Iron Maiden at Paris La Défense Arena: A Recap of an Exceptional Evening Interrupted by a Power Outage

To celebrate Iron Maiden’s 50-year career, the legendary band presented a show in Paris entirely dedicated to its first nine albums. This anniversary tour deliberately sets aside recent songs to return to the classics that built the band’s legend. We were lucky enough to see them during their stop at the Défense Arena; it was a promising evening, but one that left a bitter aftertaste regarding the venue’s reputation.

The evening kicked off with Evergrey, a Swedish progressive metal band known for its blend of power and atmospheric melodies. During their roughly 45-minute set, the band delivered a very polished sound, dominated by heavy guitars, melancholic atmospheres, and Tom Englund’s powerful vocals.

Despite a more progressive style than Iron Maiden’s, Evergrey quickly captured the audience’s attention. The songs alternated between melodic passages and massive riffs, setting the mood for the headliner’s arrival. The band itself described the Paris show as exceptional after the concert.

Bruce Dickinson - Hellfest 2024 - by Eden Bisiot

After a 45-minute intermission, the opening notes of UFO’s classic Doctor Doctor echoed through the arena, signaling Iron Maiden’s imminent arrival. The lights dimmed, giving way to The Ides of March, as the musicians took their places on stage.

The real kickoff, however, was Murders in the Rue Morgue, followed by Wrathchild and Killers, setting the tone for an evening focused on the band’s early years.

Bruce Dickinson was in excellent vocal form, moving energetically across the stage despite the show’s announced length. Steve Harris remained the band’s true driving force with his ever-present bass, while new drummer Simon Dawson delivered a solid performance, demonstrating a seamless and successful integration into the band.

The stage production was particularly elaborate: large, evolving sets evoking each era of the early albums, multiple appearances by Eddie in various forms, numerous costume changes for Bruce Dickinson, highly dynamic lighting, and giant screens displaying animations inspired by the band’s historic album covers...

The whole experience felt like a journey through Iron Maiden’s entire history.

Despite being a highly anticipated performance, the concert was marred by a major incident. Around 9:40 p.m., while the headliner was performing 2 Minutes to Midnight, a major power outage struck Paris La Défense Arena, plunging the venue into darkness for nearly an hour. Backup generators restored minimal lighting, but the concert had to be suspended until power was fully restored. The outage was initially reported as affecting “the area,” but according to some sources, it appears to have affected only the Défense Arena.

The technical glitch occurred during a concert that was particularly important for the band, as this Paris show was being filmed for a future video project and took place as part of a “phone-free” experience, with audience members’ devices stored in locked Yondr pouches to preserve the quality of the footage and the audience’s immersion. The film was intended to follow the anniversary documentary Burning Ambition, which was recently released in theaters.

Once power was restored, Bruce Dickinson returned to the stage to explain to the audience that the band would unfortunately be unable to extend the show beyond 11:30 p.m. due to the venue’s curfew, noting that he “prefers to play at Bercy” (Accor Arena). This constraint forced Iron Maiden to cut their set short by omitting the entire encore, thus depriving the audience of iconic songs like Aces High, the highly anticipated Fear of the Dark, and Wasted Years, which are usually played to close out the concert.

   But even with a concert that was interrupted and cut short, Iron Maiden still treated their fans to several songs that particularly left a mark on the audience. Notable examples include Phantom of the Opera, rarely performed in recent years and a favorite among longtime fans, and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, which, at over 13 minutes, was one of the technical highlights of the concert. And let’s not forget the legendary The Trooper, with Bruce Dickinson waving the Union Jack before a frenzied crowd.

   This concert at Paris La Défense Arena stood out as a true celebration of Iron Maiden’s history. By focusing the setlist on their first nine albums, the band took fans on a journey through the songs that shaped heavy metal. The quality of the production, Bruce Dickinson’s energy, the musicians’ precision, and the enthusiastic reception given to Evergrey made this evening one of the highlights of the Run for Your Lives tour - even with an incident that could have left a bitter taste in the mouths of more than a few audience members.