It’s always a righteous day when one of the most beloved and monumental heavy metal bands in history visits your town on a world tour.

England’s heavy metal giants Iron Maiden visited the Pepsi Center with a packed house on their Book of Souls World Tour in support of their sixteenth studio album of the same name.

Did I mention that they arrived in their very own Boeing 747 with their band name stretching across the side of the gigantic jet?  The plane, named Ed Force One after the band’s mascot, is even piloted by the bands frontman.   Now, you may be pretty metal, but you’ll never be as metal as the vocalist for one of the world’s biggest metal bands flying his band around the world in their own private jet.

I digress – thousands of fans both young and seasoned donned classic ‘Maiden T-shirts while anxiously awaiting the group’s arrival to Denver for what was set to be a night of metal fury curated by the British legends.

Taking the stage to an uproar from the eager crowd, the group was greeted with the fans chanting “MAIDEN! MAIDEN! MAIDEN!”

Opening the set with lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson singing over a cauldron, the group performed a cut from their latest record – which would be followed by several more from the same record throughout the night.  Maiden is, after all, supporting their latest offering in favor of staying true to every record they write as opposed to remaining completely focused on a nostalgic setlist.  Fans had no reason to fear, for Maiden would not dare deprive them of the band’s storied back-catalog.

The first live cut to really garner a huge response was ‘Children of the Damned’ from the 1982 masterpiece and general metal landmark Number of the Beast.  Prior to the song, Dickinson acknowledged that the song was probably written long before many members of the audience were even born.  The next few tracks came from the new record before Maiden displayed the instantly recognizable backdrop for the signature song ‘The Trooper,’ much to the delight of the audience.  Dickinson appeared on the stage waiving the British flag about while reciting the opening lyrics as the fans sang – or screamed rather – along.  ‘Powerslave’ was performed next, during which Dickinson repeatedly commanded the crowd to scream for him, which they joyously obliged.

Midway through the performance, the band’s perennial face Eddie joined them on the stage bedecked in attire reflecting the themes of the new album.  He stomped around the stage dwarfing the members of the band while they performed another new track, all the while the arena was lit up by the glow of spectator’s phones.  The setlist ended with the staples ‘Hallowed be thy Name,’ ‘Fear of the Dark’ and ‘Iron Maiden’ before the band left the stage – surely promising an encore.

Encore they did, opening with the immortal intro to ‘The Number of the Beast’ while an immense blow-up Satan watched over the band.  ‘Blood Brothers’ followed and then the band finally ended the set with the 1986 classic ‘Wasted Years.’

The performance from a band that has been around since 1975 is every bit as tight and eclectic as you would expect it to be.  The band members still continue to run among the stage while hitting notes – hell, they’re more mobile than many of the younger touring bands of the present day.  Two of the members on stage have performed on every Maiden release since 1980 – bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris and guitarist Dave Murray.

It seems that these six Brits have acquired the secret to retaining youth, or they are simply aware that they are one of the most successful and sought after bands in the world – so they act accordingly.  Iron Maiden’s legacy continues on, carried by metal anthems and a custom Boeing 747.