at just over 10 minutes this is also the longest song of the performance. You have to see it to believe it. A full story is conveyed through many intricate and well played parts and ten minutes flies by.
11) The Evil That Men Do
After the previous long song this is a welcome change of pace. Eddie makes his first appearance of the night and Janick Gers does battle with him. Personally I was pleased this song was included in the set as I feel it works really well at getting the crowd going and it’s also from the vastly under used era of Maidens history. It is unfortunately one of the songs that is often dropped in favour of other songs as is ‘Wasted Years’ ‘The Clairvoyant’ and ‘Moonchild’ all featured on the Somewhere Back In Time (2008) tour.
12) Fear of the Dark
The listener now enters that stage in the Maiden show where it is all classics till the end. This song kicks it off well and provides the perfect sing-a-long parts. The crowd participation is always great in this song and the excitement in the crowd you feel is still rising. I’m not sure this is the best recorded version of this song as is my opinion of the next few tracks. It’s hard to give a reason but ‘Flight 666’ is better.
13) Iron Maiden
A true Maiden classic and the (joint) oldest track on the set list. The guitar attack is brutal with one of Maidens most memorable riffs. The crowd is in the palm of the bands hand and as huge Eddie rises from behind the drum riser you feel you are part of something special and the crowd confirm this by responding with huge cheers as the song closes.
14) The Number of the Beast
Perhaps Maidens most famous song which has graced Maiden set lists since 1982. A true moment of defiance for the band as they virtually stick a middle finger to a Government that forbid the band from coming to Chile due to the satanic stature that this song gave the band. Not the best performance by the band but not too shabby.
15) Hallowed Be Thy Name
Without a doubt this is the best live song that Maiden have to offer. There is something magically about it that gets the listener every time. The best of all of Steve Harris’ epics and has deservedly been on every set since its inception back in ’82. Bruce works the crowd well and brings this set crashing back down to earth. You have just witnessed a band at their best and nothing can come even close.
16) Running Free
A welcome return to this song and the band is just about done. Steve Harris keeps the bass line rolling as Bruce works his way around all the band members so that the crowd can cheers each member. An excellent set closer which would normally leave the crowd singing the chorus “I’m running freeeeee yeah, I’m running free”. But this crowd know what they want and the set closes with the crowd chanting “Run to the hills, run to the hills!” You get the feeling that the crowd would have gone on all night and even the band might have been tempted to carry on, but as they say it’s always best to leave them wanting more!
Some people will unfortunately argue that they’ve seen it all before and bought a t-shirt or a few and that the band are capitalising on their ability to sell records in an ever decreasing market for the CD as many of the songs on the album already appear on previous live albums. If you were to take this view then there are only six new live songs, all from The Final Frontier. I think this is rather extreme as the band is not forcing its fans to purchase their albums. If you are of this opinion then hold out for the next studio album. But what I choose to believe is that as a fan of the band these live albums are available to get a snap shot of what it was like to see the band at a certain point in their career. It certainly serves as a good reminder for me when I saw them for the third time preform this set on the penultimate night of the entire tour.
The CD does not match the quality of the Blu Ray/DVD and is a real let down. This is the first time I have felt this with a Maiden live performance. Without a doubt the viewable format is far superior and the sound is 100% better. Satellite 15 does not evoke the same feeling on CD as it does on Blu Ray along with many of the other songs where the bass is too low or the crowd is all you can hear or the guitar just doesn’t come across in the same way. As I have said, other live Maiden releases don’t seem to have as much problem and sit on rotation on my Ipod as easily as the studio albums.
The split screen viewing is, for the most part, enjoyable and adds to an already great experience. There are a few points where the split screen is not utilised in the best way. One example springs to mind during an Adrian Smith solo where the screen splits to two different angles of Adrian. It seems pointless to have a half and half view of the same guitarist. Then at other points the split screen is not used and you miss the guitarists during solos in place of another band member. The split screen would be best used during solos so that the viewer can see the band member at the centre of attention and see the other band members rocking out all at once. I urge viewers to ignore the continuity errors possibly due to the challenges of piecing together split screen footage and just enjoy this amazing music.
Unfortunately En Vivo ultimately fails to replicate the real life gig experience as do any of the other Maiden live album with one possible exception being ‘Live After Death’ generally regarded as one of the greatest live albums ever. The feeling of the bass thundering away and pulsating throughout the stadium along with the crowds reaction and the ability to sing-a-long till your heart is content can not be replicated on a viewable format which is a shame as this band enters its twilight years. The feeling of comradery and knowing that every person in the vicinity of you knows the words to every song is a feeling that can only be replicated by going to see a band live. I hope for new generations of metal fans that these live performances will stand the test of time and that the band has a least a few more years, album and tours left in them yet.
See also: ‘Flight 666’ for more classic era songs.
En Vivo!
CD: 6/10
Blu Ray / DVD: 8/10
By RazorRich for mlm