Iron Maiden live in Prague – Run For Your Lives Tour 2025 (Concert Review)
- L7
- Jun 5
- 4 min read
Expectations
Seeing Iron Maiden is always a special experience. No matter how many times you've seen them, they bring that same joy and energy to the stage — and it's contagious. The Prague stop of their Run For Your Lives Tour 2025 came with an especially exciting setlist, even if many fans (myself included) were puzzled by the complete omission of No Prayer for the Dying tracks. Still, overall, a powerful selection of songs.
One big question on everyone’s mind was: How would the new drummer fill the shoes of Nicko McBrain? And of course, seeing Maiden in Prague — a city I've visited countless times on vacation — adds an extra layer of joy. The perfect combination of music, atmosphere, and beer. Let’s go!
Arrival, Merch & Beer
Getting to the venue was as smooth as it gets. The Prague tram system is excellent, and one line took me directly from my hotel to the venue with no hassle.
Merch:
The merch booth was packed with amazing designs — from tour shirts to exclusive Prague-only designs. Flags, patches, posters, even limited edition items were available. But: 55 Euro per shirt was a bit much. Later online, the same Prague shirt was offered at 45 Euro. A bit frustrating, so I skipped it.
Beer:
As expected from Prague — top quality. Pilsner Urquell on tap, great taste. Even better, they had official tour cups with three different designs based on the tour shirts. Collectible-worthy and fun to drink from.
There was also a new Trooper Saturn beer available — but I saw it only at the end and couldn’t get it because I had no more credit on my cashless wristband. Hoping to try it at the next stop!
Halestorm
This was the third time I’ve seen Halestorm live — and every time, I’m impressed all over again. Lizzy Hale is a force of nature: her voice, her stage presence, and her energy take over the entire venue. The band is solid, but of course, Lizzy steals the spotlight every time.
I can’t list song titles — I’m more of a casual listener — but every track they played was tight, powerful, and well delivered. Their live sound is on point. If you haven’t checked them out yet, you absolutely should. Especially live!
Iron Maiden
As always, the show started with Doctor Doctor — and the energy in the crowd was electric. The massive screen setup was already visible before the lights went down, and that alone was a sign this would be a big one.
They kicked off with Murders in the Rue Morgue, a surprise and a thrill to hear live. The whole early-era segment of the set was fantastic — including Phantom of the Opera, which was a total highlight with powerful guitars and Bruce's voice at full strength.
The rest of the set moved through the Bruce Dickinson era — a mix from Powerslave, Number of the Beast, and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. Seeing both The Clairvoyant and Seventh Son live was a dream — Steve Harris's bass was thunderous and clear. Special mention: the animations during “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” and “Hallowed Be Thy Name” were insanely well done.
They closed with a power trio from my teenage favorites: Aces High, Fear of the Dark, and Wasted Years. Epic finish.
Setlist Highlights
Murders in the Rue Morgue
A rare treat — great to hear this old-school anthem performed with full power.
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Atmospheric, layered, and Bruce nailed every section. Incredible.
Aces High
Still one of the hardest to sing — and Bruce did it near the end. Unreal stamina and skill.
On the “Phone Down” Debate
A lot of discussion has been going on online about Maiden's manager requesting fans to keep their phones in their pockets. Here’s my take:
Artists have every right to ask fans to follow their vision for the show. But unless something is explicitly forbidden (on tickets or by the venue), fans also have a right to enjoy the concert their way — within reason.
Just like with smoking at a venue: if it’s allowed, it’s up to the individual; if it’s banned, it’s banned.
Personally, I think a few pictures and short clips are fine. It’s when people film the entire concert that it becomes annoying. As always, balance is key.
Final Thoughts
This was a night to remember. An epic show in one of my favorite cities, great sound, flawless performance, and a setlist that covered decades of Maiden history. Bruce sounded great, the band was tight, and the new drummer fit in perfectly.
I’m more than happy I went — and I’m even more excited to catch them again in Berlin later this year.
Up the Irons!
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