When tickets for Bruce Dickinson’s latest tour went on sale at the end of last year, they were snapped up almost immediately, to no-one’s surprise. Having sold more than 130 million albums worldwide over the course of a forty year career, Iron Maiden are one of the most influential and iconic metal bands of all time, continuing to fill stadiums to this day. Bruce Dickinson’s name thus carries with it enormous respect and admiration, and fans of all varieties have flocked to him for decades— truly, the man has nothing left to prove as a touring musician. Black Smoke Trigger, meanwhile, have everything to gain, coming up as one of the most promising and exciting hard rock bands from New Zealand. The result was, unsurprisingly, a night of awesome riffs, classic tunes and a whole lot of beer.

Black Smoke Trigger came on early to a sea of heavy metal fans— the venue, large as it is, was already full to bursting with leather jacket wearers eager for some live music. The band certainly delivered, coming roaring out of the gate with ‘The Way I’m Wired.’ Black Smoke Trigger’s sound may not be the most original or creative, but it was exciting enough to capture the attention of legendary manager Andy Gould, who described the band as ‘crazy talent’ after taking them on in 2021.

Seeing them live, it’s hard not to agree: vocalist Josh ‘Baldrick’ Rasmussen has the kind of arena-filling voice most singers can only dream of, waking the audience up in an instant with his opening cries. If that didn’t do the trick, the group’s locked-in rhythm section certainly must have done, with bassist Dan Fulton and drummer Josh Te Maro ripping through electrifying riff after electrifying riff as they fill Rock City with their blues-based sound. Most outstanding of all, however, has to be the group’s lead guitarist Charlie Wallace, who’s playing was a spectacle to behold. Throwing himself into a solo on almost every track, Wallace had no issues pulling off several impressive technical showings without sacrificing catchiness or memorability at any turn.

Even so, it would all be for nought if the band had not been so engaging: oozing charisma and confidence at every turn, the group ploughed through their seven song setlist with the bravado of a headliner, even getting a decent sing-along going during ‘Blindfolds and Rattlesnakes.’ The set’s highlight was undoubtedly debut single ‘Caught In The Undertow,’ which stands as the group’s catchiest track for its unconventional lead riff and anthemic chorus. Closer ‘K.M.T.L.’ was another show-stopper, ending things out on a true high-tempo barn-burner. Black Smoke Trigger were surely playing to exactly the right audience on this tour, and their debut full-length LP ‘Horizons’ is an exciting release to look forward to later this year.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Not too long after, the venue went dark, and it was time for the main event. The band took to the stage one-by-one, but it wasn't until the fan-favourite opener ‘Accident Of Birth’ kicked into full power that the legend himself— Bruce Dickinson— launched into action. Adorning three (yes, count them, three) pieces of his own merchandise, the man clearly knows how beloved and nigh on untouchable he is: as the entire audience relishes in the chance to “scream for me, Nottingham,” it becomes clear just how beloved the lead singer of Iron Maiden must be.

It doesn’t hurt that the opening tracks are a collection of nineties nostalgia trips either, flowing seamlessly through a variety of groovy hard-rock riffs and soaring choruses. Many fans appear to know each and every word, and it’s hardly a surprise: having not released a new solo project for two decades, Bruce has given his fans plenty of time to chew the fat. His supporting band do each track more than justice as well— bassist Tanya O’Callaghan and guitarist Chris Declercq are clearly having the time of their lives performing with such an idol, and every member is 100% locked in at every moment. Dickinson himself also sounds magnificent, allowing his signature bellows to ring out across the venue while avoiding most of the breath-control issues that can crop up for older singers.

He does, admittedly, ramble for an uncomfortable amount of time between songs, indulging in his more theatrical side throughout— indeed, the entire concert resembles an unchecked ego trip at times as Bruce throws in an awkward bongo solo and bizarre theremin interlude later in the show. Thankfully, the feeling didn’t creep up too often, and the crowd were loving every moment regardless, clearly hanging on the singer’s every word.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The show’s setlist was a consistent treat, pulling from all corners of Bruce’s discography. Several tracks from the recently released ‘The Mandrake Project’ had their chance to shine, including the anthemic march of ‘The Afterglow of Ragnarok’ and the campy theatrics of ‘Rain on the Graves’ (which was completed by suitably over-the-top graveyard visuals). Older gems also had their moments in the spotlight, from metal cuts like ‘Chemical Wedding’ or ‘Darkside of Aquarius’ to more touching moments including ‘Tears of the Dragon’ or the particularly drawn-out ‘Jerusalem;’ every song sounded fantastic as the band continued to dominate each riff, solo, and interlude.

Most surprising (and delightful) of all, however, was a fantastic drum solo from Dave Moreno that led into a cover of the 70s funk song ‘Frankenstein’ by The Edgar Wright Group. It was ridiculous in the best way possible, even brought down as it was by the aforementioned theremin antics. Dickinson decided to skip a fake ending before the encore, declaring it to be “pointless.” Instead, the touching love song ‘Navigate The Seas Of The Sun,’ the blazing tempo number ‘Book of Thel’ and the groovy crowd-pleaser ‘The Tower’ closed off the set in style as each track continues to age phenomenally (save for some rather cheesy lyrical choices). No songs in the Bruce Dickinson discography could have served as a better send off to the evening, and not a complaint was heard exiting the venue.

When Bruce Dickinson left Iron Maiden in the early 90s, it was unclear whether he had a viable path before him as a solo act: thirty years later, we now know that any worries were unfounded. Though his unchecked creative endeavours can be a little overbearing at times, he remains an outstanding performer and a beloved figure in the metal scene. Together with Black Smoke Trigger, he put a smile on every face in Rock City— now too shabby for 65 years old.