Anyone ever cry at a Maiden show lol?

So I saw them last night for my 11th time! I have been to all of their California shows since 2012 (with the exception of the overpriced Power Trip) and last night during Wasted Years I freaking lost it.

Keep in mind I saw them for my 10th time in Chula Vista last Friday but left during The Trooper/Wasted Years because Wife wanted us to avoid the huge traffic jam leaving.

Also this was my 3 y/o daughter's 1st Maiden show (although she was supposed to have gone to the Anaheim show in 2022!)

I first discovered Maiden in 2002/3 / (I was 5/6) from GTA Vice City V Rock (2MTM) and being a kid, no internet and what not, had no further knowledge of the band moving forward.

I then heard them again in 2007 (I was 10) in Guitar Hero 3 (NOTB) and my friend's parents also had a NOTB shirt.

It wasn't until 2008 (I was 11) when 1 of my friend's purchased the SBIT compilation album because he enjoyed the band and loved their artwork and wanted to try and draw some of the featured art in the CD booklet.

He burned me a copy and I remember listening to it on a trip to Fresno on my mp3.

I heard their classics for the 1st time: Children of the Damned, Phantom of the Opera, The Evil That Men Do, Hallowed Be Thy Name (to name a few).

I fell in love with their music!

I got into The Beatles after their RockBand game dropped in 2009 and they were my favorite for the time being but...

It wasn't until 2010 (A bit before Final Frontier dropped/I was 12 going on 13) though that I did a deep dive and downloaded their entire catalogue in which I came to discover just how truly amazing this band is!

I remember seeing the ADS for the Maiden show that was going to take place in San Bernardino with Dream Theater in 2010 and I wish I would have begged harder, but my parents didn't buy me tickets to the show and I was still too young to understand how to buy official tickets and what not.

I finally got to see the boys in 2012 (I was 14 going on 15 | Irvine August 9th/10th!).

Initially my Dad purchased me the lawn for the 1st night.

I ended up buying Orchestra Tickets for August 10th and managed to upgrade my Lawn tickets to Orchestra for August 9th as well (Live Nation customer support helped me via email haha).

The day comes and for whatever reason my Dad tells me he's not driving me all the way down to Irvine for the show...I remember losing it crying in defeat.

Luckily my 24 year old brother offered to take me and pick me up after the show!

Did I mention I attended both shows alone and were my 1st concerts?!

I was initially afraid at first, but felt very welcomed and comfortable around all these people that shared this love for Maiden that I had!

Doctor Doctor comes on...then the pre intro and then Moonchild intro..

Pyro blows and Maiden rushes the stage...I lost it! Tears of joy finally getting to see my favorite band and cherry on top it's a 7th Son based setlist!

I broke down in tears of happy joy and sang along with Bruce, "I am he, the born-less one
The fallen angel watching you."

I was able to attend night 2 and carpooled with the guitarist for my church who was going with his uncles (they were in lawn and we met after the show).

I made the dumb mistake of forgetting my glasses! It was a bit hard to see the boys night 2 but I still managed to have an amazing time!

I have gone on to see Maiden 9 more times after that.

My wife surprised me with Pit tickets to their Battle of San Bernardino show (2013) for my 16th birthday!

That's the closest i've been to Maiden apart from seeing Bruce/Adrian/Steve solo gigs!

I recall reading up on Bruce's cancer diagnosis in 2015? (I was 17 going on 18 at the time).

I remember praying to God to heal him and help him beat it.

Book of Souls got announced in June 2015 (shortly after I graduated high school) I believe?

It was also dropping a few days before my 18th Birthday

I didn't listen to the album the day it dropped because I was expecting to receive it as a Birthday gift haha (in which I did received the deluxe book CD).

It was a special album because of all that was going on with Bruce and I believe he had been cleared by the time the album dropped?

The Book of Souls tour gets announced and wife didn't want to do pit anymore so we opted for the best seats we could possibly get.

I recall we got tickets for the 1st night April 15, 2016 at the Forum but they weren't the best.

Night 2 April 16, 2016 got announced and I tried my luck and got much better seats, but had to sell off the tickets for the 1st night (wish I would have attended both to be honest).

April 16 arrives...

Book of Souls intro comes on....Bruce appears staring over the fire singing the lines "here is the soul of a man.."

And of course it turned out to be a killer show as I finally got to hear the Book of Souls tracks of course, Children of the Damned, Powerslave, Blood Brothers, and finally returning to the set Hallowed Be Thy Name which was excluded from the Maiden England 2012/3 sets because of the legal issues going on at the time.

They finished the show with Wasted Years.

Concert comes to an end and I remember crying because I was so happy and grateful that Bruce was still with us and that Maiden were back and better than ever...

I won't deep dive into all of the gigs I attended haha, but just wanted to point out some key moments there.

I have gone on to see them in 2017 (San Bernardino), 2019 (Las Vegas/Los Angeles), and 2022 (Chula Vista/Anaheim).

Maiden have been my favorite ever since I listened to all of their albums.

They have been there for me in the worst and best of times in life.

They have gotten me through Bullying, Breakups, School Exams, Those I've lost in life, and all of Life's hardships that have come my way.

Fast forward to 2024, I am now a 27 year old married man with a 3 y/o whom I hope comes to enjoy Maiden as much as me hahaha.

I think I broke down crying because for a moment in time I was that 11 year old boy again listening to that Maiden comp again for the 1st time.

Everything that has led me to where I am just rushed through my head.

I cried and couldn't even sing the last few verses and even felt myself gasping/bawling hahahaha.

It truly was an emotional moment in time for me.

Discovering Maiden at 5 and seeing where I am today as a 27 year old and come to the realization that I am living in the golden years and shouldn't spend my time searching for those Wasted Years...(yes the lyrics are in reverse lol).

Cheers and if you made it this far, thank you for reading!