LOOK at everyone here…people from every corner of the world. We don’t care where you are from, what religion you are, what colour you are or what you had for breakfast. If you are here tonight you come in peace. So said Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson, to a choked-up sellout crowd of 8,000 metalheads.

After the awful events in Manchester on Monday, time was for lovers of live music to show unity and defiance in the face of terror. And how South Wales (and beyond) delivered.

It almost seems superfluous to ‘review’ the gig as such. But as far as concerts go, this was a cracker. An absolute stormer. And it was emotional.

Yes, people did have second thoughts about not going, the please-don’t-go phone calls from worried mums. The change-your-mind pleas from siblings and children. All fine and good. But the point is Iron Maiden fans took on the spirit of the band’s 2006 track These Colours Don’t Run, and filled the entire arena.

Fans were treated to tracks from the new Book of Souls album, Bruce doing his trademark leaps around the Mayan-themed stage, and diehards were rewarded with classics like Wrathchild, Powerslave and Fear of the Dark, with an encore of Number of the Beast, Blood Brothers and Wasted Years.

Eddie thrilled all by lumbering around stage and ‘fighting’ with Dickinson…the frontman ripping out his heart and throwing it to the crowd. Classic Maiden. The sound was great, the musicianship spot-on.

I finish by dedicating this review to all those affected by the atrocity in Manchester. May strength be with you, always.