Live at Spark Arena
7 November 2026
Live Review by Music Journalist: Paul Marshall
Iron Maiden Run For Your Lives World Tour: 50 Years of Heavy Metal History, Fire, Fury and a Night to Remember.
Fifty years in the making, and Iron Maiden are showing absolutely no signs of slowing down. With fire in their bellies, thunder in their guitars and a stage production that could rival a Hollywood blockbuster, the British heavy metal institution brought its spectacular Run For Your Lives World Tour to Auckland's Spark Arena for a night celebrating five decades of musical history.
Arriving at Spark Arena, we were greeted by a sea of black-clad minions packing the pavements in every direction. Such was the demand that an additional merchandise tent had been erected outside the venue, opposite the usual merch caravan. Clearly, Maiden fans don't do things by halves.
But enough about the congregation. We're here for the music.
Tonight's line-up was almost a double billing, with American thrash metal heavyweights Megadeth warming up the crowd before the main attraction. And what an attraction it was.
Before Iron Maiden appeared, the arena lights went down and the unmistakable opening notes of UFO's Doctor Doctor filled the venue. It's a familiar ritual for Maiden fans, and one that immediately sends anticipation through the roof.
Then came the opening salvo.
Murders in the Rue Morgue exploded into life, with pyrotechnics illuminating the stage and flame cannons shooting fire into the air. This was only the opening number, yet already we were being transported into the wonderfully theatrical fantasy world that is Iron Maiden.
And, of course, no Maiden production would be complete without Eddie. Their legendary mascot made an appearance, axe in hand, wielding it in every direction while playfully interacting with the band. Before making his exit, he even managed a cheeky scratch of his backside. A lovely bit of theatre from whoever happens to be inside that enormous costume. Much like Top Gear's Stig, the identity of Eddie's human counterpart remains a closely guarded secret.
The enormous screens behind the band played a major role in bringing the production to life, delivering cinematic imagery and elaborate visual sequences that unfolded alongside the music. Combined with multiple costume changes, smoke, flames and perfectly timed pyrotechnics, the production was a considerable step up from previous tours I've witnessed.
This is a show that really benefits from being watched at a distance, allowing you to appreciate the entire visual spectacle, and our position inside the arena was ideal.
The setlist was another treat, drawing heavily from the band's formative years and first nine studio albums. One particularly exciting inclusion was Infinite Dreams, which hadn't been performed live for 35 years before its return on this tour. For long-standing fans, moments like this are what make a 50th-anniversary celebration genuinely special.
Bruce Dickinson, meanwhile, remains an extraordinary frontman. His voice, presence and ability to command an arena are remarkable. At one point, he addressed the audience, declaring, "We started fifty fucking years ago." After allowing the cheers to build, he continued: "What a ridiculous number, 50, I can't quite believe it. I'm still actually alive, I'm exceeding retirement age at the moment."
The crowd loved it.
Dickinson then introduced Phantom of the Opera, explaining its origins in the 1910 novel by French author Gaston Leroux, which subsequently inspired several film adaptations and a hugely successful musical. With a cheeky reference to today's sensitivities, he suggested that its subject matter might not get the same treatment in the modern world. It's a wonderfully theatrical number and another reminder of just how ambitious Maiden's early songwriting was.
On stage, Steve Harris remains an absolute machine. The founder and driving force behind Iron Maiden spent much of the evening running from one side of the stage to the other, his fingers working overtime while never missing a beat on that unmistakable bass.
He's now joined rhythmically by drummer Simon Dawson, and the pairing is particularly interesting to me personally.
I had the pleasure of touring Steve's side project, British Lion, to New Zealand in 2024, when I first met both Steve and Simon. They are exceptionally nice guys, with Steve being particularly softly spoken away from the stage. Simon was playing drums with British Lion long before stepping into the enormous shoes left by Nicko McBrain, so his appointment made perfect sense. The two already had years of musical chemistry behind them, and that connection was evident throughout the performance.
Then there's Janick Gers, whose showmanship deserves a review of its own. Whether positioning one leg on the stage monitors like some sort of heavy metal ballerina or swinging his guitar around his body like a ninja warrior wielding a sword, his antics were spectacular. What made it even better was the enormous grin plastered across his face. He looked like a man thoroughly enjoying his own little world, entertaining himself as much as the audience. Brilliant to watch.
Musically, the band were firing on all cylinders. The Number of the Beast and Run to the Hills were particular highlights for me. Both were staples of radio when I was growing up, so there's a certain nostalgia attached to hearing them again. Live, however, they took on an entirely different dimension. Powerful, commanding and, dare I say, even better than the records.
The main set eventually closed with Iron Maiden, the band's signature anthem, before they disappeared backstage to a deafening roar.
But we weren't finished.
A dramatic audio-visual presentation featuring part of one of Winston Churchill's famous speeches set the scene for the encore. The band returned with three more classics: Aces High, Fear of the Dark and Wasted Years, bringing the evening to a suitably monumental conclusion.
As the house lights came up, we were treated to Monty Python's Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, originally written for Life of Brian – incidentally, my favourite Christmas movie ever. A wonderfully British, tongue-in-cheek way to send everyone home.
Iron Maiden's story began in East London in 1975, with bassist Steve Harris at the helm. Five decades later, their influence on heavy metal remains enormous. Having first visited New Zealand in 1992, they've returned several times, continually bringing bigger productions and generations of fans along for the ride.
Tonight was more than just another concert. It was a celebration of a band that has remained fiercely committed to its music, its fans and the spectacle of live performance.
If you've never experienced Iron Maiden live, do yourself a favour and get along. The musicianship, the theatrical production, the sheer scale of the spectacle and the catalogue of songs are worth every minute.
Fifty years on, Maiden still have the power to raise hell. And long may they continue.
Up the Irons!
Iron Maiden Set List
- Murders in the Rue Morgue
- Wrathchild
- Killers
- Phantom of the Opera
- The Number of the Beast
- Infinite Dreams
- Powerslave
- 2 Minutes to Midnight
- Rime of the Ancient Mariner
- Run to the Hills
- Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
- The Trooper
- Hallowed Be Thy Name
- Iron Maiden
Encore:
- Aces High
- Fear Of The Dark
- Wasted Years
Reviewer: Paul Marshall
Photography by Paul Marshall
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