Sun 6/18 @ 7:30PM
When it comes to tribute bands, we’re living in a brave new world. In fact, it’s the golden age where not only can you find a cable program dedicated to the best cover band, but these acts boast touring itineraries that seemingly rival the artists they’re covering.
More so, the tribute band genre, if you will, has evolved into niches where some groups either focus on a certain era or provide a slightly different take to the original material.
Take for instance the Iron Maidens — Kirsten “Bruce Chickinson” Rosenberg (vocals), Linda “Nikki McBURRain” McDonald (drums), Wanda “Steph Harris” Ortiz (bass), Courtney “Adriana Smith” Cox (guitar) and Nikki “Davina Murray” Stringfield (guitar) — which. after forming more than 15 years ago. is still “Running Free” and going strong.
The world’s only all-female Iron Maiden tribute act makes its Cleveland debut Sun 6/18 at the Beachland Ballroom.
“Usually we’re asked, why Iron Maiden?” said McDonald, calling from Southern California. “And we’re like, well, why not? We’re a group of girls from Los Angeles who had a common thread of Iron Maiden.
“We just wanted to have a good time, go out and play some songs we absolutely loved. We knew that there were a lot of other people who loved Iron Maiden too.”
McDonald’s love affair with the “Run to the Hills” act began in clichéd fashion when, after getting suspended from school, she busted into her brother’s album collection. While previously she knew of Iron Maiden, McDonald decided to give Maiden Japan a spin. The live EP blew her away. Not long after the teenager started playing drums and, of course, Iron Maiden tunes.
Set list-wise, the Iron Maidens are known to cover the metal group’s more popular songs (“The Trooper,” “The Number of the Beast,” et al.), but McDonald said the band members are most proud of the obscure material.
“One we’ve been doing is ‘Alexander the Great,’ because Iron Maiden has never played that live,” McDonald said.
In fact, it’s the Iron Maidens’ version of this “Somewhere in Time” tune that actually drew a reaction from Iron Maiden’s singer Bruce Dickinson and bassist Steve Harris.
“They were actually in the audience in Mexico City when we shared the bill with Harris’ daughter, who was playing in a band,” McDonald said. “After the show, Harris came backstage, walked right up to us and told us we did a great job. He gave us a thumbs up and his blessing. We were all pinching ourselves. We couldn’t believe what was happening.
“Also, both Dickinson and Harris heard us play ‘Alexander the Great’ and commented that they thought it was done well, but it wasn’t enough to make them want to do it live themselves. So that’s one song they’ll never play live that we do and people seem to really appreciate that.”
Averaging more than 50 gigs a year, the Iron Maidens have shared the stage with Kiss, Snoop Dogg, Cypress Hill, Danzig and Motörhead, as well as sold out their own shows around the world. What it is about Iron Maiden’s music that compels fans to seek out one of its tribute acts? McDonald feels as though the simple answer is math.
“Because Iron Maiden can only be in one city at a time,” McDonald said. “They’ve got fans all over the world, so maybe we’re just providing like a surrogate fix. All of the Iron Maiden tribute bands all over the world are just providing a mini-show until the real Iron Maiden comes back around to their town.
“And the fact there are five girls playing Iron Maiden, I think is a little bonus.”