6/12/2008 - Blossom Music Center
My daughter and I had a
blast.
We arrived a little late, as the traffic was horrible getting
there. I think a lot of it was because the amount of people
coming to the show. I believe this is the most crowded I have
ever seen Blossom. We had to park out in the field.
We rode in with a friend of mine, and his girlfriend. She really
wasn't into Maiden and had never been to a concert before. Boy
was she in for a treat.
The weather was great. A
bit on the warm side, but not too bad. Maybe mid 80's
By the time we got in, and got down to the pavilion Lauren Harris
was about halfway through her set. I didn't mind, as I really
didn't care to see her performance anyway.
If you ask me, she is a bit more 'pop' rock than I care for.
Though after seeing her live, the music wasn't too bad, but her
singing really wasn't that impressive. (though she was easy on
the eyes)
We went down to the pit for her last 2 songs, just to get the
armband thing out of the way and scope things out. MAN, what a
small pit. It was maybe deep enough for 5 or 6 bodies, and when
the entire width of the stage. You could only enter from the left
side of the stage, which meant, that we had to go all the way
across the pit to get to Janick's side.
After Lauren's set was done, we went back out to the lawn to sit
a while and talk about where to meet up after the show.
When we finally went back
down into the pit, it was surprisingly easy to make our way
across to the right side, and amazingly enough we right up close
in front of Janick's 'spot'.
As if he really stays in one spot anyway. Only thing between us
and the stage were the people leaning right on the barrier, and
the security guard right behind the barrier.
If I wanted to, I could have reached right over the girl in front
of me and touched the stage.
We were that close!
After waiting for what
seemed like forever, the lights finally went down and Doctor
Doctor started to play. (for those who don't know, that is kind
of Iron Maidens unofficial start up song, at least since 2000).
Then they had a little video thing showing the Maiden plane and
some other stuff, while Trannsylvania played over the PA.
Finally the Churchill's speach started, and the stage was
unveiled!
From then on, it was just
and awesome and wild ride for the next 2 hours.
Most of the night we had Janick just to our right, and Steve off
a bit to our left. With of course appearances by Bruce, Adrian
and Dave. With Nicko coming over at the enchor break and at the
end of the show. So we got to see plenty of the band up close and
personal.
Janick was his usual spastic self!
Running, jumping, posing, carrying on and generally being very
entertaining.
Steve was really intense this night. Going to town on the bass
and singing along with all the songs, with a fire in his eye,
sweat pouring down his face, and hair flying everywhere.
Bruce was good, but it wasn't one of the best performances I have
ever seen him do.
Not sure if it was because he wasn't on our side much, or what,
but it didn't seem as if he was moving as fast or as much as he
usually does. I mean, he was more active than a lot of singers
are, and did great on the vocals, just didn't seem like he had
that certain spark I have seen him have at other shows.
Maybe because this was another one of their 'best of' shows,
which has to be getting old for the guys. I think they get more
excited playing the new stuff.
Adrian was having some fun, and jamming away as usual.
Dave didn't make it over to our side until like the 3rd or 4th
song. Then it was another long wait until he came over again. But
after that trip, he was over a little more often. Probably due to
the girl in front of me who flashed her boobs. Janick and Dave
had posed to the left, looking at her and mouthed what looked
like 'take a pic' as she had been taking pictures most of the
night. She didn't have her camera handy at that specific time
though so she just pulled her top down for them. That put a grin
on thier faces.
Now for the show itself.
It was great to see the Powerslave stage setting again.
And I loved the backdrop with the 3 Eddies. Powerslave in the
middle, with SIT on the left and 7th Son on the right.
Of course, during the Trooper, Bruce came out in the Mountie coat
and waved the flags around.
Number of the Beast was awesome. During the intro, a huge devil
rose up from the upper platform on our side of the stage. Then
they started setting off the flames on the upper platform too.
Man, we could feel the heat coming off of them.
Rime was awesome too. They changed the backdrop to one that
looked like an old hanted sailing ship. And Bruce had this old
sailor type coat on. Then of course during the insturmental part
they filled the stage with fog. It was so thick, and with the
blue and purple lights on it, it looked awesome!
Iron Maiden was of course the topper. When the song started,
there was a giant pharos head Eddie above the drum kit. Halfway
through the song, it opened up, and there was the giant mummy
Eddie. More pyro to finish the song with, then it was time for
the encor break.
After the break, we got to see the huge SIT Eddie running around the stage. Messing with both Janick on our side, and Dave on the other side of the stage.
AWESOME SHOW!
And a great night.
Only a couple annoying
things kept it from being perfect.
First, the people around me in the pit. The ones on the rail in
front of me, and the ones to my left were pretty dead for most of
the show. They were into it early, but quickly ended up just
standing there and only occasionally pumping their fist in the
air.
So, even though I was closer to the stage, and the band this
time, this one only rates as second best, with Toronto '05 still
holding the top spot.
The other annoying thing,
was that girl in front of me that flashed her boobs to the band.
I mean, it was cool and all to see some naked flesh for a few
seconds. But the annoying part was at the encor break and end of
the show. She got tons of goodies tossed to her by the band while
the rest of us in that area didn't even have a shot at anything.
I mean Nicko handed her a drumstick. Bruce threw her his hat, and
someone else tossed her a wristband.
She stands there all night, hardly moving and gets all the
goodies because she flashed her 'A' cups. While huge fans like
me, and a few other guys behind me and to my daughter's right,
got nothing even tossed in our general vicinity.
I just needed to get that off my chest. Not going to let it ruin
the memories for me, just needed to vent a little.
Oh yeah, here is the
shirt I grabbed at the show
Ok.
You want to know how close we were to the stage?
Look at this youtube vid
Right at the very begining. You see that arm sticking up?
The one that is like between the camera and the drum set?
That's me!
Took me a while to figure it out, becuase the lighting makes my
shirt look yellow, even though it was black. But after watching
it closely, (and in slow motion)
I have confirmed that is me in the pit.
SETLIST
UFO Tape of
Doctor Doctor
-Video Intro-
Churchill's Speech-Aces High
2 Minutes to Midnight
Bruce Speaks about Ohio, cows, and stampeeds
Revelations
The Trooper
Bruce Speaks #2
Wasted Years
The Number of the Beast
Bruce Speaks #3/Madness Intro
Can I Play With Madness?
Bruce Speaks #4/Rime Intro
Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Powerslave
Heaven Can Wait
Run to the Hills
Fear of the Dark
Iron Maiden
Encore Break
Bruce Speaks #5/Band Intros
Moonchild
The Clairvoyant
Hallowed Be Thy Name
