» Paul Di'Anno 2005 02 19  
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Reviewed by Thomas
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Tourname: 25 Years Of Bestiality Tour 2005
Special guest: Burning Engines
City: Gothenburg, Sweden
Venue: Sticky Fingers
Date: 19 Feb 2005

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Burning Engines

Burning Engines played a small set to warm up the audience before the main event, and they did a really good job. Even though the crowd that actually stood right in front of the stage was very small (five people when they started and about ten when they were done) at least I got in a good mood from their music. They threw me in to a party mood with some really heavy hard rock with some similarities to the heavy riffing and flow of Mustasch, as well as Backyard Babies with somewhat of their attitude. But Burning Engines was more about solid hard rock and made a confident performance, and with raw attitude they managed to impress on me.

6 chalices of 10

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Paul Di'Anno

This man is almost to be seen as a legend, nobody can have missed that he was part of creating two classic albums with Iron Maiden. And that is also his cross to bear when over twenty years has passes since his departure from a band whose story is well known to all. Everyone expects to hear a certain amount of classic Maiden songs no matter that he has done lots of other stuff during the years, but it is with Iron Maiden he will be remembered, and so also after this evening.

The guys from Burning Engines that also was backing up Paul started up the concert with the instrumental The Ides Of March before Paul joined and kicked into action with Wrathchild. A pretty good opening and even if he seemed to be in a grumpy mood, it was a damn good start if you ask me. But as he mixed the Maiden songs with others from later moments in his career it didn't work at all. Perhaps it was because I haven't heard that much of what he has done solo, but the songs weren't good enough, as simple as that. At those times the momentum was completely lost and it took time to work that up again, despite the fact that they did songs like Remember Tomorrow or Killers.

Most of the old songs worked great and that his voice isn't what it used to be didn't seem to matter most of time, even if it was obvious he couldn't do the songs justice at times. The joy of hearing classics like Murders In The Rue Morgue, Prowler, Running Free, Phantom Of The Opera, and Sanctuary with the original voice made me somewhat overlook the fact that they didn't sound as great as I would have wanted. And I have to lift my hat for the guys in Burning Engines for the way they handled the old classic songs, and when they nailed the long instrumental part in Phantom Of The Opera it was great, to not say impressive. The guys did a brilliant job and saved the concert from failing since without the backup from a band better than Paul himself, this wouldn't have been good at all. And when the real highlights from the concert consisted of instrumental parts I guess it speaks for itself. Phantom Of The Opera and Transylvania were the best ones, and there isn't that much of singing in those. The vocalist from Burning Engines that stood beside and watched while his bandmates backed Di'Anno also got his time on stage, as he joined on stage for Running Free to give that a needed vocal boost.

For an old Maiden fan as myself it was great to actually for the first time get to see Di'Anno sing those immortal songs. Just as sad was it too see that his voice is not what it used to be. And as the passion shined with its absence, and it felt like more or less a day on the job for him, I was kind of disappointed. It sometimes looked like he was bored to have to sing the songs expected, but we in the crowd love them to death so if not for himself, but for the fans some more intensity would have been perfect in place.

4,5 chalices of 10


(Sorry, no setlist)

Related links:
www.pauldianno.com
www.burningengines.com