Iron Maiden ProfileAdelaide Entertainment Centre is sold out on a Wednesday night for the first show of heavy metal royalty Iron Maiden’s Run For Your Lives Australian tour.
The tour is a celebration of 50 years of Iron Maiden and also the farewell of thrash icons, Megadeth. In celebration of this anniversary, the tour sees Iron Maiden performing a career-spanning setlist with a brand new, state-of-the-art production set-up.
It’s only a two-act bill tonight with Megadeth in the opening slot. It’s disappointing; without the opportunity for smaller artists to introduce themselves in these support slots, we’ll never have bands like Iron Maiden or Megadeth in the future. What happens to the future of heavy metal if audiences don’t know it exists?
The sold-out arena is full by the time Megadeth begin performing for Adelaide for what could be the final time. Vocalist and guitarist Dave Mustaine proves that he’s still got it as he sings “Hello me, meet the real me,” to herald in Sweating Bullets in his signature snarl as he trades duelling guitar solos alongside Teemu Mäntysaari.
Mustaine’s health was the catalyst for Megadeth’s disbanding, which was announced in early 2026. After being diagnosed with Dupuytren’s contracture, Mustaine’s hands have become severely arthritic, making it painful to play guitar.
However, health conditions are no match for a man with such relentless persistence - Mustaine also made quick work of throat cancer, which is now in remission - and it’s shown in his performance as he growls and riffs his way through Symphony of Destruction and Countdown to Extinction like it’s 1992.
In Tornado of Souls, Mustaine steps back and locks down the rhythm to let Mäntysaari take the reins on solo duties. In the final song, Holy Wars… The Punishment Due, Mustaine performs the whole solo flawlessly.
It’s a bittersweet performance as Mustaine ends up on the stage alone to take in the crowd, seemingly savouring the moment as he waves to each corner of the room one final time.
Megadeth are going out on top, on their own terms, and honourably closing their incredible career without tarnishing their legacy.
A blinding flash bang starts Iron Maiden’s set as they open with Murders in the Rue Morgue.
Frontman Bruce Dickinson looks twenty years old from the nosebleeds as he gallops from one side of the stage to the other with a ponytail and leather jacket.
Killers sees the first appearance of their synonymous mascot, Eddie the Head, who towers over the band members wielding an axe. Guitarist Janick Gers playfully ducks and weaves past the axe without missing a note.
“We’ve waited 50 years to get to this moment in Adelaide, 50 fucking years!” Dickinson screams to roars from the audience.
“And if we last another 50 years we’ll be back, this I doubt very much,” he teases.
The new stage production sees them surrounded by medieval castle curtain walls which have LED screens on them to change the setting to fit each song. An Egyptian tomb for Powerslave, a creaking ship for Rime of the Ancient Mariner and a dystopian ice world for Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.
Dickinson appears on top of the castle walls and precariously free-runs his way across the gaps in the stage like he forgets he is 68 years old.
50 years of Iron Maiden has resulted in a six-piece unit that flows as one. Their performance is faultless. Bassist Steve Harris still somehow matches the rhythm of the band with only his fingers, no pick. While new touring drummer Simon Dawson - who took over following the retirement of Nicko McBrain - keeps the band together between the frenetic energy and chaos.
The energy builds to a new height as The Number of the Beast introduces flame cannons right where Dickinson was just jumping between. Run to the Hills sees the largest sing-along of the night so far as the immortal chorus is bellowed by everyone in the arena.
It’s a setlist with flowing momentum as the 13-minute-plus song Rime of the Ancient Mariner showcases the endurance of the band. But it’s the final third of the setlist, featuring The Trooper, Hallowed Be Thy Name and Iron Maiden, where the arena reaches a tipping point.
“Scream for me, you fucking Australians!” Dickinson orders during Iron Maiden and the audience obediently responds.
It’s a short rest before the band returns for a triple-threat encore, beginning with Aces High as Dickinson charges out in his World War One-style airforce uniform, ready for a dogfight. The opening riff of Fear of the Dark is vocalised by the crowd as they sing along with the melody. Finally, Wasted Years farewells the evening with the biggest chorus of the night.
A band 50 years into their career, still putting on a two-hour-plus performance with such power and drive, can only be explained by them secretly finding the fountain of youth. With something from every corner of a fabled discography, what more could any Iron Maiden fan ask for?
