"Hallowed By Thy Irvine"

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At the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

Reviewed By Thraxer

Saturday night at the Verizon amphitheatre in Irvine Meadows was were just about every Maiden fan in Southern California was. We got their a little before 7 and that parking lot was filled but none the less the cars kept showing up. Free parking too which meant we all had a little more beer money in our pockets. It was pretty cool actually seeing people sitting in lawn chairs, bbq's set up, and no shortage of beer in sight. Talk about a Metal fans wet dream, parking lot drinking and every car stereo blasting everything from Maiden too Pantera.

We all just hung out in the parking lot till the opening band finished and for good reason too, no one at that Maiden show cared about them so we all stayed and drank a little more in the parking lot. So as soon as we killed the beer we started our hike up to our seats, we waited for the Serbah's but they never showed. They patted us down so that was cool.

If you were in the lawn and terrace seating you could tell who Maiden fans were and who weren't as the Maiden fans don't feel the need to stand in a line to take a piss thus the wall of guys along the fence all just taking a piss. When we got to our seats and Maiden took the stage it was more people then I ever saw at a show. From the pit area to the lawn it was elbow to elbow. Of course they played the "A Matter of Life and Death" album in its entirety which was pretty cool, I know we all had our doubts but everyone got into it.

Half way thru the album Bruce (Dickinson) took a moment to talk to us, and after last year's Ozzfest bullshit I didn't expect him to have much love for us but we all started chanting Maiden and he loved it. He said next time around they'll be sure to play two shows in Southern California .

The stage set up was pretty cool: Eddie behind the wheel of a life size tank. Nicko (McBrain) was shredding it up on the sticks, the drumming was awesome. Seeing him live one the new album did it justice. Steve Harris always a pleasure on bass seeing how he wrote the book. Dave (Murray), Janick Gers, and Adrian (Smith), you three all complimented one another beautifully as the guitar work was nicely done. Bruce, by far sounded better than I had ever heard him. I'm not taking anything away from him but the older he gets the better his voice gets, it's a trip but he was on.

We were all white-knuckling it for the old shit, so they did us well by playing Fear of the Dark, The Evil that Men Do, and Iron Maiden. For the encore they came out and did, Two Minutes Till Midnite, and Hallowed Be Thy Name. Might I add Hallowed Be Thy Name kicked ass! You know the chills you get blasting it in your car, times that by a hundred and that's the experience of watching Bruce belt it out. And you got to love the way the blots set us up for the songs.

"What time is it?, Two Minutes!....Two Minutes till what?.........Midnite!!!!!!!!!!"

The song never sounded better. The crowd was singing louder than Bruce which is something you don't get at many shows now a days. I was jonesing for more of the old stuff but overall it was a pretty kick ass show.

On a side note: Many of you read Heavy Metal reviews and websites like this one on KNAC.com and Blabbermouth.net and this band has been pissing me off: Trivium. What gets me is how they always introduce them as "Orlando based Thrash Metal band", hold it right there. They ain't a thrash metal band. That is like saying Rod Gay Steward is equal to Black Sabbath. fuck that. Trivium is hardcore and by hardcore I mean shitty music. Poser shit man! How dare they actually group this shit-hole music alongside bands like Exodus, Anthrax, Slayer, and Megadeth. Just because a band wants to be something doesn't make it so. And I know everyone that comes to KNAC website hates that shit and none of the posers will ever read this but I figure pass the word on. When you see someone disgracing metal or the pit or a band shirt say something. How would you feel if you saw someone from these shit-hole bands wearing the same exact Maiden or Anthrax shirts as you. They should just stick to their Motley Crue shirts they found at JC Penny. Now a band like Lamb of God they have always been on that line and a lot of that has to do with the fans. Many a hardcore fans claim them to be hardcore and just listen to them there are guitar solos, they do sweeps and have that chucky sound and the metronomic drumming, and the vocals actually got balls. So I'm saying their metal, Heavy Metal. Hardcore bands can't do solos have you heard Hatebreed they suck, never one solo. So take them back, they belong to us, Heavy Metal. Not hardcore. Their one of maybe 2 brand new bands consisting of totally new guys to the metal world in the 90's that are heavy and talented, the other being Devildriver. If you notice all the good bands that formed in the 90's were made up of members that did some awesome shit in past bands.

Stay Heavy. Thraxer