New year, new tour! What will be Iron Maiden’s destination in 2015?
The Maiden England World Tour stretched over three calendar years in 2012-14, the longest ever Maiden tour in those terms. Since the tour ended, we know that the band has recorded a new album in Paris with producer Kevin Shirley. With the new year ticking, the band should be about to make some announcements…
What can we expect? First of all, manager Rod Smallwood has stated that Iron Maiden intend to tour every year. Which means, gigs should soon be announced.
There have been no believable rumors of European shows this year, which seems very logical in the wake of two consecutive summers on the road in Europe. In addition, official announcements of dates in Europe always start coming towards the end of the year before.
How about the rest of the world? Here’s the only official clue:
Fans have overanalyzed this picture for about a month now…
One thing is obvious, the band admits to having been in the studio (as if we didn’t know). Apart from that bit off confirmation, the sign in the bottom left corner reads “UROTON 51”, which is a rather obvious reshuffling of the phrase “ON TOUR 15”.
One can also note that both the sign and Eddie’s ghostly hand point to the left. That’s west on a map, isn’t it? It’s just a piece of Hervé Monjeaud art, but everything points to a US tour for Iron Maiden in 2015. US summer tours have been announced in late winter on the past couple of occasions, so February is a good guess. Maiden’s last proper tour of North America was back in 2012.
If all of these (and the ever present Trooper ale of course) are real clues, then the ninjas are certainly in the drawing for a reason. It becomes rather impossible to avoid the conclusion that Maiden are returning to Japan, don’t you think? Maiden’s last visit was scheduled for 2011 but had to be cancelled due to the earthquake and tsunami.
(Continues below pic!)
Samurai Eddie in Japan in 1981. Will he show up in Ninja guise this time?
If the band goes to Japan, there’s probably a chance they’ll visit other countries in Asia and Australasia, isn’t it? And then there’s the fact that Rock In Rio celebrates 30 years in September. Maiden have been there several times and performed at the very first one in 1985.
There’s also a question of when the new album will be released. It seems the recording was done in September-November, so even with some remaining overdubs and mixing it should be finished about now. The last time Maiden did an album on a schedule like this was Brave New World, which was released in May 2000. Are we safe to assume the album will be out in the spring, ahead of the next tour?
In short, what do you think is about to happen? 🙂
Maiden Revelations 
I think they want to push ourselves into the limits of awaiting for the streams of great news for 2015. I’m pretty sure that new album is just recorded, mixed and maybe mastered (If S. Harris allow for this one). I think they announce some details for us via official website in February and will give us a “taste” of new effor …. This year we should see the North and South America legs of the tour and for the next year Maidens visit Australian and Asian Territories – I’m pretty sure for Japan dates. Great European tour we shall expect for the May – July of 2016! Still we have the great expectations(…)
The American tour seems like a given at this point: as you said, it’s been 2 years since they did a full tour in the States, and there are hints in the FC mag about “following the journey” of the new Trooper beer cans across the pond to the Americas.
I’m banking on a big North/South American tour in mid-summer, with a few international dates later on (Japan, Australia, New Zealand, India), followed by a full-blown European tour next year.
Sounds extremely likely to me.
It does sound extremely likely indeed.
I hope they will do a proper UK tour this time and I can see them at most of the gigs on home turf. I did 5 of the UK gigs in 2011; here’s hoping I can make as many when they come back with my family commitments!
You can pretty much bet there will be a full UK tour in 2016. They seem to favor (or is that “favour”… 😉 ) new album tours when they tour in the UK.
I’ll be more than happy if Maiden visits South America .It gives me a opportunity to make a perfect trip as i’ve never been to South America (:
What do you think are the chances for your own country in the next couple of years?
… yeeep with option of headlining of Rock In Rio festival – my fingers are still crossed!!! 🙂
I’d also just like to add that, no matter what the album is like/when it’s out/where they tour, I hope that 2 Minutes, Trooper, RTTH, CIPWM, and Running Free and the like get a much-needed rest 😛
I personally do not get tired of hearing ‘2 minutes to midnight’ or ‘Run to the hills’… 😉
I do, but of the ones mentioned I’d think Trooper, 2 Minutes and Run To The Hills will always be present.
@Christer: Being pernickety about things, since the reunion:
– ‘Run to the hills’ was not played during the “Brave new world” tour in 2000/2001 (apart from the last two gigs of the tour), “A matter of life and death” tour in 2006, or “The final frontier” tour in 2010/2011.
– ‘The trooper’ was not played during the “A matter of life and death” tour in 2006 or “The final frontier” tour in 2010.
– ‘2 minutes to midnight’ was not played during the “Dance of death” tour in 2003/2004, “The early days” tour in 2005, or “The final frontier” tour in 2010.
😆
Being even more pernickety about things, the only song that has been played at every gig since 1999 is ‘Iron Maiden’… 😉
Since I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing them live yet, I’ll say that I’d be a bit disappointed if I saw them and they didn’t play Trooper, RTTH, and 2 Minutes.
@Ghost: What is troubling you? 😀 I didn’t even mean to imply any of what you’re saying, since the reunion or otherwise, I simply meant to say that I think Trooper, 2 Mins and Hills will be present in every set from here on. Sorry if it was unclear. 😀
I’m waiting with baited breath fro them to announce a Boston date. If and when they do, I’ll be all over that shit. Would be my first time seeing them, which would nicely contrast seeing Mastodon and Rush this year as well.