IRON MAIDEN & MEGADETH – AAMI PARK, MELBOURNE — 13 NOVEMBER 2026
Review: Craig Eriksson. Photos: Jason Rosewarne.
Iron Maiden are currently in Australia on their Run For Your Lives World Tour 2026, celebrating the band’s 50th anniversary, with special guests Megadeth. This double bill is a celebration of heavy metal history and a dream come true for fans young and old, bringing two iconic bands together on the same stage. Melbourne’s AAMI Park provided the perfect setting for an outdoor event, even if the on-and-off rain meant fans were occasionally getting drenched.
The stadium was packed with fans wearing Iron Maiden T-shirts, showcasing the many designs and incarnations of ‘Eddie’, the band’s iconic mascot. Some die-hard fans were decked out in denim battle jackets covered in stitched band logos with Iron Maiden being the feature back patch. I kicked off the afternoon with other Maiden fans at Eddie’s Dive Bar enjoying a few Trooper beers and picking up some merchandise. I also met a father, Martin, and his 13-year-old son, Kowen, who had just returned from Eddfest — Iron Maiden’s own festival at Knebworth in England. They had been selected as two of just 60 fans to receive early entry to AAMI Park and secure a spot at the front barrier. As many of us know, Iron Maiden are more than just a band: they’re a global heavy metal institution that has built a dedicated and devoted family — some would say ‘tribe’ — of fans across five decades.
Iron Maiden were last in Australia just two years ago on The Future Past Tour, which focused primarily on the two studio albums Senjutsu (2021) and Somewhere in Time (1986). This time around, they’re back performing classics and deep cuts from their early catalogue, spanning 1980 to 1988: Iron Maiden (1980), Killers (1981), The Number of the Beast (1982), Piece of Mind (1983), Powerslave (1984), Somewhere in Time (1986) and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988). The result was one almighty setlist.
MEGADETH
Opening the show were American thrash icons Megadeth, formed in 1983 by vocalist, songwriter and guitarist Dave Mustaine. Mustaine has battled several health issues in recent years, affecting both his vocals and his hands, and has indicated that this is most likely Megadeth’s farewell tour. He wants to go out on top — and Megadeth certainly gave it everything, delivering a fast-paced, brutal 50-minute set packed with career-spanning staples.
This was the third time I’ve seen Megadeth over the years. Mustaine’s vocals may have weathered a little with age, but he more than makes up for it with his precision, blistering technical musicianship and intricate rhythm-guitar work. The band kicked off five minutes earlier than scheduled, sending fans rushing into the arena to catch the opening song, ‘Devil’s Island’, from Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? (1986). Its galloping riff work and punk-infused thrash energy set the tone. ‘Mechanix’ followed, showcasing Mustaine’s aggressive high-speed technical proficiency. The breakneck pace and relentless tempo led beautifully into a Metallica cover, ‘Ride the Lightning’, which had the crowd pumping their fists in the air.
Fan favourites ‘Sweating Bullets’, with Dave’s signature snarl, ‘Symphony of Destruction’ and ‘Peace Sells’ were standout moments. When Mustaine traded dual-lead guitar harmonies and solos with guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari, the chemistry between them was clear: together, they made a ferocious, high-intensity guitar duo. Completing the wall of sound, Dirk Verbeuren on drums and James LoMenzo on bass anchored the rhythm section with aggressive thrash patterns and punchy, mid-tempo grooves.
Mustaine chatted with the crowd between songs, saying, “You wanna hear something really cool? Our new album is number one in Australia, and I guess we should play a song from it.” That led into ‘Let There Be Shred’. The encore featured Mustaine delivering a wonderful solo during ‘Holy Wars… The Punishment Due’, a fitting way to close their performance. Mustaine thanked fans for all their support and for being with the band throughout their journey.
IRON MAIDEN
As the rain poured down on the crowd, UFO’s ‘Doctor Doctor’ played over the speakers, revving everyone up. The lights then dimmed and visuals of old London at night appeared on the giant screens. Iron Maiden stormed the stage and launched straight into the melodic anthem ‘Murders in the Rue Morgue’ from Killers (1981), sending the crowd into an absolute frenzy.
Frontman Bruce Dickinson roamed the stage, which was designed like a medieval castle, delivering breathless, urgent vocal lines while the rest of the band played with intensity and aggression and grinning like Cheshire cats. You could see these guys bloody love what they do — and they’re so damn good at it. Dave Murray and Adrian Smith shared the twin-lead guitar work, Steve Harris drove the songs with his signature galloping basslines, touring drummer Simon Dawson, who took over following Nicko McBrain’s retirement, supplied machine-like precision, and Janick Gers ripped it up on his Fender Stratocaster. It was an impressive, theatrical opener that set the wheels in motion for an extraordinary evening of good old-school hard rock ’n’ roll.
Maiden maintained the high intensity with two more songs from Killers: ‘Wrathchild’ and ‘Killers’. During the latter, their mascot ‘Eddie’ made his first appearance, towering over the band members, wielding an axe and interacting with the musicians. ‘Phantom of the Opera’, from their 1980 debut album, followed. Dickinson whipped up the crowd and showcased his soaring, almost operatic vocals. This powerful song is a musical roller coaster, blending high-speed punk urgency with interlocking twin-guitar harmonies. Harris’s rapid-fire, fingerstyle basslines were another highlight.
‘The Number of the Beast’ (1982) had the crowd bellowing out the chorus as flames erupted from the stage, creating an exhilarating atmosphere. Maiden also delivered fan favourites and anthems ‘Run to the Hills’ and ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’ from that iconic album, which the fans soaked up! Dickinson announced that they had never performed ‘Infinite Dreams’ in Australia before. It was a masterclass in progressive heavy metal, with Harris’s signature galloping basslines a standout. What’s remarkable is that the band members are now in their late 60s and early 70s, yet they played relentlessly for more than two hours, without a break, and moved around the stage like teenagers. Janick Gers remarkable agility and flexibility includes hoisting his leg high onto stage monitors and speaker stacks while playing.
The new stage production was next level, featuring dynamic, live-operated lighting, synchronised pyrotechnics and a modular, medieval-castle-inspired setting. A colossal LED video wall displayed 3D-style animations and narrative visuals, changing the backdrop to match each song’s mood. During ‘Powerslave’, from the 1984 album, the pyrotechnics and visuals were otherworldly, hypnotic and atmospheric. The stage backdrop evoked ancient Egypt, while Dickinson wore a feathered face mask resembling a hawk’s head.
The pyrotechnics and atmospheric visuals during ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ were equally impressive. Giant LED screens depicted an old sailing ship drifting across a vast, gloomy ocean, with an albatross flying peacefully before the scene descended into a violent sea storm as the song built. Heavy hitters ‘2 Minutes to Midnight’ from Powerslave (1984) and ‘The Trooper’ from Piece of Mind (1983) were electric, peak moments in the show.
The 3D-style dreamscape visuals during ‘Seventh Son of a Seventh Son’ (1988) were transcendent, prominently featuring ‘Eddie’ in a frozen, dystopian, ice-age landscape reminiscent of the album cover. Maiden closed the main set with ‘Iron Maiden’, accompanied by pyrotechnics and flames. Harris’s driving basslines provided the song’s melodic and rhythmic engine, while blues-infused guitar solos from Murray, Smith and Gers delivered the perfect climax.
Maiden re-emerged for the encore with laser lights flashing, the sound of gunfire and war planes flying over the stadium, and Winston Churchill’s famous wartime “We shall fight on the beaches” speech creating a chilling atmosphere. The band ripped into the explosive ‘Aces High’, accompanied by visuals of fighter planes engaged in dogfights, including ‘Eddie’ piloting a fighter plane. Dickinson wore a World War II-style leather flight helmet and goggles. The song’s rapid-fire pace and high energy were euphoric.
The melodic ‘Fear of the Dark’ had the massive crowd joining in the call-and-response. Maiden closed with ‘Wasted Years’, featuring incredible solos from Murray, Smith and Gers, alongside the formidable rhythmic drive of Harris and Dawson. Attending an Iron Maiden show leaves you wanting more and feeling on top of the world, knowing you’ve just been part of something unique and very special.
IRON MAIDEN SETLIST
Murders in the Rue Morgue
Wrathchild
Killers
Phantom of the Opera
The Number of the Beast
Infinite Dreams
Powerslave
2 Minutes to Midnight
Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Run to the Hills
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
The Trooper
Hallowed Be Thy Name
Iron Maiden
Encore
Aces High
Fear of the Dark
Wasted Years (1986 – Somewhere in Time)
MEGADETH SETLIST
Devil’s Island
Mechanix
Ride the Lightning (Metallica cover)
Sweating Bullets
She-Wolf
Let There Be Shred
Poison Was the Cure
Symphony of DestructionPeace Sells
Encore
Holy Wars… The Punishment Due
