Full metal racket (From Western Telegraph)

Full metal racket

Live review: Hi-On Maiden, The Imperial, Milford Haven, March 12th

This was always going to be a hair 'n' leather night as befits the heavy metal of Iron Maiden, albeit in a tribute band incarnation.

With subtlety off the menu and with little variation in tempo, all the better for head-banging, it was Maiden by numbers, but great for singing along to.

There is undeniably a feel good factor about tribute bands such as Hi-On Maiden which brings out an end-of-the-pier singalong atmosphere, although, possibly, that was not the intention.

Iron Maiden have always been the embodiment of old school traditional British heavy metal music.

Incredibly popular world-wide, particularly during the '80s, they are masters of the cranium crushing power chord and those grandiose epics whose lineage can be traced directly back to portentous prog rock.

With themes of Vikings, Satan, outlaws, the gallows equivalent of death row, and the oppression of native American Indians, amongst others, plus a fascination with gothic horror fantasy, Iron Maiden have never been known for their political correctness.

But while their songs do not seem to be based on any notions of personal experience, they are theatrical, exciting and of course great head-banging material.

And Hi-On Maiden, as a first rate tribute band, had all the moves, poses and posturing, plus a Bruce Dickinson look-alike on vocals, a bass player straight out of Spinal Tap and a guitarist with a look of pantomime dame about him.

They steamed through the classics: Number Of The Beast, Iron Maiden, Wrath Child, The Phantom Of The Opera and that old favourite love song (by Maiden standards) Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter.

All in all a full metal racket.

Great, too, to see The Imperial open again for rock business.