The best English metal band today
Sunday is filled with some fantastic acts as Sonisphere 2010 is coming to a closure. However it is obvious from the onset as to who is playing later on tonight. It only takes a few hours early on in the day to notice there are only two kinds of T-Shirts being worn by the Knebworth crowd. Eighty percent is wearing Maiden merchandise and the rest are from other bands.
This is England and we are ready to close one of the biggest rock events at one of England's most historical rock locations with one of England's best metal bands. This is it, this is the headline slot for the weekend. Alice Cooper, Rammstein, Motley Crue, Slayer are all distant memories now. I've seen kids dressed for the kill, with one even dressed up as Eddie the Trooper complete with red army coat and Eddie mask. I've seen what must have been an eighty-year-old making his way to the main stage, wearing a Maiden cap. They are all here. Flags from just about every country across the globe are being waved in front of the stage.
'Maiden... Maiden... Maiden...'
Germany may have won the battle last night and conquered Knebworth, but it is time for Maiden to take it back for England.
The new Final Frontier intro is very mesmerizing, but the constant chant by the Maiden Army is deafening, reaching a crescendo when Bruce Dickenson runs across the stage. We are blasted to the final frontier with 'The Wicker Man' before Bruce greets us all 'Good Evening Sonisphere, or should I say Knebworth?'
Sunday's ticket sales are estimated at around 55,000 people, and I guess every single soul is here tonight.
Bruce reminds us that the new album ' Final Frontier' is being released on the 16th August 2010 before they introduce the very appropriate song 'El Dorado' with the lyrics 'I'm a clever wanker's face with just a banker out of place' referring to the current mess we're in.
The majority of the set are songs from the last four albums brought out this millennium, and to be honest, I would have liked a more even split of old and new. However, with such an immense catalogue of songs, you would never please everybody. One of the highlights was 'Blood Brothers' being dedicated to Dio 'as it always is'.
Some of the 'old shit' include 'Fear of the Dark', 'Iron Maiden', 'Hallowed be Thy Name', 'Number of the Beast' and wrapping Sonisphere up with 'Running Free'. The new Final Frontier Eddie is introduced during Iron Maiden before he shreds with the rest of the boys.
If anyone amongst the audience were not Maiden fans, they will definitely be walking away Maiden fans. Knebworth belongs to England once and for all. I would hate to be the one organising Sonisphere 2011; it will be neigh impossible to improve on this.