8/10

This time it took a long while to decide where and with who to see the new summer tour. 18th june, Tone and me left for Rome. Tone was a bit sceptical because of her being pregnent at the moment, but it all went fine.

The night before the concert I went to a Irish pub Mooligans to drink beer with some of the IMOC. It wasn`t any planned, but I got a text message from The Clansman about a few of the imocs from the spageddie incident sitting in that pub. So I followed Tun back to the hotel, since it was already quite late and then went to find the pub. I almost gave up, but suddenly I discovered the place in Via Del Boscetto. Present were the two french guys (don`t remember their nicks), The Beast and Angela, Cricket Jumper, CJ, Cadds and Johnta. It was great fun meeting you!!

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The day before I got a message that I once again had won the first to the barrier competition. However, due to the very early entrance, number of bands before Iron Maiden and the hot weather ( 32-38 degrees) we decided not to do it. Afterwards we`ve learnt that it wasn`t a second barrier, and therefore it would had been impossible. Most of the people who won pulled out or nearly collapsed at the front. Anyway in the future I will concider wether to apply for fttb, without being absolutely sure I will be using it. Other fans may have missed out, but I`m sure this time was a bit unusual.

Well, we arrived at the Stadio Olimpico at about 6. It was people selling Iron Maiden t shirts everywhere outside the impressive looking huge stadium. It`s the home of Lazio and Rome and holds 90 000 on football matches.

We went down to the pit with Clansman, Rafi and IronMaidenlewes?? and saw a bit of Machine Head. Even the stadion is that huge it seemed to be lots of fans inside. I would guess 30 000 or so. The area from the mixing desk to the stage was really packed. After that I saw partially the Motorhead set, which were great, but the sound level was too high and a pain to the ears. They rocked and the audience was rocking too. You could sense it was going to be a great night. We met Rider and Rafi again at the waterhole on the side seting area where we relaxed during the band changes. Rider had pulled out from the front of the audience just an hour before Maiden…

The sun was almost gone and it was getting darker, great atmosphare, Maiden Maiden. We stood well in the back, but still had quite good view and there were big screens as well. The people in the seated area was also well into it, even almost more than on the pitch at times. ( or so it seemed from we where standing.

The concert kicked in, and the sound was great from the start.
The sun was almost gone and it was getting darker, great atmosphare, Maiden Maiden.

We stood well in the back, but still had quite good view and there were big screens as well. The people in the seated area was also well into it, even almost more than on the pitch at times. ( or so it seemed from we where standing. The concert kicked in, and the sound was great from the start. I have never heard Bruce this good, and they were all really firing on all sylinders this night.
Highlights for me were Children Of The Damned, Brighter Than A Thousand Suns, Fear Of The Dark ( loud singing from the crowd). Bruce`s screams in Wrathchild, COTD were awesome. He could pull off every note this night. I wished I had a video of it all. They should have filmed it for a dvd.

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Bruce promised to come back next year with Rime Of The Ancient Mariner and the pyramids, and maybe some Seventh Son…Well that should be something to look forward to. Later I`ve heard that this time they`re also going to Australia, which would be something special.

The concert was in my top 4 I think, the performance maybe the best, ( specially Bruce) but it`s special to be at the front, so it`s hard to say. It`s up there with Roskilde 03, Ullevi 05, Oslo 2 night 05, and Globen 99. It`s unpossible to rate concerts really, there`re a lot of factors involved.

After the show it was chaotic in the streets. We took a chance and went into a bus. It was luckily going to the city center and we walked back chatting to an young italian who had lost his friends during the concert.