Official, professionally-shot video of Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson‘s powerful a cappella performance of the U.S. national anthem at the Los Angeles Kings’ season opener is now available for viewing. The performance, which took place on October 7 at Crypto.com Arena, marked the second time in less than a month that the legendary British singer was invited to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at a major American sporting event.
The invitation to perform at the NHL game followed his widely praised debut at the Pittsburgh Steelers NFL home opener on September 14. When that initial performance was announced, Dickinson was candid about his lack of experience with the song and cleverly used his own solo concert in Boston on September 11 as a public rehearsal.
“I’ve been asked to sing the American national anthem at a Pittsburgh Steelers game,” he told the Boston crowd at the time. “Now, I’ve never done this before in my f**king life, and I’m trying to avoid the embarrassment of reading the f**king words off the back of my hand… I thought, with your kind permission, I would have a go at the American national anthem, because it’s the only fucking time I’m gonna practice it.”
“So normally I do a little bit of like an a cappella — that’s just me singing on my own — a bit of ‘Revelations’,” he continued. “But I thought, with your kind permission, I would have a go at the American national anthem, because it’s the only fucking time I’m gonna practice it.
He also shared a piece of practical advice he received from his friends in the punk band Bad Religion on how to approach the notoriously difficult song.
“We were down in Brazil [a few days ago for a festival appearance] and I was talking to the punk band, mates of mine, Bad Religion,” Dickinson added. “And the guy went, ‘Oh, you’re gonna sing the anthem?’ He said, ‘F**king make sure you start low.'”
