Iron Maiden – The Pioneers of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal since 1975, live experience in Gelsenkirchen, Germany

In late summer 2024 I saw the billboards for the Iron Maiden “Run for Your Lives World Tour” in summer 2025. I couldn’t believe to get the chance to see my childhood’s  heroes of Heavy Metal still  rocking live. Read on to know more about the live concert of Iron Maiden in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

Time passed by and summer 2025 was already there. But I forgot something: To buy a ticket. And it was July 7, two days before the concert, when I got a call from a friend I did not see for a while. He asked me to come with him to the concert. He had two tickets and invited me to join. At those day I actually forgot that Iron Maiden will be close to us giving a concert. Happy coincidence! I’ve gone crazy and could not believe it: I’ll witness Iron Maiden live! It goes without saying that I paid all the expenses for us at July 11, 2025 – The day I saw Iron Maiden live.

The Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen has a capacity of 70,000 visitors and it felt like sold out. We arrived early to enjoy the atmosphere with all the mid fourties Metal fans. Like-minded people. Maybe the first generation of Heavy Metal fans now grown-up taking their children to the “oldies” that’s actually timeless music. I still love the music of Iron Maiden like I did in the early nineties.

No song published after 1992 was performed

Iron Maiden did not play a song published after 1992. Very target group oriented planning of a concert. So no need to say that Iron Maiden played a lot of our favorite songs we listened to in the early 90ies from their first nine studio albums:

1. Iron Maiden (released April 11, 1980)
2. Killers (released February 16, 1981)
3. The Number of the Beast (released March 29, 1982)
4. Piece of Mind (released May 16, 1983)
5. Powerslave (released September 3, 1984)
6. Somewhere in Time (released September 29, 1986)
7. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (released April 11, 1988)
8. No Prayer for the Dying (released October 1, 1990)
9. Fear of the Dark (released May 11, 1992)

Beside performing their biggest hits like “The Number of the Beast”, “Fear of the Dark” and “Run to the Hills” I waited in vain for Iron Maiden to play my favorite song on the “Beast Album” with the greatest guitar solo of all times: The Prisioner. Do you have an all time favorite song of Iron Maiden? Let us know in the comments below.

Unprecedented stage show

Nevertheless, the concert was awesome with an unprecedented stage show. Thanks to latest technology and 3D Design Eddie has become alive virtually bigger than ever. Watching his creators performing on stage, pulling evil faces to the people enhanced with a spectacular laser show. See it for yourself:

The atmosphere was amzing! Such a pieceful crowd enjoying the opera like vocals of Bruce Dickinson, the smashing drums of Simon Dawson (since 2025 replacement of Nicko McBrain) and the shredding riffs of Dave Murray (since 1977), Adrian Smith (1980–1989 & since 1999), Janick Gers (since 1990) and Steve Harris (founder in 1975). Many of the visitors seemed to introduce their kids to the metal sound of the 80ies and 90ies, the “timeless oldies” their dads listened to somewhere in time before.

Conclusion

I am so happy that I could see the heroes of my childhood live before Iron Maiden goes down in music history and cannot be seen live anymore. I hope this won’t happen in the next 20 years. I’m definitely going to their next concert! Would be great to see this in California just to experience how US metal fans in their mid fourties undergo this awesome metal music that even thrills classical musicians and opera singers due to the incredible awesome vocals and performance of Bruce Dickinson and Iron Maiden band.

An Opera Singer listens to Iron Maiden for the first time (reaction video)