“‘I paid $3,000 for my ticket. Look at me.’ F**k off”: Bruce Dickinson slams “posers” at the front of the Power Trip festival crowd
The Iron Maiden frontman recalls having a “slightly strange experience” playing at the festival.
Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Power Trip
For many Iron Maiden fans, the prospect of being pressed up against the barrier ogling Bruce Dickinson and his bandmates is a holy grail musical experience.
Unfortunately, though, Dickinson says that during Maiden’s headline set at California’s recent Power Trip festival, he felt like nobody on the barrier cared.
Speaking to Brazil’s 92.5 Kiss FM, the Maiden frontman chastises the pack of supposed fans at the front of the crowd, saying that “the people who were at the front were just rich people that wanted to film everything on their phone”.
“Power Trip was a slightly strange experience for us,” he reflects [transcribed by Blabbermouth]. “We did a good show… We didn’t do the, ‘Oh, ’cause it’s Power Trip, we have to suddenly do greatest hits.’ No – we did the Maiden show with all the stuff we’re doing on the tour; Death Of The Celts, everything else like that. And it was a little bit strange because people had been standing out in the heat all day. There was no support band. Completely cold, go on stage…’
“I think what was a little bit strange for us was that the people who should be down the front of the stage, because the tickets for the festival were so expensive, the kids who you wanted to play to were at the back,” he explained. “ And that sucks, actually. It wasn’t our festival; it wasn’t our organisation. We’re going into America next year and we’re doing our own tour. And the people who are down the front are gonna be the people who deserve to be down the front. They’re gonna be the real fans, which is gonna be great.”
He continues: “It’s, like, yeah. Go take a look at some real rock and roll fans – not a bunch of posers who wanna go down the front. ‘I paid 3,000 dollars for my ticket. Look at me.’ Fuck off.”
It’s a shame the heavy metal titans were made to feel unappreciated by the Power Trip hoards – however, the group were still able to play to an impressive 750,000 fans at more than 30 sold-out shows over the summer across Europe. Not a bad stint, if you ask us.
Looking forward, Maiden are set to continue their Future Past Tour well into next year. When they hit Australia next September, hopefully the crowds will give them the heroes welcome they deserve. The band will also hit New Zealand, Japan, the US and Canada at the end of 2024.
Tickets can be purchased at Iron Maiden’s official website.