Heavy metal heroes Iron Maiden bring epic Legacy of the Beast tour to Australian in May

A replica Spitfire plane and flamethrowers — this is what the British rockers will be bringing to Australia in May.

IT’S not every rock concert you see a replica Spitfire plane fly over the stage. You can count on that spectacle being just one awe-inspiring moment when Iron Maiden bring their epically over-the-top Legacy of the Beast tour to Australia in May next year.

The heavy metal heroes, renowned as one of the most compelling live bands on the planet, will kick off their first visit in four years at Perth’s RAC Arena on May 1.

From there, the British rock legends head to Adelaide’s Entertainment Centre on May 3, Brisbane Entertainment Centre on May 5, Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on May 7 and Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on May 11.

Watch out, there’s a plane behind you! Picture: Supplied/JOHN McMURTRIE

Rock music may not be troubling the top of the pop charts these days but it is still big at the box office, with Download Festival confirming the return of My Chemical Romance to the Australian stage and Frontier Touring teasing an imminent Tool tour announce.

The Legacy of the Beast tour is a very different beast indeed, with the band designing the concert spectacular to mirror their mobile game of the same name.

The game puts various incarnations of their menacing mascot Eddie through different worlds and experiences based on their songs.

Besides the arrival of the plane above the stage, other unbelievable production props include a giant Icarus and some eyebrow-frying flame throwers operated by frontman Bruce Dickinson. Would you trust a rock star with a flame thrower?

Anyone want some toast? Picture: Supplied/JOHN McMURTRIE

MORE NEWS

My Chemical Romance coming to Australia

Noel Gallagher: Why I don’t jam with U2 and Bono

Why The Veronicas won’t let Qantas go

Guitarist Dave Murray said the band members have to remember to keep to assigned spots on stage when Dickinson starts wielding the weapons.

“Yeah, we do have to make sure we stand a distance from it,” Murray said.

“But I think the fans will feel the flames; bring along the marshmallows.”

For an act renowned for packing their two-hour concerts with more bells and whistles – and pyros – than your average rock band, even Iron Maiden are impressed with their team’s next level creations for Legacy of The Beast which traces the history of the band.

The Legacy of the Beast production is epic. Picture: Supplied

“It is not that easy designing different worlds on stage and we put a huge amount of work into this to make it work and the end result we feel is our most spectacular and certainly the most complex show to date,” Dickinson said.

“We’ve got all kinds of crazy things going on, including a replica Spitfire plane dominating the stage during Aces High, tons of pyro, a giant Icarus, muskets, claymores and some truly marvellous flamethrowers which I have a hell of a lot of fun with.”

Does the plane fly on a plane to get to Australia? Picture: Supplied/JOHN McMURTRIE/IRON MAIDEN

Iron Maiden will one of the biggest rock gigs in Australia in 2020. Picture: Supplied/John McMURTRIE

Now in their fifth decade of rock, Iron Maiden continues to regenerate its fanbase as dads pass on their love of the band to their sons and daughters.

And the advent of new technology to exploit their music such as the Legacy of the Beast video game.

Murray said the band members were fascinated to observe how the game’s developers bring Eddie and their songs into the gaming world.

“They were all Maiden fans so really excited to do this, probably as excited making the game as we are going on stage to play it as a concert,” he said.

Telstra Plus member presale starts Monday at 1pm, with general tickets on sale on November 14 from noon.

Originally published as Heavy metal heroes Iron Maiden bring epic Legacy of the Beast tour to Australian in May