Iron Maiden’s First Bruce Dickinson Show: The Historic Setlist

On October 26, 1981, Bruce Dickinson made his debut as the new frontman of Iron Maiden. This historic night in Bologna, Italy, featured a 17-song setlist, including a cover, marking a pivotal moment in heavy metal history.

The dismissal of Paul Di’Anno, Iron Maiden’s original singer, resulted from several issues. Di’Anno’s reluctance to tour extensively and inconsistency in live performances, compounded by substance abuse problems, made the change necessary. Additionally, Iron Maiden’s shift towards a more melodic sound and away from their initial punk edge demanded a new voice upfront.

Before joining Iron Maiden, Dickinson was the lead singer of hard rock band Samson, with whom he recorded two albums. Samson had previously shared a stage with Iron Maiden, and Dickinson was captivated by the band’s performance.

In a 2024 interview with Record Collector, Dickinson reminisced about seeing Iron Maiden open for Samson and feeling an immediate desire to front the group. He recalled, “We were headlining because our management had bankrolled the gig and said, ‘We want the top slot’ – although we didn’t really deserve it. That became obvious when Maiden came on because the whole place was rammed.”

“I’d heard rumors about how good they were and I thought I’d better see them,” Dickinson continued. “When they came out, I thought, ‘I’ve never seen Deep Purple, but this is what it must have felt like to see Deep Purple in their prime, rocking up a storm.’”

Iron Maiden’s performance was so impressive that Dickinson envisioned a future with them. “I remember thinking, ‘Good God, I’d love to front that band.’ And as soon as they finished playing, everybody in the venue left and we were headlining to about three people!”

In 1981, both Maiden and Samson played the Reading Festival. It was here that manager Rod Smallwood approached Dickinson about joining the band. “I was in a corner of a beer tent when Rod Smallwood approached me saying, ‘Let’s go somewhere quiet where we can talk.’ We walked out and stood, illuminated for all the world to see, under the pole in the middle of the backstage area. I felt sure he was working up to something,” Dickinson wrote in his 2017 autobiography, What Does This Button Do?

Shortly after, Dickinson was officially invited to audition as Di’Anno’s replacement. By September 26, 1981, Dickinson had joined Iron Maiden, and exactly a month later, he performed his first show with the band in Italy.

At this time, Iron Maiden had yet to release The Number of the Beast, so Dickinson performed material originally sung by Di’Anno, with the exception of Montrose’s “I Got the Fire,” which was played as the third encore. The setlist from that night included:

01. “Sanctuary”
02. “Purgatory”
03. “Wrathchild”
04. “Twilight Zone”
05. “Remember Tomorrow”
06. “Genghis Khan”
07. “Killers”
08. “Another Life”
09. “Innocent Exile”
10. “Running Free”
11. “Murders in the Rue Morgue”
12. “Phantom of the Opera”
13. “Iron Maiden”
Encore:
14. “Transylvania”
15. “Drifter”
Encore 2:
16. “Prowler”
Encore 3:
17. “I Got the Fire” (Montrose cover)

While performing Di’Anno’s material, Dickinson brought his unique style and energy to the stage, setting the tone for what Iron Maiden would become. The Bologna show marked the beginning of a new era for the band, with Dickinson’s powerful vocals and stage presence helping to propel Iron Maiden to new heights.

More than four decades later, the impact of Dickinson’s first performance with Iron Maiden resonates strongly with fans and remains a landmark moment in the history of heavy metal.

Source: Record Collector