For decades, Iron Maiden’s stage production was synonymous with theatrical grandeur, defined by massive, hand-painted backdrops that changed with every song. However, the band’s current “Run For Your Lives” 50th-anniversary tour has traded those physical sets for high-tech digital screens—a move that has sparked conversation among the fanbase.
In a new interview with Spain’s El Jevilongo, guitarist Adrian Smith addressed the modernized visual approach, confirming that the departure from their traditional aesthetic was a deliberate creative choice championed by the band’s management and frontman.
“I think we were always very traditional in our production. With the backdrops, it was like you were going to see a play in the theater,” Smith explained (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “I think our [longtime] manager Rod Smallwood usually has a vision for the shows and he gets together with Steve [Harris]. Bruce [Dickinson] has a lot to do with the visuals. Bruce, he’s getting more and more and more involved in stuff going on stage, like the gun battle with Eddie and all that.”
While Smith admitted he tends to stay out of the production planning, he offered his approval of the updated look.
“I don’t get involved in that, to be honest,” he said. “But I think it was a conscious thing to maybe sort of just change it up a little bit, just to give a different look…I mean, I like it.”
Not everyone in the extended Maiden family was immediately sold on the idea. Former drummer Nicko McBrain, who retired from touring last year, voiced his skepticism during a July performance with his side project, Titanium Tart, in Clearwater, Florida. Addressing the crowd, McBrain revealed that he had challenged Smallwood on the design during its conceptual phase.
“I spoke to Rod about this last year. ‘Cause I saw the sketch with these screens, and I said to him, ‘Hey, I don’t think we should be [changing the way we do things],'” McBrain recalled telling the manager. “He said, ‘We’ve gotta move into the 21st century, Nick. This is the 50th-anniversary tour. We’ve gotta have something special.'”
McBrain unsuccessfully argued for a “more drapes” approach, suggesting the band could simply increase the number of physical backdrops rather than go digital.
“I’m old school,” McBrain admitted to the Florida audience. “I would’ve liked to see the drapes and the screens on the side.”
The “Run For Your Lives” tour is a massive celebration of the band’s first five decades, featuring a setlist drawn exclusively from their first nine albums. The North American leg, which includes support from thrash legends Megadeth and Anthrax, is set to hit stadiums and arenas across the U.S. and Canada, concluding with a massive show in Mexico City next October.
“Run For Your Lives” North American Tour 2026:
- Aug. 29 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena *
- Aug. 30 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena *
- Sept. 03 – Montréal, QC – Parc Jean-Drapeau *^
- Sept. 05 – Harrison, NJ – Sports Illustrated Stadium *^
- Sept. 06 – Harrison, NJ – Sports Illustrated Stadium *^ (New Show)
- Sept. 09 – Boston, MA – TD Garden *
- Sept. 11 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live *
- Sept. 12 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion *
- Sept. 15 – Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium *
- Sept. 17 – Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life Festival
- Sept. 19 – Shakopee, MN – Mystic Lake Amphitheater *
- Sept. 22 – Chicago, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre *
- Sept. 25 – Los Angeles, CA – BMO Stadium *^
- Sept. 26 – Los Angeles, CA – BMO Stadium *^
- Sept. 29 – San Antonio, TX – Alamodome *^
* = Support from Megadeth ^ = Support from Anthrax
