Iron Maiden and Megadeth Rock Charlotte

Iron Maiden and Megadeth live on Saturday, Sept. 12 at Truliant Ampitheater in Charlotte, NC

"I understood the full horrors of the murder at once." - Edgar Allen Poe, Murders in the Rue Morgue

Maybe that's too on the nose to start an Iron Maiden live review.

"It was a dark and stormy night..."

Eh, too cliche.

But it was a dark and stormy night at the Truliant Ampitheater in Charlotte, North Carolina, as Iron Maiden tore into "Murders in the Rue Morgue" and ripped a hole in the sky.

There's many reasons Iron Maiden has a well-earned reputation as one of the great live music acts. Top tier musicianship. A flair for the theatric. Intensity. Undeniable songs. Joy.

There is joy on an Iron Maiden stage. These men, well into their 70s, are having a blast.

The Run for Your Lives Tour marks 50 years since Iron Maiden formed and the set list digs into the band's first nine albums. Consider it a greatest hits of Iron Maiden's first decade. This is also the first tour in more than 40 years to not include drummer Nicko McBrain, who retired from touring in 2024. Simon Dawson, drummer in Steve Harris's British Lion band, fills in behind the kit.

The heavy rains failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the folks back on the lawn as singer Bruce Dickinson promised the band was in town to heat things up. The all killer no filler setlist followed "Murders" with "Wrathchild," "Killers" and "Phantom of the Opera."

Dickinson's voice was in fine form as he unleashed the scream that launches "The Number of the Beast." His physicality and vocal abilities should be studied. Guitarists Dave Murray and Adrian Smith swapped solos and inside jokes. Nobody was having more fun than Janick Gers. His two feet never touched the ground at the same time. Steve Harris held it all together in his galloping fingers, just like he has every night for 50 years.

"Rime of the Ancient Mariner" provided a dramatic high point that in the wrong hands could have become a Spinal Tap moment. Along with "Hallowed Be Thy Name," "Rime" highlighted the band's commitment to an immersive live show, using every element of the stage and screen to tell the stories within the songs.

The encore of "Aces High," "Fear of the Dark" and "Wasted Years" sent the rain-soaked crowd home. While the band says they intend to take a break from touring in 2027, they played like a band ready to criss-cross the globe for many years to come. And we will be blessed for it.

Opening band, and thrash metal icons, Megadeth are on what Dave Mustaine calls their farewell tour. It might be one of those with no real end in sight as the band has dates scheduled into 2027 across the globe. And who's to tell Mustaine when he should call it quits?

The band's lineup doesn't resemble its heyday, but Mustaine remains a powerful guitarist and frontman, surrounded by a band that sounds fast and muscular. Megadeth's 10-song set balanced songs from across their catalog, hitting a high point with the final trio of "Symphony of Destruction," "Peace Sells" and "Holy Wars."

Live music is magic. Megadeth and Iron Maiden are among the wizards.

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