Bruce Dickinson and Iron Maiden aren’t keen on playing at the Las Vegas Sphere – see what the frontman had to say below.
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The futuristic state-of-the-art venue opened in 2023 and has since hosted residencies from the likes of U2, Phish, The Eagles and the Backstreet Boys. It was also recently confirmed that a new Sphere venue will be constructed in Abu Dhabi and Metallica are reportedly in talks for a residency.
While playing at The Sphere now seems to be a milestone that some bands are working towards, it seems not everyone shares that sentiment. Speaking to Eddie Trunk for SiriusXM, Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson expressed his thoughts on the venue when asked if they’d want to perform there.
“No. It’s not Maiden. Maiden’s about the relationship between the band and the audience, and the show, whilst it’s a show, is an enhancement to what we do. The Sphere, as far as I can gather… I mean, I appreciate what you’re saying about it — it’s all encompassing, it’s this and that, it’s the other — but I think the band would be very uncomfortable with the idea.”
“I mean, we just do a lot of stuff: we run around, we go around, and at the Sphere, what’s the point? What’s the point? In fact, what’s the point of even being there, if you’re a band?”
On their recent ‘Run For Your Lives’ tour, Iron Maiden performed a special setlist containing only songs from their first nine studio albums, from their self-titled debut to ‘Fear Of The Dark’.
Nine of the 17 songs played were performed for the first time in numerous years, including opening song ‘Murders In The Rue Morgue’ and ‘Killers’ – the latter of which they hadn’t played since 1999.
It was also their first run of shows with new touring drummer Simon Dawson, who was appointed following the touring retirement of long-term sticksman Nicko McBrain. McBrain announced he would be “taking a step back” from touring last year due to suffering a minor stroke in 2023, which left him partially paralysed on his right side from the shoulder down.
In late July, the original Iron Maiden singer Paul Mario Day died at the age of 69. Paul Mario Day was enlisted by bassist Steve Harris when the latter formed Iron Maiden in 1975. Day served as the band’s first singer, and was with the band between 1975 and 1976 before being replaced by Dennis Wilcock. Wilcock was later replaced by Paul Di’Anno, who went on to perform on the band’s iconic first two records. Di’Anno died in October 2024 at the age of 66.
