Maiden/Dio/Motorhead Live in Cleveland
By
Tokemaster General,
Contributor
Saturday, August 23, 2003 @ 11:59 PM
| Iron Maiden, Dio and Motorhead
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REVIEW BY: Geoff Ketler -- Massillon, OH
The anticipation grew as we aproached the amphitheater. This was the big show that I have waited all summer for. Finally Motorhead hit the stage. Because they were the opening act, they really did not receive the attention that they deserved. The majority of the crowd just wasn't there for Motorhead. Their music was all tight and together although Lemmy is very hard to understand while he is singing or talking. They did a half hour set with an ending that just would not end. I think that they just dragged out the whole conclusion to their set. Nobody was into it. Altogether they did a decent job for an opening band.
After about 15-20 minutes, the amazingly short Ronnie James Dio came out. He was everything that I expected. What a great voice! They too were extremely tight while playing their classics like "Holy Diver," "Stand Up and Shout" and "Rainbow in the Dark." They also played alot of their more recent material, which sounded excellent. There was also a huge drum solo that was spectacular. He played a very tight-nit, well-rehearsed solo. The guitar solo followed. That needed a little work. It was alright. Let’s just say that wasn't the best guitarist in the world, but I give him credit for the effort. They did an awesome job and got the crowd into it alot more.
After nearly 45 minutes, the legends of metal hit the stage. Iron Maiden left me speechless. They opened with "Number of the Beast." As the chorus hit, a huge and blinding "666" lit up in the backdrop. The crowd was going nuts. Iron Maiden played a well picked setlist. Many people would argue about that, but the fact is that they have so much material to cover in so little time. Their setlist included "Die With Your Boots On," "Revelations," "The Wickerman," "The Clansman," "Fear of the Dark," "The Trooper," "Iron Maiden," "2 Minutes to Midnight," "Run to the Hills," "The Clairvoyant," and others (in no particular order). They also performed a cut from their new album that was great. The new album is due in September. Eddie made his appearance during "The Clairvoyant." He was in attire from "Edward the Great." I personally prefer the original Eddie from Killers. Bruce was amazing. He, by far, has the greatest voice of metal. Steve Harris was incredible as always, and for the first time they had the full three-guitar lineup. All of the music was performed perfectly, and Bruce ran around like a kid in a candy store. They all had non-stop high energy for their whole set. Bruce talked about how the whole ripping music from the internet did not bother him because he has confidence that their new album will sell because "...it doesn't suck." Towards the end of their set, an upper body of Eddie from Piece of Mind appeared behind the drums. Its head opened up and a brain was lowered into it. The funny thing was that the brain got caught on the lip of the forehead. They tried desperately to get it to drop down. Eventually they just shut it anyway and it stuck out kinda funny.
Altogether, the whole concert was well worth every penny spent. All of the bands did a fantastic job. It would be foolish to miss out on an opportunity like this. If the concert comes your way, go see it. You will regret if you don't.
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