EDDFEST at Knebworth — Iron Maiden's First Own Festival Is a Triumph

A stadium show would, under the circumstances, have been too small. To mark 50 years, Iron Maiden simply built their own festival at Knebworth Park — EDDFEST, named after the mascot who, in manager Rod Smallwood's words, is the band's real star anyway.

The band took the main stage at around 8:30pm on Saturday evening, closing a weekend they had billed as a "Maiden World" — and the park had indeed been turned into one: Maidenville with Eddie's Dive Bar, the "Unfair Funfair" complete with Eddie-themed rides, plus the Infinite Dreams Museum, a walk-through exhibition of stage props and relics from five decades.

Before Maiden on Saturday came The Almighty, Airbourne, The Hu and The Darkness. Friday night on the Maidenville stage was curated personally by Steve Harris — who chose as headliner none other than Blaze Bayley, the singer who fronted the band from 1994 to 1999; Bayley played songs from "The X Factor" and "Virtual XI". Also on the bill: Gypsy's Kiss, Harris' very first band.

For British fans this was Maiden's only appearance of the year — and their last until at least 2028, as the band steps away from the stage after the tour's finale in Yokohama in November. The night also has an afterlife: because a power cut in Paris had interrupted filming for their planned concert film, the missing footage was captured at Knebworth. Fans from both nights will end up in the finished movie.

Sources: Iron Maiden, Kerrang.