I still can't believe I was able to see Iron Maiden play Infinite Dreams, Powerslave and Rime of the Ancient Mariner live.
Child me would only ever dream of seeing them live at all. Teenage me realized that dream, in 2011, after traveling 600km to be barely able to see my idols as small dots on the stage.
I'd seen them two more times after that, in 2013 and 2019. Each time was amazing, a dream come true, and each had a handful of songs that I was seeing live for the first time.
Iron Maiden famously has repetitive concert setlists, something that is a bummer for diehard fans like me, but makes sense ā most of the audience is there for the hits. But they always add at least a few less-known gems in there for those that go often.
But seeing my favorite songs live? That was something I didn't dare dream of. I missed my chance to see Powerslave and Ancient Mariner live in 2008 due to being too young and having no money, and thought I'd never have the chance again. But Infinite Dreams? That one was last played in 1988 ā 38 years ago, seven years before I was even born.
Bruce said on the stage, right before the song: "38 years ago, I don't think we would have been able to dream that we would be standing hereĀ¹". Well, yeah Bruce. Neither did I. But we did.
1 - The concert was in San Siro, a legendary stadium for football fans, in Milan.
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