Iron Maiden 2023-10-06 Power Trip Festival Empire Polo Fields Indio, CA

Iron Maiden
2023-10-06
Power Trip Festival
Empire Polo Fields
Indio, CA

SOURCE:
SP-CMC-8 (w/Mods) > Sony PCM-A10 > Sandisk Mini-SD Card (32gb - Class 10)

TRANSFER:
.WAV (24 Bit) > Adobe Audition 2023 CC (normalize/amplify/tracking/dithering/downsampling) > .WAV (16 Bit) > Trader's Little Helper > FLAC (Level 6)

SETLIST:

01. Doctor Doctor (over the PA)
02. Blade Runner (End Titles) (over the PA)
03. Caught Somewhere in Time
04. Stranger in A Strange Land
05. (talking)
06. The Writing on the Wall
07. Days of Future Past
08. (talking)
09. The Time Machine
10. The Prisoner
11. (talking)
12. Death of the Celts
13. (talking)
14. Can I Play with Madness
15. Heaven Can Wait
16. Alexander the Great
17. Fear of the Dark
18. Iron Maiden

--- ENCORE ---

19. (encore break)
20. Hell on Earth
21. The Trooper
22. Wasted Years

NOTES:

First and foremost, I have to say the crowd around me for this set was a bit rowdy to say the least. We made the mistake of getting the GA rail spot on the right side of the fields/stage (where the crowd naturally funnels into - so much so, that the promoters had to put signs on the video screens telling concert goers there was "more room this way --> (left)"), rather than heading more towards the center or left side of the field, like we did for Saturday and Sunday. Therefore it was a lot more crowded where we were, and the crowd was full of obnoxious drunk assholes, they numbered in the hundreds, maybe the thousands, who knows? I mean, literally 5 seconds into the "Doctor Doctor" intro playing over the PA, some fucking asshole starts rushing the rails where we were and smashing into people and throwing fists (you can hear people around me calling for security to pull him out for starting fights). Luckily, the dudes around me were not putting up with his shit and started fighting him back and trying to shove him out. Eventually security was able to grab him and pull him over the railing. They ended up having to do this about 5 or 6 times during the set. It was like the Royal Rumble, with people being pulled over the top of the railing and onto the ground left and right for having caused some violent fights. One guy, who you can hear near the ned of the "The Time Machine" I think (or "The Prisoner") starts calling all of us cunts and pussies and blah blah and was flipping us all off as security dragged him away, wish I had gotten video of that. Anyway, suffice to say, there was some rowdiness around me and some loud annoying people. I tried to avoid them the best I could for this recording, but that was an impossible task. Just adds to the recording/experience I guess?

Speaking of the experience, this was my first time seeing Iron Maiden. I had always wanted to see them headline Coachella (one of the promoters of Coachella had always said Iron Maiden was on his dream list of headliners) but that never came (as of now), so having them headline Power Trip (at the same venue) is a good second choice I think. I think I was most excited for Iron Maiden of all the bands, considering they were one of the three I had never seen before (others being Tool and Judas Priest), though I don't think I walk away with saying Iron Maiden had the best performance. Probably bottom three if I'm being honest.

First I do think it sounded the worst of all the 6 sets that were performed over the weekend. I dunno, maybe it's my ears only, but the sound just sounded off for this set to me. Too distorted, or too compressed? Not as clear as it should have been? Not enough bass? Bruce's vocals were mixed fucking horribly I think, though maybe that's how it always is with them live? I don't know. Bruce came out dressed like he was a prisoner on Fiorina 161, right of Alien 3, even wearing some weird ass black goggles. The theatrics were pretty decent I thought, with segments featuring a gunslinger type robot (who had a gun fight with Bruce) and the giant Eddie samurai (I guess there is no more traditional Eddie?) that was sword fighting with various band members. There were no giant airplanes or anything super crazy though, I guess those were made for previous tours only?

Also, and I already knew this going in, they didn't play "Number of the Beast" or "Run to the Hills" either (they aren't being played on this tour). And I suppose for hardcore fans, that's fine, but for a festival set years in the making? I dunno, just seems like a missed opportunity. I know it sounds like I'm complaining a lot about this set, but I don't intend it to come off that way. I did enjoy it, though I did walk away thinking it could have been better. Bruce did say at the very end that he would "see all of us again...make of that what you will". Hmmm.... 

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