IRON MAIDEN Releases Official Statement Regarding Power Outage At Paris Concert

Last night (Monday, June 22),IRON MAIDEN returned to La Défense Arena in Paris. Having played two sold-out nights there last year in the 37,000-capacity indoor stadium, home of Racing 92 rugby club, this return a year later was specifically to film the show for posterity and future release, and an indoor stadium and exuberant French fans were ideal for this. However, about 50 minutes into the set toward the end of "2 Minutes To Midnight", a total power cut brought everything to a stop. As stated by Le Figaro, the French national newspaper, today: "Officials are investigating whether the outage was linked to the extreme heat. However, French electricity distributor Enedis said the problem did not appear to originate from the public power grid and was more likely related to the arena's own electrical installation. The exact cause remains under investigation."

IRON MAIDEN was able to resume on stage about an hour after the cut occurred continuing the set with "Rime Of The Ancient Mariner". The concert was scheduled to finish by 11 p.m. with a curfew at that time which the local police chief would only extend to 11:35 p.m. after the cut off because, MAIDEN was told, all local transport in the area stopped by 12:15 a.m. and they could not have over 30,000 fans on the streets unable to get home. This gave just enough time for the band to complete the set, finishing with "Iron Maiden" but unable to play any of the encores.

MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson comments: "Despite everything, the audience and atmosphere last night were fantastic and, like every other challenge IRON MAIDEN have faced over the years, we'll find a way to deal with and overcome the missing songs in the encore when it comes to the final film.

"We know that many of you travelled long distances, waited patiently throughout the interruption, and were looking forward to experiencing the complete 'Run For Your Lives' show. We share your disappointment. No one is more frustrated than the band and crew, who were eager to deliver the full performance you deserved.

"What we will remember most from last night is the incredible spirit inside the arena. Your patience, understanding and unwavering support through an extremely challenging situation meant the world to us. The energy in the room was remarkable and is exactly what we have to come to expect from Paris, and a reminder of why we always love playing here.

"Thank you, Paris."

MAIDEN manager Rod Smallwood adds: "The fans were magnificent and a huge thanks to them from the band for their patience and support. It just illustrates again what great fans we have. The temperature in Paris was as high as 44°C that day and the hall AC went off with the cut so of course, with so many people in there, it soon got hot while they were waiting for us to be able to resume playing. Naturally when we continued with the lights and pyro and excitement it got seriously hot for fans and band. Despite that, the energy of the reaction was incredible!"

The setlist for the "Run For Your Lives" world tour — which was announced in September 2024 as a global celebration of IRON MAIDEN's 50th anniversary — focuses on material from the band's first nine studio albums.

Last October, MAIDEN announced the North American dates of their critically acclaimed "Run For Your Lives" world tour. In celebration of their 50th anniversary, the band will be performing at stadiums and major amphitheaters across the United States and Canada, allowing fans the chance to witness the brand new, state-of-the-art production, on the scale it is intended for — huge stages in outdoor venues, to accompany the setlist of songs from the band's groundbreaking first nine albums. They will also headline America's rock festival Louder Than Life at the Highland Festival Grounds in Kentucky on September 17, 2026.

The shows will mark 45 years since IRON MAIDEN first visited Canada and the USA on the 1981 "Killer" world tour, according to a press release, and "feature some of the biggest shows the band has ever played there."

Since forming in 1975, IRON MAIDEN has released classic albums like "The Number Of The Beast", "Powerslave" and "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son".

MAIDEN's most recent LP, the band's seventeenth, "Senjutsu", came out in 2021.

In December 2024, IRON MAIDEN played the final show of its "The Future Past Tour" at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil. That run of concerts was the last for longtime drummer Nicko McBrain, who has since been replaced by Simon Dawson, a former session drummer and MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris's rhythm section partner of the past 14 years with BRITISH LION.