In Goiânia, the sober and calm Paul Di'Anno gives the tour's best show yet

After a bumpy start to the tour, marked by mistrust and a barrage of criticism on the first date, in FortalezaAnd Paul DiAnno turns the game over. In Goiânia, Wednesday night (1), this perception was built throughout the entire performance and confirmed as a consensus among the band members and the production staff: the former Iron Maiden vocalist at the Bolshoi Pub gave the best show of the tourThe return of the monsterUntil now.” “Today he really sang,” assessed one of the musicians.

In his fifth Goiânia appearance (2005, 2010, 2011, 2013 and now) and fourth at the Bolshoi, Di’Anno capitalized on a combination of factors that enabled him to perform well. In addition to already knowing the house, the vocalist relied on their strictly adherent schedules, a flawless voice, a better rapport with the band and an impressive audience response. Even the city’s mild climate, which wasn’t too humid during the day, helped.

For a 64-year-old man with diabetes, overweight, and a heavy smoker, these are factors that reduce setbacks like those at premieres, which are three hours late. According to reports, the big difference in Goiânia was the behavior of Paul himself.

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Sober and relaxed

People who have heard the report say that, unlike Brasilia, for example, he did not drink before the show, either in the hotel or in the dressing room. He was sober, more confident and comfortable on stage. Away from the eccentric Paul in the other moments on the same tour. Between one sip and another of coconut water strategically located next to his wheelchair, Goiania’s only “excess” was lighting a cigarette while playing “Genghis Khan”.

Before her, the singer had already captivated audiences with classics like “Wrathchild” and “Sanctuary,” which opened the show, and the cult hit “Purgatory,” which has always been applauded by the most observant fans of, let’s say, the “B-side” of Irons. The Drifter, meanwhile, received a lukewarm reception.

“Strange World”, which was projected into the tour’s initial setlist, was introduced at Paul’s own request and no longer appears among the songs rehearsed by the band. It was left to Remember Tomorrow to be the only “story” and the show’s first tense moment: “Will he be able to sing this song?” Like a good trickster, the vocalist plays the audience the parts he knows he doesn’t. But in general, the result is acceptable.

Paul is closely monitored by his physiotherapist, nurse and other caregivers, and is constantly supported on stage. Be it to better accommodate yourself in a wheelchair or to reach any kind of object. All this device, however, does not eliminate his weakened condition, and the singer clearly lives with pain, especially in his leg. At one point, he let out an “f#ck you” to one of them and muttered something like, “You better cut that shit soon.”

Finally slip

When announcing “Transylvania”, the second instrumental that night, Paul Di’Anno joked, “I’ve always been told I sing well tonight.” Then came the two main performances, “The Phantom of the Opera” and “The Free Run”, and a gift of sorts for Goiania fans: “Prowler”, which was presented for the first time on the tour.

Even because of this uniqueness, they ended up making mistakes in the middle part of the song, which the singer took seriously. He raged fiercely against electric guitarist Gypsy Nolas. But it was the only friction throughout the entire set, and it’s worth noting that the musicians seemed to grow closer and closer, even just rehearsing on the road (and without Paul, who declined). In addition to Nolas, the group includes Leo Mancini (guitar), Saulo Xakol (bass) and Henrique Pucci (drums), all three from Noturnall, the opening band that brought a large number of fans to the Bolshoi.

Scheduled to end, “Iron Maiden” has not been performed. So far it hasn’t appeared on tour, but the musicians are betting they’ll still “convince” Paul to play it. At least if everything continues to work out as it does in Goiânia, which, given the circumstances, came close to the possible ideal. One of the band members said:

“It was the best show of the tour so far. But Paul has setbacks. Sometimes, he gets depressed, and he often asks himself, ‘I’m sloppy.’ But he was happy today.”

* Photos and videos passerby