IRON MAIDEN

My most recent, and most exciting concert, was the Iron Maiden concert March 16, 2008 at the Air Canada Centre. I bought the latest album (A Matter of Life and Death) to support them incase they were on the tour to promote it, which would be unusual because they released in in 2005.My favourite song on it was, and still is, The Pilgrim, probably because it has Arabic influences that tie into their past themes from the Powerslave album and Somewhere In Time. I then learned a few months later that they weren't promoting the album, they were 'traveling back in time' to the 80s when they were most celebrated. They would play hits mainly from the 80s, especially from Powerslave and Somewhere In Time. Amazing! Had a few glasses and headed to the concert, seats were good, good view and you could see backstage somewhat. There was a front band, Lauren Harris, which was Steve Harris' (bassist) daughter. She was fine. Her bandmates were probably 40 years older than her. Probably friends of Iron Maiden. Did I mention that I love Bruce Dickenson with all my heart? He's a commercial pilot for thier own plane, a rock idol, has virgin sacrifices every dawn and gives orgasms to girls (and men) by looking at them.Anyways, she was fine. I don't think she was received well but then again, she WAS fronting for Iron Maiden...During break a friend and I decided to see if we could pay the ticketman to let us onto the floor. We tried for a while, not much luck because there were so many security men. We went to the side and went inside a random door, then a few more doors, past some hockey nets and I guess somehow backstage.Lauren Harris' band was there packing up their equipment and we went up to them and struck up a conversation. They asked how we got there and we said the security told us to head there. She was nice and it seemed like she was looking for people her own age to hang out with so she invited us to her dressing room. We had a few drinks with them, met the band, they were actually 40 years older than her, one of them had played for Thin Lizzy at one point. They seemed bored though, I'm sure they'd been through this whole party scene way too many times. After a few drinks they got uppety enough though.She brought us out to the floor where we got a great view of the band and let us go onstage with her at one point during the song Heaven Can Wait. Iron Maiden's performance was incredible. Probably the best I've ever seen. There were fantastic props, the setting was changing every few songs with incredible lighting, fireworks and fire. They even had the Eddy robot come out from Somewhere Back in Time. The only regret during this was being a little too drunk to appreciate it in the whole. But my biggest regret probably of my past 5 years of my life is this:Lauren asked us to join them to the bar with Iron Maiden. Everyone was leaving, my friend had to go to work in the morning, I left my cell phone (wallet/camera/everything) with the people at the seats. We had to leave and go home, although I don't remember getting home. I'll never forget this experience and this has reminded me why Iron Maiden has influenced, taught, produced and reinvented metal. Because of their effort in performing and what they represent (they really don't have a song that is related to the ugly part of rock - drugs, sex and alcohol), they are the band that I most respect. A once in a lifetime experience and I'm so glad I was not too young (or naive) to enjoy it.