"Scream for me London!" As 20,000 voices raise the roof of Earls Court, Bruce Dickinson, human foghorn and public image of metal stalwarts Iron Maiden, throws his hands up in the air, legs apart in an iconic pose. After a six-year stint writing books and fencing for fun, he's back in rock and roll.

With their operatic epics and record sales topping 80m, Iron Maiden are the granddaddies of metal. But while the kids love the clown masks of Slipknot, it's Maiden that their dads and Slipknot bow down to. And there's a lot of worshipping tonight. The atmosphere is one of devotion and disbelief, as the original ball-busting line-up of Dickinson, bassist Steve Harris, drummer Nicko McBrain and guitarists Jannick Gers, Adrian Smith and Dave Murray celebrate their past glories and present success of new album Brave New World at their only UK gig of the current European tour.

From new song The Wicker Man to firm favourite Twelve Minutes to Midnight, the crowd are word-perfect. As always, the stage sets are impressive. Dickinson appears suspended on a cross at the back of the set as explosions go off around him. Maiden have fun, with Gers running across the stage and carrying out a bizarre shaman dance. But it's Dickinson's awesome vocals and old-fashioned crowd-pleasing activities that do the legend proud.