Dance of Death World Tour
The Dance of Death World Tour was a concert tour by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, undertaken to promote their thirteenth studio album, Dance of Death, released in September 2003. Spanning from 19 October 2003 to 8 February 2004, the tour consisted of approximately 50 performances across Europe, North America, South America, and Asia, including dates in Hungary, the United States, Brazil, and Japan.[1][2] The tour marked Iron Maiden's continued use of their expanded six-piece lineup, featuring vocalists Bruce Dickinson and the three-guitar attack of Adrian Smith, Dave Murray, and Janick Gers alongside bassist Steve Harris and drummer Nicko McBrain. Setlists typically opened with the new album's lead single "Wildest Dreams" and included several other tracks from Dance of Death, such as "Rainmaker," "Paschendale," and the title track, blended with classics like "The Trooper," "Wrathchild," and "Hallowed Be Thy Name."[3][4] Production elements drew heavily from the album's medieval and macabre themes, featuring a castle-like stage set with twin Grim Reaper towers, changing backdrops, and theatrical props including a throne for Dickinson during "Dance of Death" and appearances by mascot Eddie in skeletal form. The tour's Dortmund, Germany, show on 24 November 2003 was recorded and later released in 2005 as the live album and DVD Death on the Road, capturing the band's high-energy performance and elaborate visuals.[5][6][7]Overview
Background
Iron Maiden reunited with vocalist Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith in February 1999, marking a significant revival for the band after a challenging period in the 1990s. This lineup change restored the classic six-piece configuration and set the stage for renewed creative output, culminating in the release of their twelfth studio album, Brave New World, on May 30, 2000. The album achieved strong commercial performance, peaking at No. 7 on the UK Albums Chart and earning gold certification in the UK, signaling the band's resurgence in popularity and critical acclaim.[8][9][10] Building on this momentum, Iron Maiden released their thirteenth studio album, Dance of Death, on September 8, 2003, which became the central focus of the subsequent tour. The album explored themes of mortality and incorporated medieval imagery, drawing inspiration from the historical "Danse Macabre" allegory that depicts death's impartiality across all social classes, as evident in tracks like the title song with its epic, historical narrative. This thematic direction influenced the tour's overall aesthetics, emphasizing dramatic and symbolic elements tied to the record's conceptual depth.[11][12] The Dance of Death World Tour was announced in the summer of 2003, shortly after the band's headline performances at major festivals including Download Festival on May 31 and Rock am Ring on June 6. Positioned as a key installment in the band's post-reunion trajectory, the tour ran from October 19, 2003, to February 8, 2004, featuring 53 shows across four continents: Europe, North America, South America, and Asia.[13][7]Tour Scope
The Dance of Death World Tour was structured into three primary legs, commencing with the European leg spanning October to December 2003 and featuring 35 shows across major cities. This initial phase focused on arena venues in countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Poland, setting the foundation for the album's promotion before extending globally.[1] The tour continued with the North and South American leg in January 2004, encompassing 13 shows in venues such as Buenos Aires' Vélez Sársfield Stadium, which highlighted the band's appeal in large outdoor stadium settings. The final Japanese leg followed in February 2004 with 5 shows, concluding the itinerary in Asia and emphasizing Iron Maiden's international reach.[1] In total, 53 shows were performed out of 55 scheduled, with cancellations limited to a few dates due to illness or logistical issues, primarily in arenas and stadiums like Paris' Bercy (Palais Omnisport de Paris-Bercy). While summer 2003 European festival appearances served as precursors to build momentum, the formal world tour proper began on October 19, 2003, in Budapest, Hungary.[14]Personnel
Band Lineup
The Dance of Death World Tour featured Iron Maiden's stable six-member lineup, which had been in place since the band's reunion in 1999. This configuration marked the continuation of the group's post-reunion era, with no changes to the core personnel throughout the tour.[15] Leading the band as vocalist was Bruce Dickinson, whose powerful and dynamic singing style anchored the performances. On guitars, the tour showcased the three-lead-guitar attack comprising Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, and Janick Gers, a setup that allowed for intricate harmonies and solos central to Iron Maiden's sound. This three-guitar formation represented the first full album and tour cycle since Adrian Smith's return alongside Dickinson, building on the Brave New World Tour (2000–2004).[16][15] Bassist and founding member Steve Harris provided the rhythmic foundation while serving as the band's primary songwriter, contributing to the setlists drawn heavily from recent albums. Completing the rhythm section was drummer Nicko McBrain, whose precise and energetic playing supported the high-energy shows. The lineup's continuity from the preceding tour ensured a cohesive and battle-tested unit for the global trek.[15]Support Acts
The support acts for the Dance of Death World Tour varied across its legs, featuring a mix of established heavy metal acts and emerging bands to complement Iron Maiden's performances and connect with regional audiences in the metal scene. These opening performers played a key role in generating excitement for the headliners, often sharing stylistic affinities with Iron Maiden's sound while introducing fans to diverse influences; in some festival-like settings, acts like Motörhead functioned as co-headliners, enhancing the event's draw.[17][1] During the European leg, which included a summer precursor phase known as the Give Me Ed... 'Til I'm Dead Tour in 2003, support acts emphasized NWOBHM revival and punk-infused metal. Stray, a veteran British heavy metal band from the 1970s, opened several dates in May and June across Spain, France, Poland, and the UK, bringing a classic hard rock edge. Murderdolls, the horror-punk project led by Wednesday 13 and Slipknot's Joey Jordison, handled supports for select June dates across Europe, including Austria (Vienna, June 8), Spain (Barcelona, June 11; Madrid, June 12), Czech Republic (Zlín, June 19), Sweden (Stockholm, June 28), and Finland (Helsinki, June 30), adding a theatrical, aggressive vibe to the bill.[18] The main fall tour from October to December featured German power metal outfit Gamma Ray for the initial 10 shows in Eastern and Southern Europe, including Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and Spain, where their high-energy anthems aligned with Iron Maiden's epic style. Welsh post-hardcore band Funeral for a Friend then took over for the remaining European dates, including Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, France, Poland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and rescheduled shows, marking their breakthrough exposure to larger audiences. In the UK dates during December, Funeral for a Friend continued as the primary support, with Finnish gothic metal band Poisonblack joining for the Helsinki finale on December 21, offering a darker, melodic contrast. A special mini-festival in Wrocław, Poland, on November 28—part of the Mystic Festival—highlighted regional ties with Polish heavy metal legends Kat (along with opener Frontside and Funeral for a Friend), creating a multi-band spectacle.[19][20][21][22] The North American leg's 2003 summer precursors, running July to August, paired Iron Maiden with heavy metal icons Dio and Motörhead across 26 amphitheater shows from Canada to California, where the triple bill format positioned the supports as near-equals in prestige, boosting attendance through cross-generational appeal.[17] The 2004 winter arena leg in January shifted to Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy for most dates in Canada and the US East Coast, with American thrash revivalists Cage joining for the final California shows on January 30 and 31, emphasizing speed and aggression to prime crowds for Iron Maiden's set. Arch Enemy also supported the subsequent Japanese leg in February, covering Osaka and Tokyo.[1] In the South American leg of January 2004, local acts underscored ties to the Latin metal scene. Argentine heavy metal band O'Connor opened the Buenos Aires stadium show on January 11, while Brazilian progressive metal group Shaman (formerly Angra members) supported the São Paulo date on January 17, with Heavenfalls handling Rio de Janeiro on January 16.[1]Production
Stage Design
The stage design for Iron Maiden's Dance of Death World Tour centered on a massive medieval castle structure, evoking the album's themes of mortality and historical intrigue. This setup included ramps extending behind the drum kit to facilitate performer movement across the expansive stage.[23][24] Key elements featured twin custom-built Grim Reaper towers that framed the main backdrop, which was updated regularly to align with the tour's evolving visuals; these towers were constructed in just two weeks by LiteStructures under the direction of production designer Alan Chesters. The design marked a departure from prior tours by omitting a traditional Eddie depiction on the backdrop, instead emphasizing a "Death Eddie" motif integrated into the set.[25] Lighting and pyrotechnics were seamlessly incorporated into the castle's architecture, enhancing the atmospheric depth with fog effects and thematic projections such as battlefields to underscore the narrative elements. A giant Eddie mascot, portrayed as a cloaked Grim Reaper wielding a scythe, emerged from the stage during pivotal moments, adding to the production's theatrical scale.[23][24] The elaborate set's logistics involved transporting and assembling components for international arena performances, requiring versatile rigging adaptable from smaller theaters to large venues, though this represented a complex endeavor compared to the band's earlier Brave New World Tour production.[25]Theatrical Elements
The theatrical elements of Iron Maiden's Dance of Death World Tour were designed to immerse audiences in the album's themes of mortality, history, and the supernatural, transforming concerts into narrative-driven spectacles that complemented the music's storytelling. These performances featured elaborate costumes, mascot animations, and atmospheric effects, drawing from medieval and wartime motifs to heighten the dramatic impact of key songs.[26] Vocalist Bruce Dickinson played a central role in the tour's theatrics through dynamic costume changes that embodied song-specific characters. For the title track "Dance of Death," he emerged from a throne on stage wearing a flowing cape and dual Venetian masks, evoking a mysterious, otherworldly figure; toward the finale, he donned a full Grim Reaper cloak, complete with hood, to symbolize death's inevitability as the lyrics culminated in themes of reckoning.[26] These elements not only visually reinforced the song's narrative but also allowed Dickinson to interact fluidly with the stage's elevated platforms, enhancing the sense of movement and peril. The performance of "Paschendale" incorporated a poignant historical narration and immersive environmental effects to evoke the horrors of World War I. Prior to the song's start, a pre-recorded recitation of Wilfred Owen's poem "Anthem for a Doomed Youth" played, setting a somber tone with lines decrying the "monstrous anger of the guns" and the futility of war.[27] Accompanying this were billowing smoke machines and stark lighting that simulated muddy trenches and battlefield chaos, while Dickinson appeared in a British infantryman's trench coat and helmet, occasionally with metallic headgear to represent a spectral soldier.[26] These effects created a visceral atmosphere, aligning the visuals with the track's epic depiction of the Battle of Passchendaele. The band's mascot, Eddie, was integral to the tour's live theatrics, appearing in multiple animated forms to interact with the performers and audience. A giant Eddie figure rose from behind the stage during "Iron Maiden," cloaked and brandishing a scythe to underscore the song's ominous energy. Similarly, during "The Number of the Beast," a walk-on Eddie performer emerged as the Grim Reaper, prowling the stage with the same scythe prop to amplify the apocalyptic imagery and engage fans directly.[28] Band members contributed to the theatricality through integrated performances that blended musicianship with visual storytelling.[7] This setup allowed for commanding stage presence, enhancing the narrative depth without overshadowing the raw energy of the music.Setlist
Standard Setlist
The standard setlist for the Dance of Death World Tour consisted of a core 16-song sequence performed at the majority of concerts, structured to prominently feature tracks from the band's 2003 album Dance of Death while balancing fan-favorite classics. This lineup allowed for a dynamic flow that began with high-energy openers, transitioned into epic new material, and built to anthemic closers, emphasizing the album's promotion without overshadowing the band's legacy repertoire.[29] The show opened with the instrumental intro "Declamation" by Chris Payne, drawn from the soundtrack of the 2001 film Vidocq, which created an atmospheric prelude evoking mystery and tension before launching into the live performance. The sequence then proceeded as follows:- Wildest Dreams
- Wrathchild
- Can I Play with Madness
- The Trooper
- Dance of Death
- Rainmaker
- Brave New World
- Paschendale
- Lord of the Flies
- No More Lies
- Hallowed Be Thy Name
- Fear of the Dark
- Run to the Hills
- Iron Maiden
- The Number of the Beast