Inside Story

Iron Maiden wants their fans to stop living through their screens and start living in the moment.

As the iconic heavy metal band powers through the European leg of their Run for Your Lives World Tour, longtime manager Rod Smallwood is doubling down on a plea for concertgoers to limit phone use during shows. In a post to the band’s Instagram, Smallwood thanked those who respected the request — and had a few pointed words for the rest.

“To the selfish few that didn’t and just had to keep videoing… I wish you nothing but a very sore arm!” he wrote.

Smallwood clarified that fans are welcome to snap a quick photo, but warned that constant filming not only distracts the band but dampens the live energy that makes Iron Maiden shows legendary.

“This obsession has gotten out of hand,” he said. “It’s become unnecessarily distracting.”

Instead, he’s urging Maiden fans to return to the roots of live music: “Sing your heart out, rather than getting your phone out.”

Iron Maiden will continue rocking stages across Europe through early August, with stops in Paris, Dublin, London, and Warsaw still to come — no phones required.

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Photo Credit: Narcis Parfenti / Shutterstock.com