Iron Maiden behind the Iron Curtain

The Friday treat

I know I have my regular readers; well next well you shall not receive a by now traditional Friday treat from me, as this time next week I shall be standing in a field at this

 

The main reason I shall be there will be to see the universe's finest (as far as we know): Iron Maiden.

Bear in mind, my Polish readers, that the 'r' in 'Iron' is silent, i.e. one says 'Ion Maiden'.

Not only shall I be fortunate in seeing the Maiden, but also Motörhead and Killing Joke, another two extremely good bands from Great Britain, as well as Mastodon, a NWOAHM band; as well as a few Polish bands I don't know (though rest assured that, following the death of Henryk Gorecki, the best music to currently come out of Poland is heavy metal).

So where's your treat?  Well, I am about to link it.  Please, though, imagine the scene: You are at a Polish wedding.  [Generally (with one very notable and joyous exception in Wrocław last year) the music at Polish weddings are dominated by what is known as 'Disco pola'.  With no exaggeration I tell you that 'Disco pola' is the worst thing to happen in Polish history.  I am not joking.  I have been to Polish weddings.]  You are expecting your will to live to vanish upon roughly the fifth hour of hearing the like of 'jaki taki taki, riki tiki tak' set to a drum machine and synthesiser.  Then who do you see on the stage ahead of you, but, no, it cannot be.  The best band of history, there, at a Polish wedding, playing some Deep Purple?

Oh yes.  Oh most deffo yes.

God be praised.

Now, this video is an excerpt from the film 'Iron Maiden behind the Iron Curtain'.  It a a short but very nice video showing the Maiden performing in Warsaw, in the "Folks' hall" (as it was then called) here in Wrocław as well as (presumably) Spodek in Katowice.  This film was made in 1984 (and most of it can be seen on youtube) on the 'World Slavery Tour' (following the release of the Powerslave album).

Not many western bands came behind the Iron Curtain at that time.  The Maiden managed it, and were happy with their reception by Polish people, even though they didn't correctly pronounce 'Iron' or 'Adrian' :)  At that time, as shown on the video, it was difficult and expensive to get hold of Iron Maiden albums in Poland and it was a time of great rejoicing in Poland when the Maiden came to Poland.

Perhaps I shall see some of you next Friday.

UP THE IRONS!*

* The band, not the football team.