IRON MAIDEN's Manager Comments On Gothenburg's Record-Breaking Concert Sellout

IRON MAIDEN's 2005 live dates have got off to an amazing start with tickets for their massive show in Gothenburg's Ullevi Stadium on July 9 selling out in just two and a half hours. All 51,000 tickets were snapped up by Scandinavian fans, excited at the thought of seeing one of the world’s greatest rock bands revisit their past.

Comments manager Rod Smallwood, "It's a truly incredible start. We've had great support there before but this is stepping up another level entirely. This show is not happening until next July which I think goes further to illustrate the excitement caused by the announcement of the band playing there. The tour will be the biggest tour we have ever done in terms in the number of fans we are playing to and if the reaction continues like this every show will be a truly momentous occasion."

The promoter of the event and Chairman of Clear Channel Europe Music Division Thomas Johansson says, "It is amazing to be part of the IRON MAIDEN journey in the Nordics. They have such a great history here from the very first date as the opening act to KISS in 1980 to this fantastic Stadium date in Gothenburg. IRON MAIDEN are the fastest-selling rock band ever at the Ullevi Stadium. To sell 51,000 tickets in such a short period of time is a remarkable achievement."

IRON MAIDEN are renowned for their stunning live performances and next year's tour will be a treat for fans both old and new as they will be performing tracks from their early beginnings making this a recreation of their tours that elevated them to worldwide status as one of rock's most enduring and exciting live acts. The band will be basing the set list on their seminal classics from their early years including the likes of "Run to the Hills", "The Trooper" and "Phantom of the Opera" and other tracks that they haven't performed for many years.

Continues Rod Smallwood, "With a band that has such a rich history and a vast collection of great songs we always find it hard to please everyone when picking the best set possible every time we tour, as often the fans want to hear the more obscure songs. This tour is really a celebration of the band's roots and will please a huge number of the fans who have been asking for so long to hear these songs. We're all very excited about it."

These shows tie in with the release of the hugely acclaimed DVD, "The History Of Iron Maiden part 1: The Early Days", which hits the shelves on Monday (Nov. 1) Further dates for IRON MAIDEN's European shows will be announced soon. Tickets for their show at Helsinki’s Hartwell Areena on July 6 go on sale on this Monday and will no doubt sell out in record-breaking time.

To help feed insatiable demand in the U.K., exclusive tickets for British fans, including privileged access to the 55,000-capacity Parc de Princes Stadium on June 25 in Paris, have just been made available.