Iron Maiden live in Gelsenkirchen – Run for Your Lives Tour 2025 Concert Review
- L7
- Jul 13
- 4 min read
Expectations
After seeing them earlier on this tour in Prague, I already knew exactly what to expect: the setlist, the stage, the energy—and that’s part of why I came again. I love catching big bands in different cities, and Gelsenkirchen had been on my list for a long time. It’s not usually on my usual route, so I’ve skipped it in the past. What better excuse to finally make the trip than Iron Maiden?
Arrival, Merch & Beer
I booked my hotel in Essen—smart move, since it’s a strategic spot for travelers. From there, I took a regional train to Gelsenkirchen, about 15 minutes. I met up with friends first and made a stop at the Eddie Bar in the city center. I had missed it in Prague, so this was my second chance.
The bar had Trooper Beer, which I have to admit, isn’t really my thing. But the atmosphere was great—packed with fans, Iron Maiden décor everywhere, metal music in the background, and even some merch already available before the show.
About the merch: same pricing as in Prague, but I remembered the tour shirt being 55 euros there. So seeing it for 50 here surprised me—either the price dropped or I remembered it wrong.
We drove to the stadium, which was smooth aside from the usual concert-day traffic. At the Veltins Arena, merch was more or less the same as in Prague, except for the day-specific shirt. I finally picked up the tour shirt this time—maybe as a souvenir of my first time in Gelsenkirchen, or because I’ll be catching more dates on this tour.
As expected from the stadium name, the beer was Veltins. Not my favorite, but way better than what some big venues serve. But the price? 7 euros for the beer, plus 3 euros for the cup (which you could return). That’s a bit much.
Speaking of cups—yes, the tour cups were back! Three different designs again, just like in Prague. And even though I already had them all, of course I had to grab another one to take home.
Sadly, getting into our section wasn’t as smooth. We had Nordkurve tickets, sector N4, but when we arrived, staff told us it was full and not letting anyone else in. Half of our group was already inside, and after waiting 20 minutes, they made an exception and let us in too. Some fans weren’t so lucky—if they left to use the toilet, they weren’t allowed back in and were redirected to other sectors. Clearly something went wrong with planning here.
Avatar
We missed part of Avatar’s set because of the delay at the gate, but I still caught a good chunk. I’d seen them two or three times before at Rock im Park, but back then I wasn’t too into their sound. Now? I really enjoyed it.
Maybe it’s their new material, or maybe just the right mindset this time, but their performance was tight and powerful. In Prague the opener was Halestorm—which I personally prefer—but Avatar did a great job here too. The crowd clearly loved them. They have a solid fanbase in Germany, and being from Sweden, they seem to have a good connection with the region. The singer even mentioned his mother is German, which explains why his German was so good.
Iron Maiden
This time my spot was completely different from Prague. There, I was front of stage on the right. In Gelsenkirchen, I had a standing spot on the opposite side—up on the tribune. I chose it because friends were there, and I was curious to experience the show from a new angle.
Honestly? Great decision. The acoustics in Veltins Arena were excellent, and while it’s not the best place if you want to focus on every move the band makes, it gave me an amazing view of the crowd’s energy. Watching everyone jump, sing, and go wild from a distance was a show of its own. The screens were also perfectly visible.
I love how they start the set while it’s still light out, with older tracks like “Murders in the Rue Morgue” and “Killers.” They save the more elaborate screen effects for the darker part of the evening.
“Fear of the Dark” was one of the highlights. The massive moon on screen, Bruce standing in front of it with a spotlight—pure magic.
“Rime of the Ancient Mariner” was another monster moment, thanks to the visuals. And then “Hallowed Be Thy Name”—always one of my favorites—was not only perfectly performed, but paired with an incredible video sequence that made it unforgettable.
I have to say, this might’ve been one of the best crowds I’ve seen at a Maiden show in Germany. So much energy, everyone was moving, singing, headbanging—it really lifted the whole experience.
Final Thoughts
What a great night. I met people from Bochum, Thüringen, Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen, and beyond. Despite the mess at the Nordkurve entry, the venue left a great impression. Amazing sound, amazing people, and Iron Maiden at the top of their game.
I’ll definitely be back in Gelsenkirchen for another show—and if Maiden’s on the bill again, even better.
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