Bruce Dickinson Brings The Mandrake Project Live 2025 to The Fillmore Detroit

John Swider

4 months ago

Detroit,Michigan(September 25,2025)-Bruce Dickinson has spent decades commanding some of the biggest stages in the world as the voice of Iron Maiden. On Thursday night in the Motor City, he proved he doesn’t need a stadium to deliver a show of that scale. At the Fillmore Detroit, the veteran frontman led his solo band through a night that balanced deep cuts, some new material and a few surprises along the way, reminding fans that his creative fire still churns deep.

The Fillmore, with its gilded balconies and old-theater charm, was packed shoulder to shoulder long before the lights dimmed. This wasn’t just your usual midweek concert—it felt like an occasion. Fans turned up in Iron Maiden denim, battered tour shirts from the ’90s, and more than a few copies of Dickinson’s latest solo album tucked under arms. Conversations in the lobby around the merch area carried the same themes: what would the setlist look like and would Bruce dig deep into the corners of his catalog? When the house lights dropped and the band launched into “Accident of Birth,” those questions were quickly laid to rest.

Dickinson came out swinging, literally, his voice sharp and as powerful as ever with the kind of opening that clears the air and lets the audience know there was no easing into the 16-song setlist. He owned the stage instantly, moving with the same restless energy that has been his trademark for decades. The theater may have been a intimate setting compared to the stadiums he’s used to performing in, but he treated it with the same command, pacing, crouching, and pointing as if directing a much larger crowd.

The set dug deep early, with “Abduction” and “Laughing in the Hiding Bush.” None of these were safe picks whatsoever. They carried the weight of his solo years, the kind of songs that remind you Dickinson’s career outside Maiden wasn’t a side project—it was essential to keeping his creative fire alive. Hearing them live gave them new muscle, especially with a band that played them like they belonged on the biggest stages. Philip Naslund and Chris Declercq traded guitar riffs, Tanya O’Callaghan’s bass rattled the floors and Mistheria’s keys added a gothic edge that made each track feel much larger. Behind it all, Dave Moreno’s drumming kept the rhythm tight yet aggressive.

One of the night’s strongest stretches came with the new material. “Shadow of the Gods” hit with a force that surprised some in the audience who might have expected it to be a breather. Instead, it sounded like a statement—proof that Dickinson’s latest work isn’t filler, but future canon. Between songs, he shared that he has more than 60 new pieces in the pipeline and will head back into the studio in 2026. For someone who could easily coast on past glories, that level of output shows he still views his career as unfinished business.

Among the older tracks, “The Chemical Wedding” was a showstopper. The title cut from his 1998 record was a sprawling, heavy piece that lives somewhere between metal and mysticism, and live, it carried an even greater intensity. Dickinson’s voice rose above the dense arrangement, still cutting through with clarity and power. Fans in the front rows were locked in, some mouthing every word, others just staring, almost stunned at how alive the song felt.

The night’s biggest surprise came halfway through: a performance of Iron Maiden’s “Flash of the Blade.” For lifelong Maiden fans, this was a wish-list moment. The song has rarely—if ever—been a part of Maiden’s live rotation, which made its sudden appearance all the more thrilling. The second the opening riff rang out, the crowd reaction was instantaneous. People surged forward, fists in the air, as if they couldn’t quite believe Dickinson was actually giving them this rarity. It wasn’t just a nod to his past; it was a gift.

Dickinson also used the set to take some unnecessary risks. His cover of Edgar Winter’s “Frankenstein” was the curveball of the night. What could have been a straightforward instrumental showcase turned into an unpredictable spectacle. Dickinson stepped behind a set of stand-up drums and pounded along with Moreno before wandering toward a Theremin. The sounds that followed—piercing, ghostly, chaotic—filled the room with both laughter and amazement. It was playful, a little bizarre, and entirely unique. Everyone knew they were seeing something that would never happen the same way again.

A couple cuts “Resurrection Men” and “Rain on the Graves” gave the night a darker direction, leaning into storytelling as much as the riffs laid the foundation. The latter carried a heavy theatrical quality, with Dickinson throwing himself into the vocal delivery while the band provided a heavy, scintillating backdrop. These weren’t just used as filler tracks—they gave the set texture, shifting it away from being a straight greatest-hits run and into something more dynamic.

The closing run of the main set leaned into three of the more harder cuts of the night. “The Alchemist,” “Book of Thel,” and “Road to Hell” came in rapid succession, each one delivered with a punch that had the crowd shouting along. When the time came that Dickinson finally stepped offstage for a well deserved breather, the fans looked spent, but still ready for a little more metal bliss from the legendary frontman.

And the encore delivered exactly what they wanted.

“Tears of the Dragon” drew one of the loudest singalongs of the night, the audience nearly drowning out Dickinson on the chorus. Phones lit up across the theater, but instead of distraction, it felt like fans wanted to capture proof they were part of it. “Gods of War,” another newer cut, followed and held its own against the older material, showing just how much weight Dickinson’s recent writing carries. The night closed with “The Tower,” stretched out with a deliberate pacing that gave the finale extra gravity. Each pause built anticipation until the final notes rang out and the band walked off to well deserved standing ovation.

What made the night stand out wasn’t just the mix of songs, but the intent behind it. Dickinson treated his solo career not as a side project to Maiden but as its own living, evolving work. At 67, his voice remains remarkably strong, his stage presence undiminished. More importantly, he’s still taking chances—still experimenting, still reaching for new ground.

The Fillmore crowd got more than a concert; they got a reminder of why Bruce Dickinson is still one of heavy metal’s most compelling figures. He could easily coast on Maiden’s catalog, but instead he gave Detroit a show that balanced history, ambition, and genuine unpredictability.

Some legends slow down and rely on nostalgia. Dickinson showed he’s not done climbing.~John Swider