While it’s definitely hot in the city tonight (to borrow a line from Billy Idol), the sell0-out crowd at the 3Arena haven’t seen anything yet – as metal icons Iron Maiden are raising the temperature to 666 degrees from the get go as they gallop onstage to deliver opener ‘Caught Somewhere In Time.’

It’s the Eastenders’ first Dublin show in six years and Steve Harris and his merry men (plus one pet zombie called Eddie) are clearly hell-bent on delivering more devilishly good delights than a tea party at Old Nick’s house.

Coming hot on the heels off the theatrical Legacy Of The Beast tour which finally wrapped last year, their new The Future Past trek sees the Irons cut down a little on the gimmicks and costumes and focus more on that stunning back catalogue which has sold over 100 million copies and counting.

Never ones to play it safe, the band once again prove they’ve got the biggest cajones in metal with a set list full of surprises and rarities. Featuring often ignored songs from their ‘86 classic Somewhere In Time sandwiched beside cuts from their most recent record Senjutsu, plus a fistful of staples, the show is a feast for fans and the diehards especially lap up the likes of the hook laden ‘Stranger In A Strange Land’ and the Horslips-like arena rattler ‘The Writing On The Wall.’

While some fairweather followers might have initially bemoaned Maiden’s brave decision to rest the likes of ‘Wrathchild’ ‘The Number Of The Beast’ and ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name,’ super subs ‘Can I Play With Madness’ and ‘Heaven Can Wait’ (which features Eddie being shot multiple times by futuristic canon toting frontman Bruce Dickinson) are more than up to the task of winning them over.

For the Maiden Ultras such as this Hot Press scribe-tonight is all about ‘Alexander The Great’ though. The Steve Harris penned epic from ‘86 became infamous over the decades for routinely being ignored in their live shows, but tonight-for only the 14th time ever-the track is aired and it doesn’t disappoint.

Loaded with time changes, neck bothering riffs and air raid siren vocals (Bruce’s pipes are full of power all night, it should be added) ‘Alexander The Great’ is as all conquering as the man from the “ancient land of Macedoooooooniaaaaaaaa!” himself.

On the subject of Bruce, he’s full of chat and energy this evening and the bastard son of Ian Gillan and Ronnie James Dio remains the greatest and most engaging frontman in rock, even when he is unwittingly breaking drummer Nicko McBrain’s giant gong during the aforementioned ‘Alexander….’ Oops!

Before we know it, it’s a race to the finish line which includes an always electrifying run through of crowd favourite ‘Fear Of The Dark’ and a flame fuelled ‘Hell On Earth’, before they finally sign off with ‘Wasted Years.’ The Adrian Smith-penned classic is an evergreen fusion of pop hooks and metal majesty and leaves more than a few heavily tattooed, black clad hairy headbangers with something in their eye afterwards….

Thank you Dublin!#IronMaiden #TheFuturePastTour #KillerKontent #Dublin pic.twitter.com/pgUeB77S1i

— Iron Maiden (@IronMaiden) June 25, 2023