You learn to expect everything to be bigger than life when it comes to Iron
Maiden. In that department, they rarely disappoint. In 2008, they did something
unprecedented: they went back in time, resurrecting the staging and setlist
of their 1984-85 World Slavery tour. Dubbed the Somewhere Back
In Time tour, the band flew around the world in a customized Boeing 757
(Ed Force One), which carried the musicians, their crew and 12 tons of stage
equipment. The plane was piloted by Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson, a fully
qualified and active Airline Captain with Astraeus Airlines. Of course, the
whole thing was documented, released in the theaters for a short run, and is
now available as a double DVD set called Flight 666.
The documentary that fills the first disc takes us through the tour’s first
leg, covering 50,000 miles around the planet, 23 concerts on five continents
in just 45 days. Efficiency goes hand-in-hand with pure craziness and enjoyment
as the plane traverses the skyways of India, Australia, Japan, the U.S., Mexico,
Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Puerto Rico and Canada. There
are candid interviews and profiles; various crew members even get some serious
time in front of the camera. We learn guitarist Adrian Smith is an avid tennis
player; guitarist Dave Murray and drummer Nicko McBrain spend their days off
at the golf course; Dickinson has boundless energy, even after flying the plane;
and bassist Steve Harris, despite his modest demeanor, is the brains and might
behind the whole operation.
At the heart of the film are the fans. Regardless of their nationality and
cultural differences, the fanaticism for Maiden is universal. Japanese girls
squeal, Colombia boys cry, they all wear black T-shirts and flash devil horns.
Clearly, for some, especially in South America, going to an Iron Maiden concert
is like a religious experience. And through it all is the steady flow of Maiden’s
brand of metal. They wheel out a bulk of the songs from Powerslave:
“Aces High,” “2 Minutes To Midnight,” “Powerslave”
and “Rime Of The Ancient Mariner, “ alongside favorites “The
Number Of The Beast,” “Can I Play With Madness” and “Run
To The Hills.” Everything gets pretty sliced up during the documentary,
but the fan-friendly Maiden remedies any misunderstandings by including a second
disc full of complete song performances. In addition to the Blu-ray and DVD
formats, Flight 666 is also available as a double-CD soundtrack
album and double-vinyl picture disc.Without the pictures, the music’s just as
heavy.
~ Shawn Perry
