Iron Maiden – Rock In Rio

A souvenir from the 2001 Rock in Rio festival, this set proves that Iron Maiden not only are among the elite heavy-metal purveyors of all time but can still shred onstage with the best of them. The British sextet holds its audience of a quarter-million in thrall for two hours, opening with a pummeling “Wicker Man” and wending its way through nearly three decades of hard-rocking tales of the mythic and supernatural: “The Mercenary,” “The Trooper,” “The Evil That Men Do,” “The Number of the Beast,” and ending with the ubiquitous “Run for the Hills.” Concert footage was edited by bassist Steve Harris; obviously attuned to his band’s rhythms, he ensures the visuals are as in-your-face as the music. A second disc spends 50 minutes showing band members doing non-rock & roll things offstage, like vocalist Bruce Dickinson’s predilection for fencing and flying planes. A short “Day in the Life” featurette, brief group interviews, and the band’s photographer Ross Halfin’s photo diary round out the bonus disc.