Give Me Ed... 'Til I'm Dead Tour

Give Me Ed... 'til I'm Dead Tour & Dance Of Death World Tour

Tour by Iron Maiden
Start date	May 23 2003
End date	February 08 2004
No. of shows	108
Iron Maiden concert chronology

Tour Comentary

The 2003/04 tour was a strange one in the way that it was split in two parts, the division occurring with the release of the Dance Of Death album. The first part, funnily named "Give Me Ed... 'Til I'm Dead", was reminiscent of the Ed Hunter reunion tour as the setlist was – with one exception – composed of old songs, some of them not having been played in many years. Bruce commented that "This tour is all about having fun as the name suggests" and the official explanation for it was that it was an appetiser before the release of the album. What springs to mind is that the Dance Of Death album may have been expected for release earlier than it did but, due to unforeseen problems, it only hit the shelves in September whereas the concert venues had already been booked by the band's management. Iron Maiden then had to play the shows with a setlist that would please the fans while avoiding new songs that hadn't been made public by then. But this is, of course, pure speculation. Only 'Wildest Dreams', from the forthcoming album, was played live as a preview of what the album was going to sound like. Bruce Dickinson explained himself that this song could be taped and transferred into mp3 files for Internet diffusion. His own words were:

The album is not out yet, but please pull out your small digital recorders, mp3 players, cell phones or whatever you have. Put it on the Internet, spread it all over the world. But on one condition: When you hear the new album, if you like it, pay the equivalent of three beers to buy the record in the store. That is what keeps us alive. If you don't like the album, just forget it.

Bruce Dickinson, Oslo, Norway /2nd July 2003.

He even added "We're not like Metallica" to further stress that those who are openly against mp3s have a losing battle on their hands. Iron Maiden simply have a very sane and sensible attitude towards evolving technology and they have realised the positive potential of it. MP3s should be about sampling the music and then buying the album if you liked what you heard, not about stealing someone's intellectual property. This is merely what Bruce meant. The shows of the "Give Me Ed..." part of the tour were absolutely fantastic, with the return of a Bruce who efficiently communicated with the audience. He talked and joked like he used to in the 1980s and that was refreshing after the ranting and needless swearing of the Brave New World Tour. It was simply great to have the "old" Bruce back! The Dance Of Death World Tour was however slightly different. The down side of it was probably that Bruce was not talking much to the audience and that they all appeared to be acting as on autopilot, going through a routine rehearsed a thousand times. On the other hand, the show itself with its theatrical effects was absolutely brilliant. From the mask-wearing of 'Dance Of Death' to the battlefield re-enactment of 'Paschendale', everything was as close to perfect as could be. A serie of shows – namely those of Rotterdam, Wroclaw and Helsinki – had to be cancelled and re-scheduled due to Bruce "suffering from flu and severe laryngitis", as the communiqué ran on the official website. Strangely enough, those dates also corresponded to Nicko's appearance in a New York court to settle an incident that had occurred while the band was on the North American leg of the "Give Me Ed..." part of the tour. Without going into details – this site is not a subsidiary of some tabloid newspaper! – the incident involved an irate Nicko, a stubborn car park attendant and a black Jaguar. Whose fault it was is not for me to judge, as an every-day incident was simply blown out of proportion by the US judicial system that allows anyone to sue anyone else for just about any reason. It seems to me that the attendant was simply trying to get some easy money out of a "rock star" who supposedly could afford it. In any case, Bruce's illness was a lucky coincidence – or was it? – and Iron Maiden, who is not a band that lets its fans down, merely re-scheduled the shows as they'd already done when Janick had injured himself during the previous tour. The Dance Of Death World Tour was not going to encompass the traditionally massive North American leg and only two venues were played in the US, plus another two in the Quebec province of Canada. This may have made some North American fans quite unhappy, but it needs to be stated that the band are not in their twenties anymore and that a gruelling tour à la World Slavery Tour is not likely to re-occur. Let's just be pleased that Iron Maiden still go on the road and carry on promoting the finest music in existence.

Opening Bands

Opening bands for this tour were: Stray, Murderdolls, Arch Enemy, Funeral For A Friend, Dio and Motörhead.

Give Me Ed... 'til I'm Dead Tour

Give Me Ed... 'til I'm Dead Tour Europe (May 2003 - July 2003)

23/05/2003 Spain Sports Palace

24/05/2003 Spain Sports Palace

26/05/2003 France Le Zénith

27/05/2003 France Le Zénith

31/05/2003 United Kingdom Download Festival

03/06/2003 Poland Spodek

04/06/2003 Hungary Kisstadion

06/06/2003 Germany Rock Am Ring

07/06/2003 Germany Rock Im Park

08/06/2003 Austria Stadthalle

11/06/2003 Spain Palau St. Jordi

12/06/2003 Spain Las Ventas

13/06/2003 Spain Plaza de Toros

15/06/2003 Italy Autodromo

17/06/2003 Croatia Gradski Stadion Velika Gorica

19/06/2003 Czech RepublicSportshall

21/06/2003 Netherlands Waldrock Festival

23/06/2003 Switzerland Forum

25/06/2003 France Palais Omnisport De Paris/Bercy

27/06/2003 Denmark Roskilde Festival

28/06/2003 Sweden Stadion

30/06/2003 Finland Hartwall Arena

02/07/2003 Norway Spectrum

03/07/2003 Norway Spectrum

05/07/2003 Belgium Graspop Metal Meeting

09/07/2003 Portugal Pavilhao Atlantico

11/07/2003 Spain Festival Espárrago Rock

12/07/2003 Spain Metal Mania Festival

Give Me Ed... 'til I'm Dead Tour North America (July 2003 - August 2003)

21/07/2003 United States Centrum

22/07/2003 United States Meadows Music Theatre

23/07/2003 United States Tweeter Center

25/07/2003 United States PNC Bank Arts Center

26/07/2003 United States Tommy Hilfiger

29/07/2003 United States Merriwather Post Pavillion

30/07/2003 United States Madison Square Gardens

01/08/2003 Canada Colisée de Québec

02/08/2003 Canada Bell Centre

03/08/2003 Canada Molson Amphitheatre

05/08/2003 United States Blossom Music Center

06/08/2003 United States DTE Energy Center

08/08/2003 United States PA Post Gazette Pavilion

09/08/2003 United States Polaris Amp./Germain

10/08/2003 United States Tweeter Center

13/08/2003 United States Smirnoff Music Center

15/08/2003 United States Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

16/08/2003 United States Woodlands Pavilion

18/08/2003 United States U.T.E.P.

20/08/2003 United States Fiddler's Green

21/08/2003 United States Journal Pavilion

22/08/2003 United States Cricket Pavilion

24/08/2003 United States Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

25/08/2003 United States Long Beach Arena

26/08/2003 United States Sports Arena

28/08/2003 United States Shoreline Amphitheatre

29/08/2003 United States Chronicle Pavilion

30/08/2003 United States Sleep Train Pavilion

Dance Of Death Tour

Dance Of Death Tour Europe (October 2003 - December 2003)

19/10/2003 Hungary Phoenix Hall

21/10/2003 Slovakia Bystrica Sports Hall

22/10/2003 Czech Republic T-Mobile Arena

24/10/2003 Germany Olympiahalle

25/10/2003 Germany Schleyerhalle

27/10/2003 Italy Filaforum

28/10/2003 Italy Palasport

30/10/2003 Switzerland Hallenstadion

01/11/2003 Spain Palau Olympic Badolona

02/11/2003 Spain Palacio Vistalegre

04/11/2003 Germany Jahrhunderthalle

05/11/2003 Netherlands Ahoy Hall Cancelled Re-Scheduled 13th December

07/11/2003 Poland Hala Ludowa Cancelled Re-Scheduled 28th Novermber

10/11/2003 Finland Hartwall Arena Cancelled Re-Scheduled 21th December

12/11/2003 Norway Valby Hallen

14/11/2003 Sweden Globen Arena

15/11/2003 Sweden Scandinavium

17/11/2003 Germany Eilenriedehalle

18/11/2003 Germany Arena Treptow

20/11/2003 Belgium Brabenthal

22/11/2003 France Palais Omnisports de Paris/Bercy

24/11/2003 Germany Westfalenhalle

26/11/2003 Germany Sporthalle

27/11/2003 Germany Arena

28/11/2003 Poland Hala Ludowa

29/11/2003 France Le Zénith Cancelled Re-Scheduled 18th December

01/12/2003 Ireland The Point

03/12/2003 United Kingdom Telewest Arena

04/12/2003 United Kingdom Arena

06/12/2003 United Kingdom Arena

08/12/2003 Scotland S.E.C.C.

09/12/2003 United Kingdom Arena

12/12/2003 United Kingdom London Earls Court

13/12/2003 Netherlands Ahoy Hall

15/12/2003 Wales C.I.A.

16/12/2003 United Kingdom N.E.C.

18/12/2003 France Galaxie

21/12/2003 Finland Hartwall Arena

Dance Of Death Tour South America (January 2004)

11/01/2004 Argentina Velez Sarfield Stadium

13/01/2004 Chile Pista Atlética

16/01/2004 Brazil Claro Hall

17/01/2004 Brazil Pacaembu Stadium

Dance Of Death Tour North America (January 2004)

20/01/2004 Canada Bell Centre

21/01/2004 Canada Colisée Pepsi Arena

23/01/2004 United States Hammerstein Ballroom

24/01/2004 United States Hammerstein Ballroom

26/01/2004 United States Hammerstein Ballroom

27/01/2004 United States Hammerstein Ballroom Cancelled

30/01/2004 United States Universal Amphitheatre

31/01/2004 United States Universal Amphitheatre

Dance Of Death Tour Japan (February 2004)

05/02/2004 Japan Nenkin Hall

07/02/2004 Japan Jo Hall

08/02/2004 Japan Saitama Arena

Setlist Of the Tour

Give Me Ed... 'til I'm Dead Tour

• Intro
• The Number Of The Beast
• The Trooper
• Die With Your Boots On
• Revelations
• Hallowed Be Thy Name
• 22, Acacia Avenue
• Wildest Dreams
• The Wicker Man
• Brave New World
• The Clansman
• The Clairvoyant
• Heaven Can Wait
• Fear Of The Dark
• Iron Maiden
• Bring Your Daughter... ...To The Slaughter
• 2 Minutes To Midnight
• Run To The Hills

Dance of Death Tour

• Intro
• 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
• Iron Maiden
• Journeyman
• The Number Of The Beast
• Run To The Hills