Iron Maiden completed a massively successful European Tour in Gothenburg last Saturday with 55,217 (plus guests!!) packing the Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg following sold out shows in Norway (17,500) and Finland (25,600) the week preceding, all shows having sold out in hours in November 2004. In Scandinavia Maiden and Bruce Springsteen rule supreme, ahead of even U2 and the Stones.

Maiden took over Gothenburg and Sweden for the day with national TV broadcasting the show live across Scandinavia (first live broadcast since Live Aid in 1985) and a TV special the evening before. The national newspapers featured Maiden heavily with countdowns to the show and even Steve on the front page of the largest daily GT – playing football!! The whole of Gothenburg became Maidenville and was full on fans in Maiden colours, the shops and bars were playing Maiden albums non- stop and even designated the day Maiden Day. After the show the bars in the centre of town were packed with singing Maiden fans. The show and astonishing reaction of the fans was incredible – thank you Sweden!!.

Over the 20 Euro shows they played to over 450,000 fans averaging 22,500 per show. The band start in North America on Ozzfest with Black Sabbath in Boston on Friday – already sold out 19,500 – and on Saturday with their own headline in Quebec where all 11,000 tickets sold out in the first 2 days. The 20 North American shows finish in LA on Aug 20 and the band return to headline Reading and Leeds Festivals, both already sold out to a combined audience of 110,000.

Maiden rule!!!

Just in…
We’ve just got the Swedish chart positions in, and they’re full of Maiden!

The DVD chart:
1 – The Early Days
2 – Visions Of The Beast
7 – Rock In Rio

The midprice album chart:
1 – Number Of The BeastNUMBER OF THE BEAST
2 – Edward The Great
3 – Iron Maiden
4 – Piece Of Mind
5 – Killers
6 – Powerslace
7 – Live After Death
9 – Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
10 – Fear Of The Dark

Nice work!