Iron Maiden - En Vivo! Blu-Ray
by Kevin Wierzbicki
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There are bands, like classic rockers Steely Dan, who until recent years refused to perform live because they knew they couldn't replicate the sound of their studio recordings onstage. Other bands, like the long-running Iron Maiden, don't give a hoot about studio embellishment; their brand of powerful melodic metal rings as true on stage as it does in recorded offerings. The guys know it, too; that's one reason why they don't hesitate to put out live material every chance they get. With there not exactly being a dearth of Maiden concert films, what's different about this one that includes warhorses like "The Wicker Man," "Iron Maiden," "The Number of the Beast" and "Running Free"? A couple of things. Firstly, En Vivo! was recorded almost exactly a year ago during the band's The Final Frontier World Tour and that means this Blu-ray/DVD package provides a first live look at performances of "Satellite 15/The Final Frontier," "El Dorado," "The Talisman," "Coming Home" and "When the Wild Wind Blows," songs from the tour's 2010 namesake album. Secondly, filmed in front of a rabid, starved-for-Maiden audience of 50,000 in Santiago, Chile, En Vivo! literally bristles with energy that the band clearly feeds off of, so much so that never-at-a-loss-for-words singer Bruce Dickinson has to pause and soak it in after "Wicker Man" ends, literally dumbfounded by the roar coming from the elated mass of humanity. When Dickinson does finally speak he likens the rush that the crowd's vibe provides to the one he gets when he "opens up the taps on a Boeing," referring to piloting a passenger jet, something he does in his "other job" as well as for Iron Maiden tours. En Vivo! also utilizes a lot of split-screen editing, mostly just two screens in the early part of the film but quick cuts to three and four screens mirror the excitement as the show gets closer to the end. Otherwise you have here exactly what you'd expect from this well-oiled machine---three screaming guitars, one howling lead singer and a rhythm section that never misses a beat as they pound out a 17-song set that thrills the audience to no end. Iron Maiden is at the point in their career where they could easily rest on their laurels but these road dogs are getting ready to launch yet another tour; those who've seen En Vivo! will no doubt be amongst the first to snap up tickets.Blu-Ray
Blu-Ray Limited Edition Steel Box
DVD Limited Edition Steel Box
Iron Maiden - En Vivo! Blu-Ray
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