On Tuesday night, the legendary Iron Maiden took the stage at the Kia Forum with the Mongolian rock maestros The Hu as their electrifying special guests, delivering a concert experience that left no soul in Inglewood untouched. With the venue packed to its capacity of nearly 17,000+, the air was electric as fans from all around the world gathered to witness a night of pure heavy metal magic as their Future Past Tour rolled through Southern California.
Kicking off the evening, The Hu set the tone with their unique fusion of traditional Mongolian music and modern rock. Their performance was a captivating blend of throat singing, horsehead fiddles, and roaring guitars that left the growing the crowd mesmerized. While the stage was dark and moody for the majority of the abbreviated 6-song set, they literally crushed their set including powerful renditions of “Yuve Yuve Yu,” “Wolf Totem,” and “This Is Mongol.” Throughout, many of The Hu’s hardcore fans were enthusiastically chanting along with the band, making their show a truly communal experience. The Hu’s musicianship and sonic delivery was on point, proving that their rising star in the rock world is well-deserved.
As the lights dimmed and the iconic sound of UFO’s “Doctor Doctor” rocked Kia, Maiden fans went into a frenzy and anticipation of the show’s inevitable start. As Maiden fans are accustomed to, the stage design was nothing short of epic, featuring amazing graphics, pyrotechnics, and a full size “Eddie’” that added a dramatic flair to the night. Opening with the thunderous “Caught Somewhere in Time,” Iron Maiden immediately had the audience in the palm of their hands.
Bruce Dickinson’s soaring vocals and Steve Harris’s galloping bass lines immediately drove the crowd wild while the three headed guitar-monster consisting of Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, and Janik Gers were on full display throughout the 15-song set. And let’s not forget Nicko McBrain on the drums—all I can say is wow, this guy is pure legend.
Highlights from Tuesday’s two-hour show included “Can I play With Madness, “Alexander The Great,” and “Fear of the Dark.” Each of these songs highlighted in spades the sonic mastery that is Iron Maiden and how relevant this band still is after 4 amazing decades in the business.
And this was no one-trick pony focused in on one unique time period or album. Instead, Maiden mesmerized their faithful with tracks across their 40+ year legacy that pushed the crowd to their limits from the very first note to the final curtain call. The show wrapped in fine fashion with a three-song encore consisting of “Hell on Earth,” “The Trooper,” (one of my all-time favorites), and “Wasted Years.” It was the perfect bow to a killer show in the City of Angels. The Future Past Tour was definitely a must see show, and one I will never forget.
THE HU
