At a London show last night, Iron Maiden’s guitarist Adrian Smith invited a hugely famous collaborator to perform on one of the band’s iconic songs.
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Catch Bruce Dickinson performing live with Smith/Kotzen on a rendition of Iron Maiden’s “Wasted Years.”
Iron Maiden’s frontman Bruce Dickinson made an unexpected appearance with his bandmate Adrian Smith’s side project, Smith/Kotzen, performing the Maiden classic “Wasted Years” during a London show.
The surprise collaboration took place at London’s O2 Shepherds Bush Empire on Saturday, February 21. Dickinson joined Smith and guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen onstage to deliver a live rendition of the 1986 hit at the very end of Smith/Kotzen’s set.
Smith/Kotzen had spent the night performing songs from their two studio albums, including their 2021 self-titled debut and 2025’s Black Light/White Noise. The project was formed in the late 2010s after Smith and Kotzen, known for his work with The Winery Dogs and ex-Poison, met in Los Angeles and began jamming together.
Reflecting on his longtime admiration for Iron Maiden, Kotzen told Classic Rock in 2025, “My first rock concert was Iron Maiden—Number of the Beast, Piece of Mind, backtracking to Killers… I was a massive fan.”
Meanwhile, Iron Maiden are preparing for a huge summer schedule. Their recently announced outdoor show at Knebworth on Saturday, July 11 has been expanded into a two-day event, now named Eddfest.
A warm-up day on July 10, called “Maiden World,” will feature a stage with live bands connected to Maiden, a funfair, a museum celebrating the band’s 50th anniversary, and an expanded bar. The main event on July 11 will see Maiden performing songs from their first nine studio albums, continuing the format of their Run For Your Lives tour. Supporting acts include The Darkness, The Hu, Airbourne, and The Almighty.
Manager Rod Smallwood explained the decision for Knebworth, saying, “After the monumental UK shows last year, we knew the 2026 UK performance had to be something truly special. Knebworth Park offers the space needed to create a groundbreaking experience for our fans—Maiden World. We’re thrilled to celebrate the band’s 50-year career with this one-off event, which we’re calling Eddfest, because Eddie is the true star of the show.”
The Run For Your Lives tour resumed with European dates last summer and will continue with another European leg starting in May. The Knebworth show will mark the last UK appearance on the tour, with Maiden not planning to return to the UK until at least 2028. Following this, the tour will move through North, Central, and South America. Full concert details are available on the band’s website.
In addition to touring, Iron Maiden are producing a documentary covering their five decades as a band. The film, produced by Universal Pictures Content Group, is slated for theatrical release later this year.