Report: The following report is courtesy of Suman Kumar from Newindpress.com:

Heavy metal fans can rejoice now. IRON MAIDEN’s historical show at the Palace grounds, Bangalore was just the beginning, a prelude to the revolution, if you will. The night before, desperate fans from across the country had gathered at the watering holes of Bangalore. They spent the following hours head-banging to heavy music and preparing for the mother of all rock shows in India.

When the gates opened at three in the afternoon on D-day, the venue was filled up in the blink of an eye. Everyone wanted Iron Maiden and nothing else. No wonder the Campus Rock Idols winners, FTN, were booed off the stage. Next came Parikrama with lead man Nitin Malik admitting that they had never played for such a huge crowd. It took a bit of persuasion, but soon MALIK’s high-octane vocals and SONAM SHERPA’s consummate leads won the crowd over.

Lauren Harris, daughter of Steve Harris, and her band performed next and not many will remember her for that.

Then the lights went off and crowd held its breath. After what seemed like ages, the gods of metal finally appeared, from behind the dark stage. Bruce Dickinson, lead vocalist of Iron Maiden, leapt into the air and started the show with his thunderous vocals. For me and everyone else there that evening, it was a moment to remember. Iron Maiden had made history: they were the first renowned heavy metal act to play the country, thus paving the way for the others. ‘‘You had to wait for 17 years and I promise that you won’t have to wait even another 17 months to see us again,’’ Bruce promised to a thundering applause.

Though they started the show with tracks from their latest album, A Matter Of Life And Death, they stepped on it with Wrath Child, which Bruce dedicated to Leon, the late lead singer of Moksha. What followed was poetic chaos: the crowds singing along with the band. All time favourites like 'Fear Of The Dark', 'Number Of The Beast', 'Hallowed Be Thy Name', and 'The Trooper' made the mayhem complete. Bruce Dickinson’s powerful vocals, Dave Murray’s incendiary leads, Nicko McBrain’s thundering drums, and Steve Harris’s masterly work on the bass left the ecstatic fans breathless and gasping for more. Eddie, the iconic mascot of the band, made a brief appearance and so did the battle tank and its deathly occupant, giving the finishing touches to perfection.

After nearly two hours of mind blowing metal music, it was curtains for the historical show, but Bruce Dickinson’s haunting ‘‘scream for me Bangalore’’ will continue to ring in the ears of close to 40,000 fans, for a long time to come.