For many an Aussie fan of Iron Maiden this show was a dream come true. it's been nigh on two decades since Maiden last hit Australian shores and even then Perth hadn't been included in the itinerary so this was a first for Western Australia and only the second show of the tour to boot,  the band having stopped of in India for night one. But before we get on Maiden there was both Lauren Harris and Vanishing Point to entertain the 6,500 packed into the Burswood Dome.

Regular readers will know that HRH have covered Lauren Harris' career for a little while now and it's fair to say that  you either love her music or don't. I happen to be one the side that likes what she does and hence enjoyed her set here, as did a whole bunch of guys around me who definitely were getting into it too. Music or Lauren herself though that is the question only time will answer. As normal her set was totally professional and slick, the only drawback being the apparent lack of vocals in the mix. Opening with Natural Thing and peaking with the Gun cover Steal Your Fire and her own C'mon on over the only thing that this reviewer can criticize is the choice of set list. Having seen Ms. Harris numerous times over the last year or so it changes little, but then again I guess for the majority of the Australian audience it was something new and it's only when she heads back to Europe that change may become necessary. One thing that cannot be criticized however is how comfortable Harris is on the big stage, raising her game for the bigger shows. Maiden fans are not ones for settling for anything second best and the fact that a sizeable portion of the Perth crowd were cheering and applauding by the end of the set speaks volumes about the future prospects for Lauren.

Next up was a Melbourne band called Vanishing Point. Now I knew that I knew that name but just couldn't think where from and the material was all unfamiliar. In saying that what Vanishing Point delivered as a tight set of power metal and their frontman was at times very reminiscent of a gothic Bruce Dickinson. As with the Lauren Harris set the vocals were once again very low in the mix but, from what could be heard, they appear to be a band worth checking out. The song  that stood out as the highlight of the show was Surrender. Powerful guitars, equally excellent vocals and a catchiness that managed to make the song stick in my head above anything else they played. Worth keeping a eye out for though to see how they develop.
 
What can be said about Maiden that hasn't been said a million times before. As the years roll on the band just keeps getting better and better, maturing with age you might say. As the intro track Doctor Doctor faded the curtains fell and Aces High kicked off what was to be  a mighty 1hr 3/4 show. If your intent on catching the band later this year in Europe and want the show to be a surprise you'd better stop reading now....

Seeing as how this tour, billed as the Somewhere Back In Time trek, is built around the whole Powerslave stage set it was hardly surprising the next song in was Two Minutes to Midnight by which time the assembled throng were going mad the front few rows of the packed venue were being continuously hosed down with a steady stream of water. After all of these years treading the boards on stages all round the world it's obvious that the band is still as much into the Maiden live experience as the fans,  Steve Harris mouthing the words to every song and machine gunning the front rows with his bass, Janick Gers a constant blur of motion and, of course, Bruce Dickinson encouraging the crowd to "Scream For Me Perth", surely the most famous catch phrase in metal.

Indeed the energy and vibrancy of the band's performance belay their advancing years, Dickinson utilizing every inch of stage room with more speed and urgency than many frontmen half his age and by the time he drops the word Revelations the crowd response is simply deafening. For the Trooper the Union flag is much in evidence and the three guitar attack gives the whole sound a far meatier feel that is almost unique to Maiden. No matter how many times you've seen Maiden you can't help but be impressed by the pure spectacle of it all. The back drops, the theatrical stage setting, the costumes and the choreography of the band all help tell the stories behind the songs and the parent albums from whence they came. 

Of course Number of the Beast is a total crowd pleaser and the venue by now a steaming mass of very, very hot bodies, each one trying to get closer to their heroes and catch a glimpse from them. There was simply no rest as hit followed hit, bang, bang, bang. Heaven Can Wait, Powerslave, Can I Play With Madness and finally Wasted Years and the inevitable Iron Maiden itself. Each sounds as fresh as the day it was recorded and Maiden never fail to disappoint. Of course an encore was inevitable and so Moonchild, The Clairvoyant and finally Hallowed Be Thy Name pummeled the Perth crowd into submission, and then it was all over. 6,500 fans went home very, very happy and you can only hope it's not as long again until the next time Maiden visit Australian shores...

Nic Dawson