IRON MAIDEN conquered Sofia: 50 years of power, tears, rakia and the Bulgarian tricolor

Half a century after Steve Harris founded IRON MAIDEN, the British heavy metal gods threw their biggest Bulgarian party. On May 26, 2026, Vasil Levski Stadium ceased to be just a sports venue – it became a cathedral of heavy guitars, waving flags and genuine metal freedom. According to official data from the organizers Fest Team, the audience exceeded 35,000 people, and together with the supporting ANTHRAX, over 30,000 were already roaring in the early afternoon. Here is everything that happened, through the lenses of eyewitnesses, reports from BTA, Dir.bg, Ploshtad Slaveykov, and live commentary from the venue.

⚡ Before the show: waiting, beers and a thrash attack from ANTHRAX

Doors opened at 5:00 PM, but queues had been forming since 4:00 PM. The heat was serious, but the fans endured – black Eddie t-shirts, beer cups, and anthems sung spontaneously. Shortly after 7:10 PM, ANTHRAX came out like a hurricane. Joey Belladonna, Scott Ian and Charlie Benante reminded everyone of Sonisphere 2010, when the "Big Four" shook the same stadium. Their set included tracks like "Caught in a Mosh", "Indians" and "I Am the Law". Belladonna addressed the audience: "16 years ago we were here with Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth – we'll never forget this stadium!"

After their set ended at 7:50 PM, a 65-minute break followed, which some fans called a "test" (especially in the packed standing area), but when UFO's "Doctor Doctor" started playing at 8:50 PM, the stadium erupted.

🎸 THE COMING OF THE GODS — the setlist of dreams

The Run For Your Lives tour is conceptual – only songs from the first nine albums (1980–1992). Iron Maiden came out shortly before 9:00 PM and over the next two hours performed 17 songs, some of which they hadn't played since the 1980s.

From the very first chords of "Murders in the Rue Morgue", Bruce Dickinson showed why he is one of the most charismatic frontmen in history. He ran, gesticulated, and his voice sounded fresh and sharp as a razor. "Wrathchild" and "Killers" brought back the spirit of the earliest years, and "Phantom of the Opera" became a 7-minute symphonic madness.

The climax came during "The Number of the Beast" — red lights, Eddie (the giant mascot) appeared with horns, and 35,000 roared "666". One of the most emotional moments came with "Infinite Dreams" — a song the band hadn't played since 1988. Some fans in the front rows couldn't hold back tears.

🇧🇬 The Bulgarian flag, rakia and Bruce's messages

During "The Trooper", Bruce Dickinson came out dressed in a red English uniform, but to everyone's surprise, he waved the Bulgarian tricolor. The entire stadium chanted "Bulgaria, Bulgaria!" – a significant gesture that many fans associated with support for Ukraine (earlier Dickinson had made a peace appeal). Another memory everyone will hold: Bruce raised a military canteen, took a sip and with a smile said into the microphone: "Must be rakia!"

Before the finale of the main set, "Hallowed Be Thy Name" rang out – Bruce sang it like a man condemned to death, the whole stadium fell silent in certain passages, only to erupt in choruses. One comment on Dir.bg read: "The greatest live performance of Hallowed I've ever heard. Tears streaming down my face, and I'm 52."

🔥 The encore: Aces High, Fear of the Dark and the finale with Wasted Years

For the encore, the band returned with "Aces High" — Eddie's Spitfire, crossed spotlights like in a war film. Then the whole stadium sang "Fear of the Dark" — no exaggeration, 35,000 people sang every chorus, and Bruce stopped and let the audience sing the second part of the chorus alone. The emotion was so strong that even people in the stands had phones raised with lights. "Wasted Years" closed the evening – Dickinson said: "I wish you a good evening, a good week, and a good life. You deserve it." And he promised: "We'll see you again!"

🗣️ Comments, debates and organization (according to Dir.bg and Ploshtad Slaveykov)

Many haters mocked the band's age (Bruce is 67, Steve is 70), but as a reporter for Ploshtad Slaveykov noted: "No one goes to a Maiden concert out of mere nostalgia. They are great here and now, not members of a retirement club." Simon Dawson on drums (deputizing for Nicko McBrain) performed flawlessly.

🎤 Final words: a night that will never die

Iron Maiden's sixth visit to Bulgaria goes down in history as the most attended. From the first in 1995 at Hristo Botev Hall to Vasil Levski Stadium – the band has come a long way, but the electricity between them and the Bulgarian audience keeps growing stronger. Bruce sang, ran, waved flags, and when the final chord of "Wasted Years" faded, the silence was sacred. Then – applause that wouldn't stop. Up the Irons! And see you again, because "Run For Your Lives" won't stop next year.