Fall road trips are the best: beautiful scenery, hoodie weather and, if lucky, you’re rolling down the highway to see a rock show. On Oct 15th 2022, I headed to Ottawa to see the almighty Iron Maiden perform at the Canadian Tire Centre! I took to the road with my buddy Alex, and we drove down the 417 to make it to Kanata for The Legacy of the Beast 2022 tour.
The opening act was Within Temptation. Taking the stage with a curtain displaying their name they went roaring into The Reckoning and continued to power through a nine-song set list with a whole lot of symphonic metal. Sharon den Adel’s voice was outstanding, Stand My Ground and Raise Your Banner were highlights. Solid performance by the dutch performers, I only wish more people would have seen them as most people had not arrived at the CTC yet.
Some fans lined up as early as 6am just to be the first in the venue and lined up against the rail.
Many were dressed to impress with their favourite Maiden gear or Eddie masks. With anticipation at its climax, the lights turned off and Iron Maiden took to the massive stage. The crowd roared, and that roar didn’t stop until the end of the 2-hour spectacle! Let me tell you something, these fans were not disappointed; Iron Maiden came with a vengeance. A set composed of 15 songs and almost as many set design changes. Impressive, to say the least; they started with Senjutsu and Stratego, the first two songs of their 2021 album Senjutsu. The set was impressive, like you were in the yard of an old Japanese temple, the first song even included a cameo from Eddie wearing a samurai outfit with a katana. As impressive as that was, I would say the rest of the night was just so much more epic, pulling from their massive catalog of sounds, they played some classics like Fear of the Dark, The Number of The Beast and Run for the Hills.
There was something for everyone at this show. I still can’t get over how many times the background and set changed. From the infamous plane that rode high above them during the finale to Icarus to the great artwork featured on the backgrounds. Bruce Dickinson changed his appearance multiple times, my favourite outfit had to be when he came out wearing the classic Trooper look waiving the British Flag and, by the end of the song, waving the Canadian flag. His voice is just incredible, it pairs very well with his bandmates. So impressive to see Steve Harris, Adrian Smith, Dave Murray and Janick Gers all play together at the front of the stage. And what can be said for the drummer Niko McBrain we may not see him much as he is behind one of the most impressive drum kits, we definitely hear him. Loved their energy; hard to believe they got their start in the late 1970s.
What a band! I could go on and on about this show but go experience it for yourself; it’s pure fun. There’s a reason these guys are legends; every night they go out and prove it. On this night Ottawa Rocks!
Review & photos – Eric Brisson
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