During a heartfelt moment at their recent concert at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, Iron Maiden paid tribute to Paul Di’Anno, the band’s original vocalist from their first two albums, who passed away at the age of 66. The tribute came before performing “The Time Machine,” a track from their latest album Senjutsu.
Instead of the usual introduction, Bruce Dickinson, who took over as the band’s lead vocalist starting with the iconic The Number of the Beast album, spoke to the crowd about Di’Anno’s impact. “As many of you know, our friend and bandmate Paul Di’Anno has passed away. If you didn’t know, now you do. Paul was instrumental in shaping our first two albums, Killers and the debut self-titled album. He had an extraordinary voice and was devoted to rock and roll until the very end.”
Dickinson then asked the audience, “To those who remember those early albums, and fans of his later work with Battlezone and other solo projects, take a few seconds, close your eyes, and silently say: ‘Thank you, boss, for everything you did.'”
After a few moments of silence, Dickinson added: “So Paul, wherever you are, this is a message from Minneapolis: Minneapolis, scream for Paul Di’Anno!”
The tribute was a touching homage to Di’Anno’s legacy, reminding fans of his vital role in Iron Maiden’s early success.