Music

Iron Maiden to headline Download Festival 2016! Here are five things we love about their live show

It’s official, Iron Maiden have been confirmed as the first headliners for Download Festival 2016.

Amaaaazing.

To celebrate the heavy metal titans’ return to Donington on Sunday 12 June, we’ve rounded up five things we can’t wait to see during their headline set next summer.

1. Bruce Dickinson’s plane

The frontman’s pilot license is almost as legendary as the band itself these days, and there’s usually some kind of plane stunt to oooh and aahhh at when the Leyton rockers play a UK festival. The band will travel in a customised aeroplane on parts of the 2016 world tour, flown by Dickinson and nicknamed ‘Ed Force One’. Flying goggles at the ready…

Iron Maiden - Speed Of Light (Official Video)

2. The brigade of band T-shirts

Okay so every band has merch, but few are quite as synonymous as Iron Maiden’s classic prints. We can’t wait to see the sea of fans flood Donington once again.

3. The Book of Souls

The release of Iron Maiden’s SIXTEENTH studio album was announced after Bruce Dickinson successfully battled tongue cancer, so we can’t think of a better way to welcome them back into the UK’s festival circuit. New material from Maiden in 2016? We’ll take it.

Iron Maiden - Run To The Hills (Official Video)

4. Run To The Hills

Everyone has their favourite Maiden track to sing along to live, and forgive us for the slight cliche, but THIS is ours. RRUUUUN TO THE HIIIIIIILLS. Let us know your favourite over at @TicketmasterUK.

5. The classic Maiden riffs

To think, bassist and songwriter Steve Harris had trials with West Ham football club as a youngster! Thankfully he chose music and wrote tracks like The Trooper. Riffs this good just never get old.

Iron Maiden - The Trooper (Official Video)

Check back for more headliner news for Download Festival 2016 as we get it.

Tickets for Download Festival 2016 go on sale at 09:00 on Friday 23 October, just head to Ticketmaster.co.uk/download.