Iron Maiden are back on the road with their ‘Run For Your Lives’ tour, and they’ve got one simple request for fans: stop watching the show through a five-inch screen.
Ahead of the tour kickoff in Budapest last week, longtime manager Rod Smallwood put out a no-bullshit PSA asking fans to pocket their phones during the gig. His reasoning was that tour’s is all about feeling the show like it’s 1984, not live streaming it for three uninterested Instagram followers.
“Put Away Your Phones and Get Ready to Run For Your Lives!” was the headline on his post — subtle as a sledgehammer. And after night one, Smallwood doubled down with a part thank-you, part middle finger aimed at the small-but-persistent crowd who kept filming.
“To the selfish few that didn’t and just had to keep videoing… I wish you nothing but a very sore arm,” he wrote on Instagram, sounding like the road dad who’s done babysitting. “The band appreciated it greatly when you didn’t, and it really boosts them.”
It’s not about being anti-technology — Smallwood even gave fans permission to snap “the odd quick pic as a memento.” But this is Iron Maiden we’re talking about. A legacy band rolling deep into their 50th year, dragging a warplane-sized stage show across Europe, playing only the old-school bangers from their first nine albums. If you can’t look up from your camera for that, why the hell did you even come?
The tour also marks the debut of drummer Simon Dawson, stepping in after Nicko McBrain bowed out of touring due to health issues. It’s a big chapter for the band, and they clearly want you to actually experience it — not record it for a YouTube upload that’ll never match the real thing.
So next time Maiden rolls through your town, remember: be present, be loud, and maybe give your wrist a bit of a rest. Eddie’s watching.
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