Iron Maiden's first ever festival is a triumph and a true celebration of one of heavy metal's most storied bands

 

Iron Maiden's first ever festival is a triumph and a true celebration of one of heavy metal's most storied bands

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Metal Hammer

"You'd think there was a football match on!" grins Bruce Dickinson as he looks out over 50,000 giddy Iron Maiden fans having a thoroughly lovely time in the hazy evening sunshine. In just over three hours from now, England's men's team will have confirmed their place in a World Cup semi final, but here at Knebworth, there are far more pressing matters: celebrating 50 years of this country's most storied heavy metal band.

A year on from a historic homecoming gig at West Ham's London stadium, you'd be forgiven for assuming that Eddfest - Maiden's first ever curated, multi-day festival - is little more than a fist-pumping victory lap for a band that are well into the second year of their Run For Your Lives world tour. Nope. From the second you walk onto the festival grounds, you feel less like you're at Yet Another Iron Maiden Show and more like you've just stumbled into a fanatic Maiden fan club member's fever dream.

"The art of war: How Iron Maiden made the epic Senjutsu

 The art of war: How Iron Maiden made the epic Senjutsu

Metal Hammer 

Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson, Adrian Smith and Nicko McBrain reveal the secrets of seventeenth album Senjutsu

"Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson made honorary citizen of Sarajevo

Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson made honorary citizen of Sarajevo

Metal Hammer by Scott Munro  

He played a solo show in the middle of the siege of the city in 1994 – now Bruce Dickinson has been honoured in the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina

"How Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son lifted Iron Maiden to heavy metal immortality

How Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son lifted Iron Maiden to heavy metal immortality

Metal Hammer by Dom Lawson  

The epic concept album was more than just Iron Maiden’s most successful album of the 1980s – it was their masterpiece

"The definitive history of Eddie from every Iron Maiden single and album

The definitive history of Eddie from every Iron Maiden single and album

Metal Hammer by Chris Chantler  /

Charting the evolution of Iron Maiden's mascot Eddie through every single and album released by the band

"Iron Maiden: inside the astonishing heavy metal circus

Iron Maiden: inside the astonishing heavy metal circus

Metal Hammer by Luke Morton  

We bear witness to Iron Maiden's Birmingham extravaganza, a riot of pomp and pyrotechnics

"IRON MAIDEN's Eddie To Be Added To Angry Birds Evolution Mobile Game

IRON MAIDEN's Eddie To Be Added To Angry Birds Evolution Mobile Game

Metal Injection by Greg Kennelty

The inspiration for the characters taken from various album covers, of course.

'Angry Birds' gets metal with Iron Maiden tribute

 Mashable! by Kellen Beck

Apparently the team behind Angry Birds are big metalheads.

"IRON MAIDEN Eddie Masks Arrive Just In Time For Halloween

IRON MAIDEN Eddie Masks Arrive Just In Time For Halloween

 Metal Injection by Greg Kennelty 

Including the Book of Souls Eddie!

"Iron Maiden and Turkish Folk Music? That's What Inspires This Cretan Musician.

Iron Maiden and Turkish Folk Music? That's What Inspires This Cretan Musician.

Global Voices Online by Public Radio International 

Stelios Petrakis backstage during stop in New York earlier this year Credit: Marco Werman

"IRON MAIDEN Show Off Their Incredible "Ed Force One" 747 Jet

IRON MAIDEN Show Off Their Incredible "Ed Force One" 747 Jet

Metal Injection by Greg Kennelty  

Travel in style much?

"Album Review: IRON MAIDEN The Book of Souls

Album Review: IRON MAIDEN The Book of Souls

Metal Injection by Jeremy Ulrey 

The Book of Souls offers a textbook example of how a band's previous album can effectively set fan's expectations for the follow up before a signal note of new music has been heard by the public.

"Maiden top UK charts again

Maiden top UK charts again

Metal Hammer

Iron Maiden returned to the top of the UK album charts last night when The Book Of Souls hit the number 1 position on its first week of release.

"10 Criminally Overlooked NWOBHM Bands

10 Criminally Overlooked NWOBHM Bands

Metal Injection by Benjamin Welton 

The New Wave of British Heavy Metal did not stop at Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Saxon.

"Lady Gaga's big love for Iron Maiden

Lady Gaga's big love for Iron Maiden

Metal Hammer 

Pop superstar Lady Gaga has spoken of her love for Iron Maiden – and praised the "importance and scope" of heavy metal.

"Iron Maiden hail 18-minute ‘masterpiece

Iron Maiden hail 18-minute ‘masterpiece’

 Metal Hammer

Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris has called Empire Of The Clouds a “masterpiece” and says it’s a complete departure from their previous material.

"Iron Maiden name album No.16

Iron Maiden name album No.16

 Metal Hammer

Iron Maiden will release 16th album The Book Of Souls on September 4 worldwide – and it’s their first-ever double-length studio release.

"Steve Harris voted World's Greatest Bassist

Steve Harris voted World's Greatest Bassist...

Metal Hammer

A week or so ago we posed a question to Metal Hammer readers – who is the greatest bassist of all time? And in your thousands you voted. But there was one clear winner...

"Iron Maiden beer video released

Iron Maiden beer video released

Metal Hammer 

A video has been released showing the process behind Iron Maiden's beer being canned for the US market.

"Iron Maiden reveal vinyl production

Iron Maiden reveal vinyl production  Metal Hammer  Iron Maiden have released a video showing how their new vinyl album and singles box sets have been produced.

"Previously unreleased Iron Maiden photos from 1986-87

EXCLUSIVE: Previously unreleased Iron Maiden photos from 1986-87

 Metal Hammer 

Iron Maiden's Somewhere In Time was released today in 1986 and to celebrate we've unearthed these previously unseen shots from back in the day.