As if the triumphant Knebworth gig wasn’t enough by itself, British metal heroes Iron Maiden have today announced their full plans for their 11 July headline gig at the legendary Stevenage site.
The East End’s favourite sons initially announced the gig in September, and have been teasing other festivities since then, promising to make this gig one of their biggest ever on UK soil.
When first discussing the gig in the context of how to top Maiden’s headline set at their beloved West Ham’s London Stadium last summer, longtime manager Rod Smallwood said “we think that Knebworth is the solution – besides being a legendary venue for historic concerts… it also gives us the outdoor space and control to create something very special for our fans! However, this time we will be taking over the whole of the grounds ourselves and turning it into as much of a ‘Maiden World’ as we can for all our fans to enjoy!”
They certainly have delivered that in today’s plans, with a full weekend of Maiden-themed attractions for fans. EDDFEST will feature an ‘Infinite Dreams Museum Experience’ with fifty years worth of Maiden artefacts, including old costumes of their mascot Eddie and Nicko McBrain’s drumsets, if their Instagram post is to be believed. This will tie in with their ‘Iron Maiden: Infinite Dreams’ 50th anniversary book released late last year.
Other new accompaniments include the ‘Unfair Funfair’ and ‘Eddie’s Emporium & Maidenville Market’, none of which have been seen yet on their current tour, all of which aiming to elevate the experience beyond just a normal gig. On the Friday before the gig, campers will be treated to a deluge of music, including English rockers Stray and ex-Maiden drummer Doug Sampson’s band Airforce, among others.
The weekend will also feature ‘Eddie’s Ultimate Dive Bar’, a touring accessory of theirs on their latest ‘Run For Your Lives’ world tour, providing other Maiden-themed entertainments like tribute bands and their own Trooper beer.
“This is not just a Maiden show”, the band announced on Instagram, “it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience packed with live music, themed areas, immersive attractions, and much more to discover”.
On the actual day of the gig, Saturday 11 July, Maiden are topping a powerful lineup, including Scottish 80s metallists The Almighty, Australian hard rockers Airbourne, Mongolian folk metal band The Hu and Lowestoft’s finest, The Darkness.
Expectations are high after last year’s huge set at London Stadium, when Eddie’s boys played all the hits of their classic era, including ‘Killers’, ‘The Number of the Beast’, ‘Wrathchild’, ‘Run to the Hills’ and ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’.
Knebworth has been the site of some legendary rock gigs in its time. Perhaps most famous for 90s Britpop act Oasis, it was known to metalheads through its association with the Sonisphere Festival, held there until 2014. Led Zeppelin also played their last UK date there in 1979, the year prior to drummer John Bonham’s premature death.
