Iron Maiden legend Bruce Dickinson has never shied from calling out undesirable fan behavior during concerts.
In the latest such instance, Dickinson blasted a group of fans for smoking cigarettes and vaping during one of his solo concerts in Brazil on Saturday (April 27th). Apparently the smoke and fumes were enough to irritate Bruce’s throat and affect other members of his band and touring party.
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“I can’t fucking breathe,” Dickinson said at one point during the gig via fan footage (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “[Bassist] Tanya [O’Callaghan] can’t breathe. You with the fucking vape over there, yeah, it’s not you, but, you know, please, fucking do that outside, all right? You know, if you can’t stay for five minutes without having a fucking addiction…”
Dickinson also insisted that “some fucker” was “using pepper spray,” though the concert’s promoter later revealed that an audience member’s vape pen had exploded, creating noxious fumes that were similar to pepper spray.
“I do apologize for coughing,” Dickinson said in another clip. “Some of you fuckers are smoking, all right? I can’t sing if you’re gonna smoke, all right? [Tanya’s] coughing her guts out, I’m coughing, my fucking wife is going, ‘Blargh,’ in the back there, all right? It’s kind of disgusting, all right? But if you wanna be disgusting, do it outside, all right? Not in here. My throat’s got work to do. You pay good money to hear me fucking sing, not go, ‘Blargh, blargh,’ all right?”
If you’re going to a Bruce Dickinson or Iron Maiden show, it might be best to leave anything that involves fire or smoke at home. During a Maiden concert in Greece a couple years ago, Bruce labeled a concertgoer a “Greek cunt” for lighting a flare during the set. Thankfully, no one was reported injured.
Dickinson’s ongoing solo tour in support his new album The Mandrake Project has three more Brazilian tour dates before hitting the UK and Europe (get tickets here). Fans can also catch Dickinson when Iron Maiden bring their “Future Past Tour” to North America this fall (tickets available here).
Below you can watch fan footage of Bruce’s rant against smokers.