Have You Seen This Band? Iron Maiden’s 1987 Somewhere on Tour
Hey metalheads, let’s crank the time machine back to 1987, when Iron Maiden was tearing up stages worldwide on their Somewhere on Tour. Supporting their synth-tinged masterpiece Somewhere in Time (released in ‘86), this tour was a futuristic feast of riffs, epic stage setups, and Bruce Dickinson’s banshee wails. If you caught them live back then, you witnessed a band at the peak of their ‘80s powers—let’s dive into the dates and some killer trivia!
This was actually one of my very first concerts. Columbus, OH - the opener was supposed to be some unknown band named Guns N Roses but the singer had a sore throat and had to cancel (go figure). Fortunately some guys named Megadeth stepped up to open!!
The Tour Dates
The Somewhere on Tour kicked off in 1986 but roared through 1987 with a relentless schedule. Running from September 10, 1986, to May 21, 1987, Maiden played 151 shows across 253 days—talk about stamina! Here’s a spotlight on some key 1987 dates (note: this isn’t exhaustive, but it hits the highlights):
January 5, 1987 – Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA, USA
January 17, 1987 – Hollywood Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, FL, USA (with Yngwie Malmsteen opening—shred alert!)
March 9, 1987 – Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI, USA (with Waysted)
March 27, 1987 – Stabler Arena, Bethlehem, PA, USA
April 2, 1987 – Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, USA (a legendary night in the Big Apple)
April 23, 1987 – Montreal Forum, Montreal, QC, Canada
May 13-15, 1987 – Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK (three epic hometown shows to close it out)
May 21, 1987 – Groenoordhallen, Leiden, Netherlands (the grand finale!)
The tour spanned the globe, hitting North America, Europe, and even Eastern Bloc countries like Poland and Yugoslavia—pretty groundbreaking for a metal band in the Cold War era. Sadly, one gig, January 24 in Beaumont, TX, got canned due to slow ticket sales. Guess not every town was ready for Eddie’s invasion!
Fun Trivia to Impress Your Metal Mates
Futuristic Overload: The Somewhere on Tour stage was a sci-fi wet dream—think inflatable spaceships, laser guns, and a towering cyborg Eddie. It was their most ambitious production yet, hauling over 100 tons of gear in seven or eight 45-foot trucks. The PA system alone pumped out 180,000 watts—your ears didn’t stand a chance!
One-Night Wonders: On the opening night in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (September 10, 1986), they played “The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner” live for the first—and only—time. Bootlegs exist, but the audio’s rougher than a sandpaper solo. Another rarity, “Flight of Icarus,” popped up for the first six shows before vanishing until 2018’s Legacy of the Beast tour.
Riot in the Swamp: March 28, 1987, at the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, NJ, is infamous for a parking lot riot. Fans got rowdy, and chaos ensued—Maiden shows weren’t just concerts; they were events!
Anthrax Cameo?: During “Heaven Can Wait” at some gigs, members of Anthrax (like Scott Ian and Joey Belladonna) reportedly joined the “oh-oh-oh” chantfest onstage. They weren’t official openers, so maybe they were just crashing the party—metal brotherhood at its finest.
Setlist Gold: The 1987 setlist leaned hard into Somewhere in Time—think “Caught Somewhere in Time,” “Wasted Years,” and “Heaven Can Wait”—mixed with classics like “The Number of the Beast” and “Hallowed Be Thy Name.” “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” got a rare outing too, clocking in at 13 minutes of pure Maiden magic.
Why It Rocked
By 1987, Iron Maiden was a well-oiled machine, fresh off the grueling World Slavery Tour. Somewhere in Time brought a new edge with its synths and layered guitars, and the tour matched that vibe with a sleek, forward-looking energy. They played to over 2.5 million fans across 151 shows—numbers that’d make lesser bands weep. Plus, Bruce’s voice was still a force of nature, even after years of non-stop touring.
So, did you see Iron Maiden in ‘87? Maybe you were headbanging at MSG or dodging riot cops in Jersey. Drop your stories in the comments—I wanna hear ‘em! Up the Irons!