Iron Maiden @ Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre, Tinley Park (US)

IRON MAIDEN / MEGADETH

Date: 22nd September, 2026
Venue: Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
Ticket Price: $57/€65 - $1284/€1127 [fees not included]
Promoter: Live Nation

A sold-out Chicago night, MEGADETH's long goodbye, and a sea of IRON MAIDEN faithful.

The billing was simple, featuring just two bands. Two bands with a combined history six years shy of a century. When you think of that scale, you get dizzy because it is clearly beyond the average person's lifetime. With this in mind, I found myself constantly smiling while seeing all these people walking in the same direction with me. There were metalheads younger than the history of either band, with IRON MAIDEN celebrating their 50th anniversary, and MEGADETH being just seven years behind. Different celebrations, but both equally important.

The closer we got to the venue, the better I understood where my euphoria was coming from. It was not only the younger fans. The crowd covered a wide age range, from old-school metalheads to first-timers, and both seemed equally excited. Unfortunately, there are not that many gatherings of this sort anymore, but they remain the very definition of the Metal scene: everyone is welcome, and everyone is the same. A metalhead.

Still, I felt a tightness in my chest recalling that Mustaine has announced the sixteenth and self-titled MEGADETH album as the band's final studio release, marking the beginning of their farewell chapter. I am sure he did not make this decision lightly, simply because he wants to retire. There are health issues involved that make guitar-playing and performing live literally painful. That said, opening for IRON MAIDEN in front of thousands of fans is probably the optimum way to start saying goodbye, even when the actual timing of that goodbye remains uncertain.

Five minutes past 7pm, the lights went out and the minimal stage setup, with the MEGADETH logo dominating the backscreen, brought Mustaine and the latest incarnation of the lineup onstage. Loud welcoming cheers greeted the four as the forty-year-old "Devil's Island" opened the set. MEGADETH, and particularly Mustaine, have absolutely nothing left to prove. Their history and back catalogue are more than enough to grant them a dedicated chapter in the history of Metal. Dave briefly greeted the crowd before beginning the riff to "Tipping Point" from the final MEGADETH album. The ferocity of the riffs and Dirk Verbeuren's pounding drumming reminded me of how good that album turned out to be, gloriously closing the studio cycle of MEGADETH.

The opening riff introduced the next one without a spoken word, and the audience erupted as "Hangar 18" kicked off with Dave grunting "Welcome to our fortress tall." Teemu Mäntysaari did an amazing job handling his share of the guitar leads, and I believe he pairs really well with the MEGADETH mastermind. The first MEGA-DETH chant arrived during the groovy bridge between the solos as if it had been rehearsed, and it felt fantastic.

A short break put Verbeuren in charge, taunting the audience while pounding the drums into "Sweating Bullets". Sure, I missed some of Mustaine's original high-pitched, singing-through-his-teeth delivery, but his trademark guitar-playing stance and split-personality approach to the lyrics (watch the music video if you do not know what I am talking about) were more than enough to compensate for anything the passing of time has changed.

Hell, I have changed too and really cannot act like the metalhead I was some decades ago.

"Good evening, thank you for joining us tonight," Mustaine said afterwards, admitting that MEGADETH had "a lot of stuff to play and not enough time." This is something everybody should appreciate. I mean, he could easily have talked his way through the set, but instead chose to cram as much music as the available time and his hand endurance allowed him. "This is dedicated to all the mfs out there who are saying Metal is dying," he announced in his legendary Mustaine way after thanking everyone for putting MEGADETH on the charts. That was his introduction to "I Don't Care".

Watching him lean over his Flying V to start the chords of "She-Wolf" instantly took me back to when I first bought "Cryptic Writings" in 1997. Damn, the song and that chant-along riff have not lost their spark, and it felt so good hearing the double-guitar solo at concert volume.

The next dedication was kind of odd, but probably describes quite accurately the mindset in which the song was conceived. "This one is dedicated to an ex-wife of an ex-friend of mine," Dave said, adding a fat "b*tch" before starting the chords to the guitar-challenging "Tornado Of Souls", which generated one of the strongest reactions of the set. That central solo remains one of the defining guitar moments in the MEGADETH catalogue, and Mäntysaari once again had the opportunity to step into the spotlight.

Another guitar groove was enough to introduce the next one, whose lyrics are sadly still relevant. Yes, I am talking about "Symphony Of Destruction", accompanied by another MEGA-DETH chant that sounded as if it had been rehearsed.

Nah, no MEGADETH fan needs to rehearse in order to become part of the show, and Mustaine knows this. These people are his extended family. I have always loved watching Dave's expressive delivery on this one, with his hand gestures practically painting the words in strong colors.

James LoMenzo took over for a moment. "Chicago, Illinois, how are you doing?" Then he added, "You know this one," before letting his bass do the honors for "Peace Sells". This was the right time for Vic to appear holding a suitcase full of blood money, trying to sell peace left and right. Watching him eventually lay his hand over Dave's shoulder felt like one of those defining little moments. It was almost as if both were saying without speaking: we are part of Metal history, and we did this.

Before the final song, Mustaine addressed something considerably more important. "You probably may have heard we will be retiring soon," he told the crowd, confirming what he has already said publicly. Again, I felt that tightness in my chest while hearing him talk about the problems with his left hand. Playing guitar is part of his life, so having to eventually stop because his body is forcing him to do so has to be more painful than the actual physical pain it causes.

However, there was no attempt to turn the moment into an extended emotional speech, not that I would expect this from him. Instead, the answer came in the form of another genre-defining riff. "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due". Mustaine introduced the members of the band during the latter portion of the song before bringing the night back to its simplest possible conclusion. "You know how this goes, right? You've been great. We've been MEGADETH. Good night." My eyes felt extra watery at that point, and there were no allergies to blame.

Thank you, Dave. By the way, let this lyric line from the setlist closer sink in: "A country that's divided surely will not stand."

MEGADETH setlist:

01. "Devil's Island"
02. "Tipping Point"
03. "Hangar 18"
04. "Sweating Bullets"
05. "I Don't Care"
06. "She-Wolf"
07. "Tornado Of Souls"
08. "Symphony Of Destruction"
09. "Peace Sells"
10. "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"

MEGADETH

It was amazing to experience a sold-out venue with around 20,000 metalheads taking over every single seat, the pit and the lawn at the back. A sea of IRON MAIDEN fans had flooded Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre, and the atmosphere was electric.

I cannot think of many other instances where a recorded intro produces such a loud sing-along as UFO's "Doctor Doctor" does before an IRON MAIDEN show. Yes, it is the excitement of what follows that feeds this reaction, but hearing it was already giving me goosebumps. The idea of watching a concert overview of the band's history, covering everything from the debut through "Fear Of The Dark", was enough to make me lose sleep while waiting for the day of the show.

The huge high-definition screen came alive, and under the sound of "The Ides Of March", the crowd was virtually pulled inside the world of IRON MAIDEN, walking through the streets and imagery of those first albums. With everyone cheering, the six-piece lineup entered the stage with "Murders In The Rue Morgue". The combination of teenage memories with the band's impressive energy and endurance immediately took me decades into the past, when I was trying to understand why Dickinson was called the "air-raid siren" when, to my ears, his vocals simply sounded so damn good. Yeah, I vividly remember debating who was the better singer, Di'Anno or Dickinson, before realizing years later how ridiculous that argument was. And still is.

Captain Steve Harris, armed with his trademark Fender Precision Bass, started "Wrathchild" as the "Killers" cover artwork filled the screen behind him. What a sight that was! Eddie then came off the screen for "Killers", axe in hand and fighting with the band while the audience sang every line. Age really is just a number because the band onstage did not look or sound like one celebrating its 50th anniversary. "Hello, Chicago," said a smiling Dickinson before continuing, "We've been waiting 50 f*ckin' years for this moment."

He added some context, connecting the beginning of the band with standing in front of a sold-out American amphitheater five decades later. "This is crazy." I agreed. Around that time, I felt myself getting lost between memories and feelings of hearing these songs for the first time through a lousy tape player. Yes, my first encounters with IRON MAIDEN came through a crappy tape player and an equally crappy set of car speakers while I was desperately trying to memorize the band's lineup. "Phantom Of The Opera", followed by the evil introduction to "The Number Of The Beast", grabbed my hand and led me straight down memory lane. The visuals were top notch, and together with the pyros and the black-and-white figure of Nosferatu appearing on the screen, they transformed the entire stage. Everyone was singing along. It was the perfect concert storm.

"It took us 38 years to play this song live again, well, depending on who you ask," said Dickinson, and the artwork appearing behind him revealed exactly what he was talking about - "Infinite Dreams". I cannot say with certainty, but it felt as if AI may have been used to add motion and bring some of those Derek Riggs-drawn pieces of art to life. You are entitled to your opinion about AI, but as a tool in the hands of professionals, it can generate some stunning visuals. By the way, some of the lyrics Harris penned during that era are almost impossible to surpass. "Restless sleep, the mind's in turmoil, one nightmare ends, another fertile."

Watching Dickinson wearing the mask associated with the "Powerslave" era made me instinctively look for the blond hair he was sporting around the time the band recorded the album in the Bahamas. The stunning visuals, with daylight hitting the pyramid from the album's artwork, made the venue look like ancient Egypt. Then came "2 Minutes To Midnight", with the added effect of Eddie being blasted by a nuclear explosion at the end being one of the countless visual details I enjoyed watching.

Continuing with the military theme, Bruce grabbed a military canteen to take a drink and seemingly remind himself what was coming next. "Water, water everywhere…" That small piece of British humor fits IRON MAIDEN like biscuits with evening tea. Then it was time for the Mariner's fateful story to receive movie-level visuals as smoke covered the stage and the sound of a wooden ship creaking announced "Rime Of The Ancient Mariner". Despite trying to absorb how the graphics were being used to visualize this thirteen-minute epic, I kept looking at the rest of the band and felt as if time had stood still. Everything looked as it should.

Janick Gers attacking his guitar with his usual physical style, at times even using the guitar-cable instead of a pick. Harris with his left foot planted on the monitor. Adrian Smith focused on his guitar, while Dave Murray, always smiling, completed the never-fading MAIDEN canvas. Did I miss Nicko McBrain's massive drum kit? I sure did. Still, I believe BRITISH LION's Simon Dawson did a great job behind the kit.

Eddie was fighting the Devil during "Run To The Hills", while the half-bodied mascot appearing during "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son" was literally losing vertebrae on the screen. Then came "The Trooper", with Dickinson waving the British and American flags while the entire amphitheater sang along. These are just a few of the images that now live rent-free in my mind.

Steve and Janick were among those sweating their arses off alongside Dickinson, who I am sure walked the entire stage at least ten times. And then some. The singer disappeared for a brief moment while the image of a gallows seen through a cell window was already beginning to tell the story of "Hallowed Be Thy Name". I loved how quickly the songs were recognized simply from a few seconds of imagery. No riff needed. No announcement needed. Dickinson appeared on stage right wearing a white, loose-fitting shirt and stepped inside a cage. His actor side completely took over for the dramatic performance, which climaxed with pyro effects and his image appearing on the screen being chased by a ghost all the way to the gallows. He eventually reappeared in flesh and blood, holding the noose like a trophy while the crowd cheered.

"We are IRON MAIDEN," Bruce stated before delivering the inevitable command. "Scream for me, Chicagooooo!" Nobody needed to be asked twice. The band eventually left the stage, but the young and the old MAIDEN fans knew there was more to come. The stage lights transformed into anti-aircraft searchlights, their beams scanning the darkness above the amphitheater. Did everyone know what was coming? Of course we did. And for anyone who still had doubts, Churchill's speech removed them.

"Aces High" opened the encore, and I would be a liar if I did not admit that I was once again completely captivated by the visuals. You see, I had already given life to Eddie with my teenage imagination decades ago. I spent hours staring at that single's cover artwork, imagining the mascot dominating the skies during WWII dogfights. Now someone had put those images on a massive screen in front of me. At the end, Dickinson dedicated the song to the American airmen who helped Britain during WWII, stressing that their contribution would always be remembered. The stage was then bathed in purple light, and soon Dickinson reappeared wearing a raincoat of sorts and holding a green lantern, trying to find his way... in the dark. I love those cues that reveal the next song without anyone having to say anything or play a single note. Yes, "Fear Of The Dark" arrived accompanied by one of the loudest sing-alongs of the night, before Adrian Smith eventually introduced the unmistakable riff to "Wasted Years". If it were up to me, I would have let Adrian share some of the lead vocals with Bruce on this one because the man has a wonderful voice. Please check "Reach Out" that is the B-Side song of the "Wasted Years"single to understand what I am saying.

"Live every night like it's the last night of your life," said Bruce while bidding farewell to the Tinley Park crowd, which had just been served an IRON MAIDEN set made in heaven. The main song from Monty Python’s"Life Of Brian" was the perfect soundtrack to leave the venue happy as a clam. It was no surprise to see long lines forming again in front of the merch stands as people tried to grab whatever shirts were still available.

A night to remember, for sure.

IRON MAIDEN setlist:

01. "Murders In The Rue Morgue"
02. "Wrathchild"
03. "Killers"
04. "Phantom Of The Opera"
05. "The Number Of The Beast"
06. "Infinite Dreams"
07. "Powerslave"
08. "2 Minutes To Midnight"
09. "Rime Of The Ancient Mariner"
10. "Run To The Hills"
11. "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son"
12. "The Trooper"
13. "Hallowed Be Thy Name"
14. "Iron Maiden"
15. "Aces High"
16. "Fear Of The Dark"
17. "Wasted Years"

IRON MAIDEN