Up the Irons: Celebrating Iron Maiden's 50th Anniversary

From humble beginnings in East London's pubs to becoming one of the most enduring and influential forces in rock, Iron Maiden has conquered stages across the globe, sold over 130 million albums, and inspired generations with their epic tales of history, war, and the supernatural. 

Their mascot Eddie has become an icon, their twin-lead guitar harmonies a blueprint for metal, and their live shows legendary spectacles of pyrotechnics, theatrics, and unrelenting energy. 

As they embark on the Run For Your Lives world tour, focusing on classics from their first nine albums, there's no better time to celebrate half a century of pure, unadulterated heavy metal mastery.

My own love affair with Iron Maiden began in a much more modern way: through a video game. 

When I was 12 years old, I unwrapped Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock and dove headfirst into its setlist. 

There it was—"The Number of the Beast" one of the game's standout tracks. 

Strumming along to those galloping riffs and Bruce Dickinson's soaring wails on a plastic guitar, I was hooked. 

It wasn't just a song; it was a gateway.

Soon, I was devouring their back catalog, mesmerized by albums like The Number of the Beast, Powerslave, and *Seventh Son of a Seventh Son*. 

Iron Maiden didn't just play music—they told stories, painted vivid worlds, and delivered adrenaline like no one else.

That passion turned into real-life magic when my dad took me to my first Maiden concert in 2008. 

It was the Somewhere Back in Time tour, recreating the glory of their 1980s era, and we saw them tear up the Arena Monterrey on February 22. 

The energy was electric—thousands screaming "Up the Irons!" as classics like "The Trooper," "Powerslave" and "Hallowed Be Thy Name" shook the venue. 

Seeing Bruce command the stage, the band in perfect sync, and Eddie looming large—it was everything I'd imagined and more. 

My dad, not even a huge metal fan, couldn't stop grinning at how alive the crowd was.

Fast forward to 2016, during The Book of Souls world tour, and we caught them again, this time at the Auditorio Banamex (now known as Auditorio CitiBanamex) in Monterrey on March 1. 

The setlist blended new epics from their latest album with timeless hits like "Fear of the Dark" and "Iron Maiden". 

Bruce, ever the showman, piloted the band around the world in their customized Boeing 747, dubbed Ed Force One. 

But the highlight for me came the morning after the gig: still buzzing from the night before, I woke up early and headed to the airport to watch Ed Force One depart Monterrey. 

Seeing that massive plane, painted with Eddie on the tail, roar down the runway and lift off—it felt like saying goodbye to old friends heading to conquer the next horizon.