Bruce Dickinson brought his Mandrake Project Tour to Arizona and blew the roof off the Marquee Theatre. Backed by a stellar band and delivering vocals as commanding as ever, he proved there was no need for Maiden classics to thrill the crowd. Anyone doubting his voice would have been set straight; Dickinson gave fans exactly what they came for and more. Opening the night was Combustion 96, who set the stage with tight, energetic jams that quickly won over the audience.
Severe thunderstorms outside might have kept some people away, but inside the Marquee Theatre a different kind of storm was brewing. For those who braved the weather, it was a night not soon forgotten. Dickinson and his band delivered nearly two hours of high-octane music, with standouts like “Laughing in the Hiding Bush” and “Shadow of the Gods” igniting the already rowdy crowd. While some might have expected a heavier dose of Maiden, the setlist stood firmly on its own.
This high-energy show had everything you’d expect—blazing guitar work from Phillip Näslund and Chris DeClercq, a duo that brought pure thunder. Bassist Tanya O’Callaghan was another standout; her commanding presence and ferocious playing made her impossible to ignore. Mistheria on keys and drummer Dave Moreno rounded out the powerhouse lineup that’s been with Dickinson since 2024. Moreno later took the spotlight with a crushing drum solo that seamlessly launched into a fiery cover of the Edgar Winter Group’s “Frankenstein,” a definite highlight of the night. The main set closed with “Book of Thel” and “Road to Hell,” leaving the room in a frenzy. When Dickinson returned for the encore, he tore through three more songs like a man possessed, refusing to let the energy dip for even a second.
Bruce rightfully stole the show; his pipes are as strong, if not stronger, than ever. With that unmistakable voice leading the charge, his boundless energy had him darting from side to side, rallying the crowd from the first note to the last. For Maiden diehards or Dickinson devotees, this tour is a must-see; he embodies heavy metal itself and shows no signs of slowing down. One of the night’s most spine-tingling moments came when he leaned into the mic and roared, “Scream for me, Phoenix!”—a call that sent chills through the room.
Setlist:
Accident of Birth
Abduction
Laughing in the Hiding Bush
Shadow of the Gods
Chemical Wedding
Flash of the Blade (Iron Maiden cover)
Resurrection Men
Rain on the Graves
Drum Solo
Frankenstein (Edgar Winter Group cover)
The Alchemist
Book of Thel
Road to Hell
Encore:
Tears of the Dragon
Gods of War
The Tower
