First, got to argue with my two fellow reviewers. Shotgun Blues says that this CD is as good as seeing Maiden live at Hammersmith Apollo - get real mate. A CD is one thing, but it is no comparison to seeing one of the best live bands ever, at one of the best rock venues in London. Steve Barrow says that you can't copy it to your MP3 player - don't know what software you use Steve, but Roxio Audio Central has no problem in converting every track on both CDs into individual MP3 tracks, and also has no problem copying the CDs direct onto blank CDs (not that I know anybody who'd ever do that!!!).
Now, on to the album. It's good, in fact it's very good, but that's because the songs chosen for this tour are very good. But Bruce's usual between-song banter is non-existent, he never talks to the crowd at all, which is definitely not the norm. And the wisdom of going overboard promoting the First World War battle at Paschendale when performing live in front of a German crowd also leaves a question mark. What's Steve Harris going to do next, write a song called "We Sank The Belgrano" and reserve the playing of it live for the next time they tour Argentina??
Dunno about you, but I think they should have included at least one song from Powerslave - it's in most people's top three regarding Maiden studio albums. I can live without yet another live version of Wrathchild and Fear Of The Dark (and to tell the truth I've got enough live versions of Hallowed Be Thy Name to last me a lifetime), but obviously the Maiden-men still like to play them. The number of songs also seems a bit stingy - only sixteen songs, which when you consider Bruce isn't chatting either leaves the length of the two CDs a bit short. On the Rock In Rio CD, they played nineteen songs in the set, and Bruce was chattering away like a mynah bird between tracks as well.
So, probably as good as it could have been, but I wanted a bit more...