Iron Maiden Launches 50th Anniversary Tour With New Drummer in Budapest

Iron Maiden has launched its Run For Your Lives world tour with two sold-out shows in Budapest, marking the live debut of new drummer Simon Dawson following Nicko McBrain's retirement. The tour celebrates the 50th anniversary of bassist Steve Harris founding the band, featuring a setlist from their first nine studio albums accompanied by an elaborate new stage production. Manager Rod Smallwood expressed gratitude to fans for their enthusiastic support, especially praising those who respected the band's request to keep phones down during performances to maintain the concert atmosphere. However, Smallwood also criticized a small number of fans who ignored this request and recorded large portions of the shows, calling their behavior selfish and wishing them "a very sore arm." Despite this, the overall reaction to the new production and the band's performances was overwhelmingly positive, with Smallwood highlighting the passionate Hungarian fans and the warm welcome given to Dawson. The tour continues with hopes that fans will maintain this respectful approach at upcoming shows.