10 Hard Rock Bands With KILLER Live Shows

By the time metal had reached the '80s, the community had outgrown the doomy production of something like Black Sabbath and Blue Cheer.

While those bands may have laid the groundwork for how metal would look going forward, the next big wave of heavy metal was distinctively British, with everyone from Diamond Head to Saxon making waves on the scene with some of the heaviest anthems known to man. Though every band prided themselves on their performance, no one reached the top of the rock heap quite like Iron Maiden.

Ever since these British metalheads started in the clubs of England, they were always non stop energy, with Steve Harris practically leading the charge with the precision of his bass guitar. However, things started to turn even more epic when Bruce Dickinson joined their ranks, bringing a level of showmanship no one could have imagined.

As opposed to the more growly singers in metal history, every show that Maiden puts on feels like an event, with Bruce getting almost operatic with his screams.

Also, you can't talk about Iron Maiden's shows without mentioning Eddie, who has gone from just a sleeve on the front of the band's albums to one of the most recognizable figures onstage, where he has been incarnated as a life-sized character, a backdrop, or a giant fighting robot.

Though there is some camp and silliness to go around, the amount of love and care that Maiden put into their shows is a testament to the professionalism of one of metal's most long-lasting acts.