Iron Maiden at London Stadium 2025

Words and images by Gee & CJ

Taking Steve Harris back to his hometown, Iron Maiden rocked the London Stadium stage just like they are in their prime all over again, easily keeping the audience engaged, excited, and happy to be experiencing this iconic group all night, with not a single moment to miss.

The heavy metal heroes picked a fantastic opener, with Halestorm ripping some amazing tunes to start the night: known hits to keen rock fans like “I Miss The Misery” and “Freak Like Me” had the whole floor bouncing, alongside currently unreleased “WATCH OUT!”, which was a clear crowd pleaser. Their newer single “Darkness Always Wins” had the stadium entranced with Lzzy Hale’s powerful vocals, and Joe Hottinger’s catchy riffs and pristine solos in every song left everyone itching for more. Accompanied by an impressive drum solo from Arejay Hale, who kept the heartbeat going through every song, and the smooth bass lines of Josh Smith working with him, this band is truly not one you want to miss.

Having an already hyped up audience, Iron Maiden took the spotlight with a confidence that only comes from legends who are celebrating 50 years of incredible music. There wasn’t one person who wasn’t screaming the lyrics to their biggest songs, with tracks like “The Number of the Beast”, “Run to the Hills”, and “The Trooper” making the stadium roar alongside some insanely belted vocals from Bruce Dickinson. His energy was unmatched, his stage presence impossible to dislike, and he’s still hitting notes that were too impressive to not catch yourself jaw dropped at.

Having 3 guitarists may seem overkill to some bands, but Maiden's perfect balance and completely unique tone makes it known they could never go back. Janick Gers, Dave Murray, and Adrian Smith all had their shining times, each having some beautifully standout moments in songs such as 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner' and 'Powerslave'. The whole stadium was mesmerised, not a single note dropped, and from the first bars of 'Murders in the Rue Morgue', to the final goodbye of the classic 'Wasted Years', everything sounded even more perfect than could ever be expected. 

As always, Steve Harris' bass lines shook the core of every person in the stadium, and alongside new live drummer Simon Dawson, they created a powerful rhythm section to balance the whole show. Their melodies were unmatched, the fire that they played with couldn't be extinguished, and the excitement of every single note gave the crowd a life they’d never had before. Each song was so effortlessly presented, never felt forced, and yet had a carefully crafted performance that appeared to be practiced for hours.

This was a clear fan favourite performance for thousands of people, one that nobody would ever forget, and just proved that Iron Maiden will live forever in the hearts of true heavy metal lovers.