Inside Story

Iron Maiden is proving once again why they’re metal royalty. The legendary band launched their Run for Your Lives 50th anniversary tour with an electrifying opening night in Budapest, Hungary — and it was a nostalgic dream for die-hard fans.

Pulling deep from their vault, the band resurrected nine songs that haven’t seen a stage in at least five years, with six returning after a full decade or more. The set focused exclusively on their first nine albums, spanning from their 1980 self-titled debut through 1992’s Fear of the Dark, bypassing only 1990’s No Prayer for the Dying.

The night kicked off with three back-to-back tracks from Killers, including “Murders in the Rue Morgue” and “Killers,” both missing from live shows since the early 2000s. The band also revived epics like “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” and “The Clairvoyant,” thrilling longtime fans.

This show marked Iron Maiden’s first without iconic drummer Nicko McBrain, who retired from touring last year. Newcomer Simon Dawson took over the sticks, joining the legacy lineup led by bassist and founder Steve Harris.

The tour continues across Europe through August, and while no North American dates have been announced, fans are holding out hope.

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