Iron Maiden say some of their hardest support acts to follow were “full of angst and venom.”
By Website Content Manager
It’s tough opening for veteran show-stealers, but Guns N’ Roses and Blackfoot each rose to the occasion with standout sets.
Bruce Dickinson has revealed that Guns N’ Roses were the most difficult support act Iron Maiden ever had to follow on tour.
In a recent interview with Metal Hammer, Dickinson explained that the Los Angeles band brought a raw intensity and attitude to the stage, describing them as full of “angst and venom.” At the time, Iron Maiden were touring during their more complex and progressive era while promoting their 1988 album Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.
He recalled that during their 1988 U.S. tour, Guns N’ Roses had just broken through with Appetite for Destruction and were rapidly rising in popularity. Their aggressive energy, he said, made them a particularly powerful opening act compared to Maiden’s more intricate live style at the time.
Meanwhile, Iron Maiden bassist and founder Steve Harris pointed to veteran Southern rock group Blackfoot as another standout support act, recalling their 1982 tour together around the release of The Number of the Beast.
Harris praised Blackfoot as one of the strongest opening bands they had ever worked with, explaining that support acts have the challenging task of winning over the crowd and setting the tone for the main performance. He added that Iron Maiden audiences are often highly devoted, making it even harder for opening acts to impress if they hesitate or lose confidence.
He also noted that fans can quickly sense when a band is nervous on stage, which can make performing in that position especially demanding.
The article also reflects on Guns N’ Roses’ rise during the late 1980s, when Appetite for Destruction topped the U.S. charts and later became one of the best-selling albums of all time. While the band’s early live reputation was strong, more recent performances have received mixed reviews from critics.
Iron Maiden, meanwhile, continue their long-running tour celebrating their 50th anniversary, with shows scheduled across Europe, the Americas, and Asia as part of their ongoing “Run for Your Lives” trek.