The Final Frontier World Tour

The Final Frontier World Tour was a concert tour by Iron Maiden in support of the band's 15th album, The Final Frontier, which began on 9 June 2010 in Dallas and ended in London, England on 6 August 2011. The tour was announced on the band's official website on 5 March 2010 under the following statement:[1]

"Iron Maiden are pleased to announce that their forthcoming new studio album will be called 'The Final Frontier', and is expected be released late summer of this year.

The announcement comes with news of a North American Tour with Very Special Guests Dream Theater to open in Dallas, Texas, on 9th June and finish in Washington, D.C. on 20th July, making it Maiden's most extensive North American tour in many years.

Following these shows in USA and Canada The Final Frontier World Tour will travel back to Europe for a few selected major festival and stadium shows with the band planning to continue to many other countries in 2011."

The Final Frontier World Tour
Tour by Iron Maiden
LocationNorth America, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America
Associated albumThe Final Frontier
Start date9 June 2010 (2010-06-09)
End date6 August 2011 (2011-08-06)
Legs4
No. of shows101 (3 cancelled)
Iron Maiden concert chronology

The tour was extremely successful, with the band performing 98 shows in 36 countries across 5 continents to an estimated audience of over 2 million people and led to 2012's live album/ video, En Vivo!.

Background

The first leg of the tour was announced alongside the album title on 4 March, to include North American and European dates.[1] The full track listing and artwork was unveiled on 8 June, along with a free download of the song El Dorado, confirmed as the only song from The Final Frontier to be played on the 2010 tour.[2] In their list of the Top 50 North American Tours of 2012, Pollstar reported that, from 23 shows, the band grossed US$14.6 million from 274,289 ticket sales.[3]

On 5 August 2010, Iron Maiden began releasing dates for the 2011 tour with a series of shows in Australia, incorporating several Soundwave festival appearances and two arena shows.[4] This was followed by the announcement of a string of Scandinavian dates on 21 September, including shows in Oslo, Gothenburg, Helsinki, and the Roskilde Festival in Denmark.[5] On 2 November, the band announced a total of 29 additional performances over 66 days, starting in Moscow on 11 February 2011, and continuing through Singapore, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, Mexico, South America, Florida and encompassing the previously announced Australian dates. The band also confirmed that they would again be using the converted Boeing 757, dubbed "Ed Force One", as on the Somewhere Back in Time World Tour and that the setlist would be modified to include more material from the new album as well as older songs.[6] It was during this leg of the tour that the band's 2012 live album and video, En Vivo!, was recorded,[7] with concert footage shot in Buenos Aires and Santiago.[8]

A ten date United Kingdom leg was announced on 11 November for July and August 2011,[9] with an additional show in London confirmed to be the last of the tour.[10] On 18 November, the band continued releasing European dates with eight additional shows in Continental Europe, encompassing Germany, The Netherlands and France[11] (with an extra French date announced on 30 November).[12] This was followed by the announcement of headline performances at Rock Werchter in Belgium on 30 November[13] and Nova Rock Festival in Austria on 10 December.[14]

The 2011 tour would also see Iron Maiden undertaking several headline performances at the Sonisphere Festivals, confirming Warsaw (on 14 December),[15] Madrid (on 17 December),[16] Basel (on 20 December),[17] Imola (on 2 February),[18] Czech Republic (on 8 February),[19] Athens (on 24 February),[20] Sofia (on 10 March)[21] and Istanbul (on 2 April).[22]

Overall, three dates were cancelled while one was postponed. Due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March, both Japanese shows were cancelled.[23][24] The concert in Rio de Janeiro was postponed till the following night after the front crowd control barrier collapsed during the opening song.[25][26] On 14 June, it was announced that Sonisphere Bulgaria, due to take place in Sofia, was officially cancelled.[27] A statement published on the Iron Maiden official website claimed that this was due to "logistical problems".[28]

In their list of the Top 25 Worldwide Tours of 2011, Pollstar reported that, from 46 concerts, Iron Maiden sold 718,313 tickets and grossed $53.5 million.[29] The tour's overall attendance was estimated at over 2 million with 98 shows in 36 countries encompassing 5 continents.[7]

Opening bands

Tour dates
Date City Country Venue
North America
9 June 2010 Dallas United States SuperPages.com Center
11 June 2010 The Woodlands Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
12 June 2010 San Antonio AT&T Center
14 June 2010 Greenwood Village Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
16 June 2010 Albuquerque The Pavilion
17 June 2010 Phoenix Cricket Wireless Pavilion
19 June 2010 San Bernardino San Manuel Amphitheater
20 June 2010 Concord Sleep Train Pavilion
22 June 2010 Auburn White River Amphitheatre
24 June 2010 Vancouver Canada General Motors Place
26 June 2010 Edmonton Rexall Place
27 June 2010 Calgary Pengrowth Saddledome
29 June 2010 Saskatoon Credit Union Centre
30 June 2010 Winnipeg MTS Centre
3 July 2010 Toronto Molson Amphitheatre
6 July 2010[A] Ottawa LeBreton Flats Park
7 July 2010 Montreal Bell Centre
9 July 2010[B] Quebec City Plains of Abraham
11 July 2010 Holmdel United States PNC Bank Arts Center
12 July 2010 New York City Madison Square Garden
14 July 2010 Burgettstown First Niagara Pavilion
15 July 2010 Cuyahoga Falls Blossom Music Center
17 July 2010 Clarkston DTE Energy Music Theatre
18 July 2010 Tinley Park First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
20 July 2010 Bristow Jiffy Lube Live
Europe
30 July 2010 Dublin Ireland The O2
1 August 2010[C] Knebworth England Knebworth House
5 August 2010[D] Wacken Germany True Metal Stage
7 August 2010[C] Stockholm Sweden Stora Skuggan
8 August 2010[C] Pori Finland Kirjurinluoto
11 August 2010 Bergen Norway Koengen
14 August 2010[E] Budapest Hungary Óbuda Island
15 August 2010 Cluj-Napoca Romania Polus Center
17 August 2010 Codroipo Italy Villa Manin
19 August 2010[F] Hasselt Belgium Kiewit
21 August 2010 Valencia Spain Auditorio Marina Sur
Around The World In 66 Days
11 February 2011 Moscow Russia Olimpiyskiy Stadion
15 February 2011 Kallang Singapore Singapore Indoor Stadium
17 February 2011 Jakarta Indonesia Carnival Beach Ancol
20 February 2011 Denpasar Garuda Wisnu Kencana
23 February 2011 Melbourne Australia Hisense Arena
24 February 2011 Sydney Sydney Entertainment Centre
26 February 2011[G] Brisbane RNA Showgrounds
27 February 2011[G] Sydney Sydney Showground
4 March 2011[G] Melbourne Melbourne Showgrounds
5 March 2011[G] Adelaide Bonython Park
7 March 2011[G] Perth Claremont Showground
10 March 2011 Seoul South Korea Olympic Gymnastics Arena
12 March 2011 Saitama Japan Saitama Super Arena (Cancelled)
13 March 2011
17 March 2011 Monterrey Mexico Teatro Banamex
18 March 2011 Mexico City Foro Sol
20 March 2011 Bogotá Colombia Simón Bolívar Park
23 March 2011 Lima Peru Estadio Universidad San Marcos
26 March 2011 São Paulo Brazil Estádio do Morumbi
28 March 2011 Rio de Janeiro HSBC Arena (Postponed from the previous night)
30 March 2011 Brasília Estádio Mané Garrincha Parking Lot
1 April 2011 Belém Parque de Exposições
3 April 2011 Recife Centro de Convenções de Pernambuco External Area
5 April 2011 Curitiba Expotrade Arena Parking Lot
8 April 2011 Buenos Aires Argentina José Amalfitani Stadium
10 April 2011 Santiago Chile Estadio Nacional de Chile
14 April 2011 San Juan Puerto Rico Coliseo de Puerto Rico, José Miguel Agrelot
16 April 2011 Sunrise United States BankAtlantic Center
17 April 2011 Tampa St. Pete Times Forum
Europe
28 May 2011 Frankfurt Germany Festhalle Frankfurt
29 May 2011 Oberhausen König Pilsener Arena
31 May 2011 Munich Olympiahalle
2 June 2011 Hamburg O2 World
3 June 2011 Berlin O2 World
7 June 2011 Stuttgart Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle
8 June 2011 Arnhem Netherlands GelreDome
10 June 2011[C] Warsaw Poland Bemowo Airport
11 June 2011[C] Prague Czech Republic Výstaviště Praha
13 June 2011[H] Nickelsdorf Austria Pannonia Fields
17 June 2011[C] Athens Greece Terra Vibe Park
19 June 2011[C] Istanbul Turkey Küçükçiftlik Park
21 June 2011[C] Sofia Bulgaria National Hippodrome Bankya (Cancelled)
24 June 2011[C] Basel Switzerland St. Jakob-Gelände
25 June 2011[C] Imola Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
27 June 2011 Paris France Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
28 June 2011
30 June 2011[I] Roskilde Denmark Festivalpladsen
1 July 2011 Gothenburg Sweden Ullevi Stadium
3 July 2011[J] Werchter Belgium Festivalpark
6 July 2011 Oslo Norway Telenor Arena
8 July 2011 Helsinki Finland Helsinki Olympic Stadium
10 July 2011 Saint Petersburg Russia SKK Peterburgskiy
14 July 2011 Faro Portugal 30th International Motorcycle Rally
16 July 2011[C] Madrid Spain Getafe Open Air
20 July 2011 Glasgow Scotland SECC
21 July 2011 Aberdeen AECC P&J Arena
23 July 2011 Newcastle England Metro Radio Arena
24 July 2011 Sheffield Motorpoint Arena Sheffield
27 July 2011 Nottingham Capital FM Arena
28 July 2011 Manchester M.E.N. Arena
31 July 2011 Birmingham National Indoor Arena
1 August 2011 Cardiff Wales Motorpoint Arena Cardiff
3 August 2011 Belfast Northern Ireland Odyssey Arena
5 August 2011 London England The O2 Arena
6 August 2011
Festivals and other miscellaneous performances
A This concert was a part of "Ottawa Bluesfest"
B This concert was a part of "Quebec City Summer Festival"
C This concert was a part of "Sonisphere Festival"
D This concert was a part of "Wacken Open Air"
E This concert was a part of "Sziget Festival"
F This concert was a part of "Pukkelpop"
G This concert was a part of "Soundwave"
H This concert was a part of "Nova Rock Festival"
I This concert was a part of "Roskilde Festival"
J This concert was a part of "Rock Werchter"

Box office score data
Venue City Tickets sold / available Gross revenue (USD)
SuperPages.com Center Dallas 10,737 / 20,003 (54%) $502,064[57]
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion The Woodlands 11,316 / 15,917 (71%) $603,660[57]
AT&T Center San Antonio 12,524 / 12,524 (100%) $721,944[57]
Comfort Dental Amphitheatre Greenwood Village 10,670 / 16,887 (63%) $518,851[57]
The Pavilion Albuquerque 10,949 / 15,183 (72%) $375,242[57]
Cricket Wireless Pavilion Phoenix 10,395 / 20,258 (51%) $386,380[57]
San Manuel Amphitheater San Bernardino 21,792 / 46,610 (47%) $946,312[57]
Sleep Train Pavilion Concord 11,798 / 11,798 (100%) $529,395[57]
White River Amphitheatre Auburn 12,215 / 19,532 (63%) $491,130[57]
General Motors Place Vancouver 12,566 / 12,566 (100%) $987,938[57]
Pengrowth Saddledome Calgary 8,743 / 12,644 (69%) $681,118[57]
MTS Centre Winnipeg 8,175 / 10,194 (80%) $582,615[57]
Molson Amphitheatre Toronto 15,618 / 15,618 (100%) $859,029[57]
Bell Centre Montreal 14,115 / 14,891 (95%) $938,812[58]
PNC Bank Arts Center Holmdel 14,885 / 16,951 (88%) $589,711[57]
Madison Square Garden New York City 13,312 / 13,312 (100%) $1,030,584[57]
First Niagara Pavilion Burgettstown 8,330 / 23,114 (36%) $347,227[57]
Blossom Music Center Cuyahoga Falls 9,299 / 20,550 (45%) $422,241[57]
DTE Energy Music Theatre Clarkston 11,705 / 14,891 (79%) $404,650[57]
First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre Tinley Park 15,071 / 28,630 (53%) $722,045[57]
Jiffy Lube Live Bristow 12,466 / 23,251 (54%) $640,290[57]
Olimpiyskiy Stadion Moscow 16,439 / 24,291 (68%) $2,051,993[59]
Singapore Indoor Stadium Singapore 9,785 / 11,401 (86%) $1,111,850[59]
Hisense Arena Melbourne 7,367 / 7,968 (92%) $893,074[60]
Foro Sol Mexico City 47,489 / 52,036 (91%) $2,037,580[61]
Simón Bolívar Park Bogotá 6,744 / 10,000 (67%) $780,894[62]
Estadio Universidad San Marcos Lima 11,733 / 20,000 (59%) $678,843[62]
Estádio do Morumbi São Paulo 44,010 / 50,000 (88%) $3,577,220[62]
HSBC Arena Rio de Janeiro 11,709 / 13,500 (87%) $882,366[62]
Estádio Mané Garrincha Parking Lot Brasília 8,375 / 12,900 (65%) $891,477[62]
Centro de Convenções de Pernambuco External Area Recife 7,001 / 9,400 (74%) $587,630[63]
Expotrade Arena Parking Lot Curitiba 9,274 / 15,000 (62%) $994,788[63]
Estadio Vélez Sarsfield Buenos Aires 33,621 / 37,000 (91%) $1,692,850[63]
Estadio Nacional de Chile Santiago 43,780 / 55,000 (80%) $2,600,170[63]
Festhalle Frankfurt Frankfurt 12,121 / 12,121 (100%) $795,232[63]
König Pilsener Arena Oberhausen 10,298 / 10,298 (100%) $675,961[63]
Olympiahalle Munich 11,968 / 11,968 (100%) $787,831[63]
O2 World Hamburg 10,826 / 10,826 (100%) $717,800[63]
O2 World Berlin 12,817 / 12,817 (100%) $842,766[63]
Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle Stuttgart 11,974 / 11,974 (100%) $804,280[63]
SECC Glasgow 9,700 / 9,700 (100%) $585,667[64]
AECC P&J Arena Aberdeen 8,412 / 8,412 (100%) $508,783[64]
Metro Radio Arena Newcastle 10,500 / 10,500 (100%) $641,962[64]
Motorpoint Arena Sheffield Sheffield 11,650 / 11,650 (100%) $711,879[64]
Capital FM Arena Nottingham 8,510 / 8,510 (100%) $521,990[64]
M.E.N Arena Manchester 15,150 / 15,150 (100%) $931,077[64]
National Indoor Arena Birmingham 13,350 / 13,350 (100%) $822,081[64]
Motorpoint Arena Cardiff Cardiff 6,960 / 6,960 (100%) $428,585[64]
The O2 Arena London 31,350 / 31,350 (100%) $2,127,420[64]
TOTAL 699,594 / 889,415 (79%) $45,792,955

Set
The two different representations of the band's mascot, Eddie, as seen in Bergen and Helsinki.

Regarding the stage production, Steve Harris remarked on 7 June 2010:[2]

"We’re hugely excited about this tour. I think the fans will really like the brand new stage production and lights... Eddie has changed a bit for this tour but is possibly the most outrageous one to date... I can’t say too much about him as don’t want to spoil the surprise but I guarantee he will scare the hell out of you!"

Throughout the tour, the stage was decorated in a futuristic manner befitting The Final Frontier. Two large antennae adorned the back corners, both topped by lights. The long-used wraparound set, surrounding the band and providing a runway for Bruce Dickinson complete with two podiums, was decorated to look like a space ship with the monitors painted to match and featuring the new "Cross-keys" symbol.[65] "S-15" appeared multiple times on the set, a reference to "Satellite 15... The Final Frontier", along with a succession of dots and lines at the back, spelling out "Eddie Lives" in morse code. The entrances to the stage were covered by two curtains painted as doors, and the stage floor was decorated to look like the rocky surface of a planet (changed to a metallic pattern in 2011). As with previous tours, Nicko McBrain's drumkit featured a Sooty puppet, this time dressed in a spacesuit.[66]

The walk-on Eddie, a regular fixture of the band's tours, appeared in his new incarnation as an extraterrestrial. Complete with an "Ed-cam" (a point of view camera which fed directly to the projector screens), the new Eddie was smaller than those of previous tours, and was the first to appear with a guitar on stage. Eddie broke his guitar in Valencia, the last date of the 2010 tour, during the song "Iron Maiden", although it was replaced in 2011.[67] In São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Santiago and throughout the second European leg a giant Eddie was used during "Iron Maiden", appearing at the back of the set with flashing eyes and hands gripping either side of the rear walkway (the walk-on Eddie, from that point, being used during "The Evil That Men Do").[68]

The 2011 leg of the tour also saw Bruce Dickinson using a mic stand on stage for the first time since The Ed Hunter Tour of 1999.

Setlist

After the Somewhere Back in Time World Tour, which focused on songs from the band's 1980s albums, the setlist for the 2010 leg of the Final Frontier World Tour consisted primarily of songs recorded since the return of Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith in 1999.

2010 Setlist
  1. "The Wicker Man" (from Brave New World, 2000)
  2. "Ghost of the Navigator" (from Brave New World, 2000)
  3. "Wrathchild" (from Killers, 1981)
  4. "El Dorado" (from The Final Frontier, 2010)
  5. "Dance of Death" (from Dance of Death, 2003)
  6. "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg" (from A Matter of Life and Death, 2006)
  7. "These Colours Don't Run" (from A Matter of Life and Death, 2006)
  8. "Blood Brothers" (from Brave New World, 2000)
  9. "Wildest Dreams" (from Dance of Death, 2003)
  10. "No More Lies" (from Dance of Death, 2003)
  11. "Brave New World" (from Brave New World, 2000)
  12. "Fear of the Dark" (from Fear of the Dark, 1992)
  13. "Iron Maiden" (from Iron Maiden, 1980)

Encore

  1. "The Number of the Beast" (from The Number of the Beast, 1982)
  2. "Hallowed Be Thy Name" (from The Number of the Beast, 1982)
  3. "Running Free" (from Iron Maiden, 1980)

Notes:

  • During each performance, Bruce Dickinson introduced "Blood Brothers" as a tribute to the late Ronnie James Dio.
  • "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns" (from A Matter of Life and Death, 2006) was played instead of Wrathchild in Dallas.
  • "Paschendale" (from Dance of Death, 2003) was played rather than "Dance of Death" in Dallas, San Antonio, Albuquerque, San Bernardino, and Auburn.

The band stated that the 2011 setlist would feature more of their earlier material, as well as additional songs from The Final Frontier.[69] In an interview, Bruce Dickinson said the band would not play the entire album like they did with its predecessor on the first part of the A Matter of Life and Death Tour.[70]

2011 Setlist
  1. "Satellite 15... The Final Frontier" (from The Final Frontier, 2010)
  2. "El Dorado" (from The Final Frontier, 2010)
  3. "2 Minutes to Midnight" (from Powerslave, 1984)
  4. "The Talisman" (from The Final Frontier, 2010)
  5. "Coming Home" (from The Final Frontier, 2010)
  6. "Dance of Death" (from Dance of Death, 2003)
  7. "The Trooper" (from Piece of Mind, 1983)
  8. "The Wicker Man" (from Brave New World, 2000)
  9. "Blood Brothers" (from Brave New World, 2000)
  10. "When The Wild Wind Blows" (from The Final Frontier, 2010)
  11. "The Evil That Men Do" (from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, 1988)
  12. "Fear of the Dark" (from Fear of the Dark, 1992)
  13. "Iron Maiden" (from Iron Maiden, 1980)

Encore

  1. "The Number of the Beast" (from The Number of the Beast, 1982)
  2. "Hallowed Be Thy Name" (from The Number of the Beast, 1982)
  3. "Running Free" (from Iron Maiden, 1980)

Notes:

  • "Satellite 15... The Final Frontier" was split into its components, the former played over the PA system as an intro along with additional sound effects and visuals, the latter performed as the opening song.
  • Unlike on the album, "Satellite 15... The Final Frontier" and "El Dorado" were blended together, one leading directly into the other.
  • "The Wicker Man" and "Blood Brothers" were played the other way round in Singapore, Jakarta and Bali, but accidentally were not on the opening date of the tour in Moscow.
  • "The Talisman" was played after "The Evil That Men Do" in Moscow, and just before "The Evil That Men Do" in Singapore and Jakarta.
  • During the Australian part of the tour, Bruce Dickinson introduced "Blood Brothers" as a tribute to the victims of the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake and their families. In South America, Puerto Rico, Florida and Europe, the song was also dedicated to those in Christchurch as well as the victims of the earthquake in Japan and the revolts in Egypt and Libya. Following the 2011 Norway attacks, the victims in Oslo were also added to the list of tributes.
  • "The Trooper" was not played in Belfast.

Personnel

(Credits taken from the official tour programme.)[71]

Iron Maiden
Management
Booking Agents
  • Rick Roskin at CAA (North America)
  • John Jackson at K2 Agency Ltd. (Rest of the World)
Crew
  • Dickie Bell – Production Consultant
  • Ian Day – Tour Manager
  • Steve Gadd – Tour Manager
  • Patrick Ledwith – Production Manager
  • Bill Conte – Stage Manager
  • Zeb Minto – Production Coordinator
  • Kerry Harris – Production Assistant
  • Doug Hall – Front of House Sound Engineer
  • Rob Coleman – Lighting Designer
  • Steve 'Gonzo' Smith – Monitor Engineer
  • Antti Saari – Lighting Chief
  • Sean Brady – Adrian Smith's Guitar Technician
  • Michael Kenney – Steve Harris' Guitar Technician and keyboards
  • Charlie Charlesworth – Nicko McBrain's Drum Technician
  • Justin Garrick – Janick Gers' Guitar Technician
  • Colin Price – Dave Murray's Guitar Technician
  • Ian 'Squid' Walsh – Sound Technician
  • Mike Hackman – Sound System Technician
  • Paul Stratford – Set Carpenter
  • Ashley Groom – Set Carpenter
  • Philip Stewart – Set Carpenter
  • Griff Dickinson – Set Carpenter
  • Jeffrey Weir – Head of Security
  • Natasha De Sampayo – Wardrobe
  • Andy Matthews – Video Director
  • Nicholas Birtwistle – Video Technician
  • Peter Lokrantz – Masseuse/Security
  • Nick Jones – Merchandising

Live release

Band manager Rod Smallwood commented in a press release for the compilation album From Fear to Eternity that the shows in Argentina and Chile would be recorded for a live DVD, slated for release in late 2011.[8] On 17 January, a 2-disc DVD, CD and Blu-ray entitled En Vivo!, filmed at the band's Santiago show at Estadio Nacional, was confirmed for a worldwide release on 26 March. The DVD and Blu-ray also featured an 88-minute documentary, Behind the Beast, and the music video for "Satellite 15...The Final Frontier" and its "Making Of" video.[7]

Reception

The tour received positive reviews in print media, heralded as "out of this world" by the News of the World,[72] while The Independent deemed it "a blinding show, a brilliant fusion of high camp and proper heaviness."[73] Metal Hammer awarded the band full marks, stating that it was "exactly the energetic show that has made Maiden the most loved metal band ever."[74] Classic Rock were also positive, commenting that the band are "perennially preposterous but undeniably exciting, they appeal to the geeky fanboy inside all of us – regardless of age, sex or nationality."[75]

The band members' respective prowess was the subject of much praise, with Metal Hammer saying that "everyone was in top form"[76] and the Edmonton Journal commenting that "It's hard to believe that Maiden could have been any more energetic when they were at their peak in the early '80s; truly the metal gods have gifted these six with powers beyond that of mere mortals."[77] Bruce Dickinson in particular was referred to regularly as "the envy of a man half his age".[76][78][79][80]

Many publications noted the wide range of ages present during the tour, complimenting the band's ability to maintain a young audience.[77][78][81]

The omission of commonly played songs such as "Run to the Hills" and "The Trooper" from the 2010 setlist led to some criticism,[77][82] with the Calgary Herald suggesting that "...striking a more even balance between that new material and the unsinkable, ironclad battleships of yesteryear, would have made an incredibly satisfying show that much greater".[79] Speaking in defence of the band's choice of setlist, Mike Portnoy (then of Dream Theater) said: "I can understand that fans want to hear the hits, but I can understand that Maiden don't want to be stuck playing the same songs for the rest of their lives. They put out new music so they want to play the new music."[83] Interviewed for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on 14 July, Janick Gers responded to criticism of the setlist:[84]

"It's really important if you're going to remain a valid band that you play your new stuff. Otherwise you become a parody of what you started out doing. But it's impossible [to play more from the new album]. Back in the early 80s you could probably do it, but now with YouTube and downloading, the songs would all be out before the album was out. We did Somewhere Back in Time and that dealt with the 80s, and the time before that we did A Matter of Life and Death, just the one album. You can't go out and play the greatest hits every time – it's important to play the newer songs because we really believe in them."

Even though the 2011 tour saw the band playing more of their 1980s tracks, the setlist still received criticism from reviewers, with The Guardian arguing that "lumbering new prog monsters, such as 'When the Wild Wind Blows', pale beside early headbangers 'Running Free' and 'Iron Maiden'."[66] Kerrang! also criticised the set for being "slightly too focussed on their lengthy new material", claiming that this resulted in "alienating some people", although going on to state that they admire the band for "refusing to become the nostalgia act" and that it is "important that they still take these risks." Metal Hammer, on the other hand, praised the band for "not pandering to expectations, sticking to [their] guns and doing what [they] think is right – regardless of peer pressure", claiming that this is "the very spirit of heavy metal."[74]

Reflecting on the tour in his 2017 memoir What Does This Button Do?, Dickinson recalled a 'robust' meeting with manager Rod Smallwood following the conclusion of the 2011 UK dates, airing concerns that the band were feeling particularly exhausted after a 35 date fourth leg. Although stating that he had no intention of retiring, he suggested that the band's members may not be able to maintain such an intense schedule in their advancing years, and that 'little and often' was a better strategy for future tours.[85] The band have noticeably increased rest periods between tours and individual shows since this time.

gollark: * take quite long
gollark: I'm working on it. It may be quite long.
gollark: Probably the jwinslow thing?
gollark: If you specify those, I can redact them.
gollark: Um, okay. This might take a while. Does text work?

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