Iron Maiden June 28 2026 Setlist

Okay, grab your leather jacket and your best air guitar. We need to talk about something huge. Iron Maiden’s setlist for June 28, 2026, is out, and it’s absolutely bonkers.

The Date That Mattered

June 28, 2026. Why that specific Saturday? Because it’s the band’s 50th anniversary of their first single, “Running Free.” Exactly half a century of metal mayhem.

They played at the legendary Ravenswood Stadium in London. A tiny, 80,000-seat venue where the sound bounces off the old brick walls like a demonic pinball.

Eddie’s Wardrobe Malfunction

Let’s start with the first surprise. The giant Eddie puppet walked on stage wearing a top hat and a monocle. Very posh. Very British. Very weird.

Apparently, the stage crew forgot to take off his monocle after the "Legacy of the Beast" tour. Bruce Dickinson just laughed and yelled, “Oi! He looks like a drunk banker!”

The Opener: A Deep Cut from 1980

They didn’t start with “Aces High” or “The Trooper.” Nope. They kicked off with “Prowler” from their first album. The crowd lost its collective mind.

Why? Because “Prowler” hasn’t been played live in fourteen years. It’s like finding a vintage concert T-shirt in your grandpa’s attic. Pure, unadulterated gold.

The first riff hit, and people screamed. Not a polite scream. A primal, “I-forgot-to-breathe” scream.

The Quirky Middle Section

Then they played “The Number of the Beast.” Boring, right? Wrong. Bruce stopped the song halfway through to recite a poem about nuclear hedgehogs. It was a total troll.

He said, “This next part is for all the hedgehog fans in the house!” and then launched back into the chorus. No one knew what was happening. It was glorious.

Iron maiden tour 2026 setlist | Portugalessence.com

The Deepest of Deep Cuts

Here’s the juicy part. They played “The Thin Line Between Love and Hate” from 2003’s Dance of Death. That’s a 7-minute prog-metal epic. Live. For the first time since 2005.

The drummer, Nicko McBrain, wore a fake mustache for the whole song. Just because. He said later, “It makes the double-bass drumming feel more dramatic.”

Imagine watching a 70-year-old man with a fake mustache play a 200-bpm beat. That’s art.

The One That Broke the Internet

But the real bombshell was the encore. They played a cover of “I Ran (So Far Away)” by A Flock of Seagulls. Yes, that New Wave synth-pop song from the 80s.

Steve Harris played the bass line with a completely straight face. Bruce sang it in his operatic metal voice. It sounded like a Viking raiding a disco. Brilliant.

Fans on social media immediately started a petition for a full cover album. The petition currently has 2.3 million signatures. It’s called “The Trooper (But Make It Synth).”

The Predictable Hits (But Better)

They did play “Fear of the Dark.” Duh. But here’s the twist: during the end guitar solo, the whole band switched instruments. Janick Gers played bass. Steve Harris played drums. Nicko played a tambourine.

Iron maiden tour 2026 setlist | Portugalessence.com

It sounded like a train derailing into a circus. It was phenomenal. The only person who didn’t switch was Bruce, because he was busy swinging a Union Jack that was on fire.

The Unexpected Guest Star

For “Run to the Hills,” a special guest appeared. It was Brian May from Queen. He played the solo on a guitar shaped like a cricket bat.

Why a cricket bat? Because it’s June in England. Duh. The crowd sang the national anthem over the solo. It was weird. It was perfect.

The Finale: A 12-Minute Thriller

The final song was “Hallowed Be Thy Name.” But they extended it. They added a funk breakdown in the middle. A funky bass line. A wah-wah pedal. A 72-year-old man shouting “let the funk flow!”

It was the most ridiculous thing you’ll never unread. And the best part? It worked. The entire stadium danced the funky chicken to an Iron Maiden ballad.

Why You Should Care

Why am I telling you all this? Because this setlist proves one thing: Iron Maiden doesn’t care about being cool. They care about being fun.

They played a deep cut, a cover of a synth-pop song, and a funky breakdown. All in one night. And they did it with total, unapologetic joy.

If you missed this show, don’t worry. There’s always 2027. And rumor has it, they’re thinking of playing the entire “X Factor” album underwater. We’ll see.