\n<\/p>\n
Bruce Dickinson<\/a> kicked off his North American solo tour<\/a> on Friday\u00a0at Anaheim, California’s House of Blues, delighting\u00a0fans\u00a0by playing Iron Maiden<\/a>‘s “Flash of the Blade” live for the first time.<\/p>\n You can\u00a0watch fan-shot video and see\u00a0the full set list below.<\/p>\n “Nobody has ever played this song, apart from on a record of course,” Dickinson told the audience before playing the Powerslave<\/em><\/a> album cut. “It’s a song that I wrote, so I don’t know whether\u00a0any of you have got any clue what song it might be.\u00a0But, like usual, it’s a conundrum. I shall not tell you. You will just have to figure it out. It probably won’t take long.”<\/p>\n READ MORE: <\/strong>Every Iron Maiden Song Ranked From Worst to Best<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Dickinson’s prediction proved true. The audience cheered as soon as he recited the song’s chorus \u2014 “You’ll die as you lived in a flash of the blade<\/em>” \u2014 to begin the performance.<\/p>\n The rest of Dickinson’s 16-song set comprised songs from his seven-album solo catalog. He played three songs\u00a0apiece off 2024’s\u00a0The Mandrake Project<\/em><\/a>, 1994’s\u00a0Balls to Picasso<\/em><\/a> (which just got\u00a0remixed,\u00a0reimagined and rereleased as\u00a0More Balls to Picasso<\/a><\/em>), 1997’s\u00a0Accident of Birth<\/em> and 1998’s\u00a0The Chemical Wedding<\/em>.<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong>\u00a0How Many Songs Each Member of Iron Maiden Has Written<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n The Mandrake Project<\/em>‘s “Shadow of the Gods”\u00a0received its live debut, and\u00a0Dickinson’s band covered the Edgar Winter<\/a> Group’s “Frankenstein.” The three-song encore featured Dickinson favorites “Tears of the Dragon,” “Gods of War” and “Starchildren.”<\/p>\n Dickinson’s solo tour continues on Saturday in Las Vegas and continues through early October, concluding on Oct. 5 in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n Iron Maiden wrapped the first European leg of their Run for Your Lives tour<\/a> earlier this month.\u00a0The trek will extend into 2026, with\u00a0additional dates to be announced later.<\/p>\n Just don’t expect to see Iron Maiden at the Las Vegas Sphere<\/a>.<\/p>\n “No. It’s not Maiden,” Dickinson recently told<\/a> radio host Eddie Trunk when asked if they would perform at the state-of-the-art venue. “Maiden’s about the relationship between the band and the audience, and the show, whilst it’s a show, is an enhancement to what we do. The Sphere, as far as I can gather \u2014 I mean, I appreciate what you’re saying about it’s all-encompassing, it’s this and that, it’s the other \u2014 but I think the band would be very uncomfortable with the idea.”<\/p>\n 1. “Accident of Birth” \u00a0<\/p>\n See how we ranked all 17 Iron Maiden albums from worst to best.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Joe DiVita<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWatch Bruce Dickinson Play Iron Maiden’s ‘Flash of the Blade’ Live<\/h3>\n
What Else Did Bruce Dickinson Play at His Solo Tour Kickoff?<\/h3>\n
Where Else Is Bruce Dickinson Touring in 2025?<\/h3>\n
Watch Bruce Dickinson Play ‘Laughing in the Hiding Bush’ at 2025 Tour Kickoff<\/h3>\n
Watch Bruce Dickinson Play ‘Shadow of the Gods’ at 2025 Tour Kickoff<\/h3>\n
Watch Bruce Dickinson Play ‘Tears of the Dragon’ at 2025 Tour Kickoff<\/h3>\n
Watch Bruce Dickinson Play ‘Starchildren’ at 2025 Tour Kickoff<\/h3>\n
Bruce Dickinson \u2014 Aug. 22, 2025, Anaheim, California Set List<\/h3>\n
2. “Abduction”
3. “Laughing in the Hiding Bush”
4. “Shadow of the Gods” (live debut)
5. “Chemical Wedding”
6. “Flash of the Blade” (Iron Maiden song; live debut)
7. “Resurrection Men”
8. “Rain on the Graves”
9. Drum solo
10. “Frankenstein” (The Edgar Winter Group cover)
11. “The Alchemist”
12. “Book of Thel”
13. “Road to Hell”
Encore<\/i>
14. “Tears of the Dragon”
15. “Gods of War”
16. “Starchildren”<\/p>\nIron Maiden Albums Ranked<\/h2>\n