Iron Maiden @ Madison Square Garden on Sunday, 6/15 (Father's Day)

I think they were sold out by the time I hit the T-shirt stand; I got a different shirt.

The NY shirt was kinda weak, I thought. Also, does Derek Riggs no longer do stuff for them? The artwork all looked a bit second-rate.

Show was great, apart from the afore-mentioned power failure (ironically during "Powerslave"). If anything, the sound popping out during that song meant Bruce could take off THAT RIDICULOUS FEATHER MASK (remember the feather mask in the live video for Live After Death? This one is a hundred times more embarassing). Their impromptu soccer match was amusing.

Otherwise, it was typical Maiden all guns blazing. Jannick seems to have (slighly) reigned in his tireless penchant for dignity-free shenanigans (I don't believe he's actually plugged in most of the time). Bruce was hyperkinetic as always. Lots of leaping about. I love the fact that Adrian Smith WILL NOT BOUNCE when Steve and Jannick do (Dave kinda hops). Adrian's too cool for that.

Great setlist, although oddly top-loaded. "Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner" afforded me the opportunity to use the bathroom, buy a beer, peruse the t-shirt booth and read "War & Peace" before returning for the last half of the song. Eddie came out twice -- once as gargantuan mummy with snakes coming out of his mouth, the second as the cyborg bounty hunter from the cover of Somewhere...

Tracks I'd have liked to hear that they didn't play: "Wrathchild, "Running Free," "Sanctuary," "Prowler" (the only Di'anno era track played was -- wait for it -- "Iron Maiden," which was awesome). I'd have liked "Die with Your Boots On," "Where Eagles Dare," but didn't get'em. I still love "Out of the Silent Planet" and "Wicker Man" from Brave New World, but they didn't touch that album.

Stuff they played (in no order): "Aces High," "The Troooper," "Number of the Beast," "Powerslave," "Two Minutes to Midnight,""Revelations," "Wasted Years," "Can I Play With Madness," "Fear of the Dark," "Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner," "Number of the Beast," "Moon Child".... I'm forgetting something, I'm sure. Oh yeah - "Hallowed by Thy Name"

When searching for seat, I got to shake hands with a security-flanked Nicko McBrain. Also chatted with the dude from the Raveonettes. What he was doing there is anyone's guess, but I defintely made his night by recognizing him.

I did not end up buying a shirt. I did buy much beer.

Oh good lord, forgot to mention: opening act was Laura Harris, who is -- presumably -- Steve Harris' daughter. Imagine a less-tuneful Ashlee Simpson (yes, this is hard to imagine, I know) singing the Lita Ford catalog, flanked by tribute metal band players. Entirely difficult to watch, much less listen to.

Although, to be fair -- she is "quite fit," as some of the Brits around me observed.

I got her CD in this morning's mail (I'm sure it arrived sometime last week, but I just dug it out of the mailbag this morning). It can't be as bad as the Scars On Broadway album, which makes me wish I'd been born without ears. But I'm not gonna run the risk of playing it.

"Rime Of The Ancient Mariner" was actually the highlight of the set for me. I've always loved that song, and they really tore into it - Bruce was wearing this tattered black robe, and given that he's in his 50s now, he did actually look somewhat ancient 'n' crazed on the big screens. A great performance, probably the most flat-out theatrical part of the whole show. I half expected him to stalk the stage with the mic in one hand and a candelabra in the other.

You had me at "Lita Ford catalog"

semi-libelous addendum to Alex's review of a performance by one of the best live bands in the history of the world…

two years ago, I showed up to the Garden State Arts Center (don't know what its called in the last couple of years: PNC something, where I last saw Maiden) to interview an artist for a since shuttered guitar mag.

A very very prominent photographer was there to do the shoot before the interview. Apropos of nothing, this photog went batshit with the anecdotes…my fave concerned how Steve harris is a huge racist and homophobe…behind his back, his associates and contemporaries like to say that he would lose his mind if one of his sons started dating a black guy…

Ok a friend of mine JUST told me he saw Maiden in Chicago about two years ago and, um, MY BLOODY VALENTINE opened up for them! I half-assedly googled it but turned up nothing. Who is this other MBV? Because it can be THE MBV (can it?).

You had me at "Lita Ford catalog"

J0hn, we've talked with your loved ones and this is going on your tombstone. Hope it serves you well in the afterlife.

Because it can be THE MBV (can it?).

Oops. It CAN'T be....

Your friend probably means Bullet For My Valentine.

Yeah, that's it! I'll definitely let him know. Thanx, PF.

There is video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBnxDclM-ic&hl=en

See what I mean about the feather mask?

I dug the mask .. like old school Peter Gabriel with Genesis stylee