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155-643: The first Long Beach Municipal Auditorium was completed in 1905. The second Municipal Auditorium was completed in 1932. It extended 500 feet into the water at the center of the Rainbow Pier . It was demolished in 1975. Listed below are historic photos from the Municipal Auditorium. Long Beach Convention Center Long Beach Arena Long Beach Performing Arts Center During the COVID-19 pandemic in California ,

310-618: A Blu-ray, DVD, and CD release in May and June, topping the music DVD charts in 25 countries. In most of them the release went Gold, Platinum or Multi-Platinum. The band had begun composing new material and booked studio time in early 2010 with Kevin Shirley producing, and The Final Frontier was announced on 4 March and featured three singles "The Final Frontier", "El Dorado" and "Coming Home", as well as epic, progressive opuses "Isle of Avalon", "The Talisman" and "When The Wild Wind Blows". The album,

465-488: A Seventh Son , which was released in 1988. A concept album recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich and based on the 1987 novel Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card , it was the band's first record to include keyboards, which were performed by Harris and Smith. Dickinson's enthusiasm was also renewed as his ideas were accepted for this album. Another popular release, it became Iron Maiden's second album to hit number 1 in

620-588: A band meeting. The dismissal took place due to issues Bayley had experienced with his voice during the Virtual XI World Tour , although Janick Gers said this was partly the band's fault for forcing him to perform songs pitched outside the natural range of his voice. The band entered into talks with Dickinson, who agreed to rejoin during a meeting in Brighton in January 1999, along with guitarist Adrian Smith, who

775-617: A beach and grand bath house resort at the Long Beach terminus of the Red Car interurban commuter electric railroad system Pacific Electric Railway southern expansion from Los Angeles. A grand bath house was constructed at the shore, scheduled to open Independence Day, 1902. The grand opening of the bath house, known later as The Plunge, coincided with the inaugural run of the Pacific Electric Railway Long Beach Line on

930-556: A carousel at the Pike in Long Beach, and he took up residence with his son, Arthur Looff and the rest of his family in the second story above the shops in the carousel hippodrome building that would later become home to Lite-a-Line. Buster Keaton filmed a scene from The High Sign (1921) at the Long Beach Pike carousel. The horses of the original Long Beach Looff Carousel carved in 1911 were destroyed by fire in 1943. A new outdoor carousel

1085-510: A concert in Ljubljana in May 2023. On 6 October, the band performed at the Power Trip festival which drew nearly 100,000 people. Throughout the 2023–24 world tour, Iron Maiden performed 81 shows for almost two million fans. On 19 September 2024, the band announced their 26th global tour, Run For Your Lives World Tour , which is set to start in May 2025, to celebrate the band's 50th anniversary and

1240-495: A crowd of 20,000. After the success of Piece of Mind and its supporting tour, the band released their fifth studio album, Powerslave , on 9 September 1984. The album features the singles " 2 Minutes to Midnight " and " Aces High ", the title track, and "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge 's poem Rime of the Ancient Mariner ). Powerslave was another chart success, reaching number 12 on

1395-448: A double live-album, entitled Live After Death . The arena was also one of the sites of the 1986 and 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Rounds of 64 and 32. The teams that played at the arena in 1986 included Maryland, Pepperdine & UNLV. Maryland's Len Bias played his final collegiate game at the arena on March 16, 1986, in a loss to UNLV in the Round of 32. In 1990,

1550-673: A four-song demo at Spaceward Studios in Cambridge. Hoping the recording would help them secure more gigs, the band gave a copy to Neal Kay , who, at the time, was managing a heavy metal club called "Bandwagon Heavy Metal Soundhouse". After hearing the tape, Kay began playing the demo regularly at the Bandwagon, and one of the songs, "Prowler", eventually went to number 1 in the Soundhouse charts, which were published weekly in Sounds magazine. A copy

1705-569: A full-length documentary film in select cinemas on 21 April 2009. Entitled Iron Maiden: Flight 666 , it documented the first part of the Somewhere Back in Time World Tour (between February and March 2008). Flight 666 was co-produced by Banger Productions and was distributed in cinemas by Arts Alliance Media and EMI , with D&E Entertainment sub-distributing in the US. The film went on to have

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1860-539: A larger, more modern auditorium was constructed. Filling of the shoreline area continued in the late 1950s and early 1960s with the Tidelands Filling Project. In 1954 there were 218 amusements in the park, but during that time the zone began to face stiff competition from Knott's Berry Farm and then Disneyland (both less than 20 miles (32 km) away) and the rough, free-for-all reputation of The Pike may have discouraged some families from attending. In

2015-404: A live video, entitled Maiden England . The video debuted at top spots of worldwide music videos charts. In May, the group set out on a supporting tour , which saw them perform 103 shows to well over two million people worldwide over seven months. To recreate the album's keyboards onstage throughout the tour, the group recruited Michael Kenney, Steve Harris' bass technician; Kenney has served as

2170-595: A major influence on their work. Other bands and artists directly influenced by Iron Maiden include Ghost , Avenged Sevenfold , In Flames , Anthrax , Exodus , and Alice in Chains . Journalist Geoff Barton says the band's music constituted an important passage between the classic heavy rock school during the 1960s and 1970s, based on rhythm and blues, and contemporary heavy metal, characterised by sub-genre diversification and stylistic eclecticism. Music journalist Götz Kühnemund said "Iron Maiden were (and still are)

2325-431: A major record deal with EMI and asked Dave Murray's childhood friend, Adrian Smith of Urchin , to join the group as their second guitarist. Busy with his own band, Smith declined and Dennis Stratton was hired instead. Shortly after, Doug Sampson left due to health issues and was replaced by ex- Samson drummer Clive Burr at Stratton's suggestion on 26 December 1979. Iron Maiden's first appearance on an EMI album

2480-505: A pedestrian overpass supporting teaser artwork resembling a steel roller coaster, an outdoor amphitheater, an antique Spillman carousel (1920) and a solar-powered Ferris wheel . However, the mostly entertainment-focused commercial concept was not ultimately successful. Borders , a main anchor of the center, closed in 2011. GameWorks shuttered and re-opened as Kitchen Den Bar, which also closed along with several other entertainment-oriented businesses. In 2013, Restoration Hardware opened in

2635-401: A raspiness in his voice, or whatever you want to call it, that just gave it this great edge". At this time, Murray would typically act as their sole guitarist, with Harris commenting, "Davey was so good he could do a lot of it on his own. The plan was always to get a second guitarist in, but finding one that could match Davey was really difficult". On New Year's Eve, 1978, Iron Maiden recorded

2790-868: A regular part of the band's concert setlists. Achieving their third number 1 on the UK albums chart and number 12 on the Billboard 200 , the release also included the number 2 single " Be Quick or Be Dead ", the number 21 single " From Here to Eternity ", and the softer " Wasting Love ". The album featured the first songwriting by Gers, and no collaboration between Harris and Dickinson on songs. The extensive worldwide tour that followed included their first-ever Latin American leg, although Christian organisations prevented Iron Maiden from performing in Chile and accused them of being "emissaries of satanic propaganda", and headlining

2945-457: A secluded booth with table service on linen. Charles I.D. Looff was one of the first great American carousel master carvers, having installed the first successful carousel at Coney Island , and developing amusements, carousels and roller coasters around the U.S.; examples of his carousels at Santa Monica Pier Looff Hippodrome (1922) and Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk with brass ring feature (1911) still stand. In 1911, Charles I.D. Looff installed

3100-484: A selection of tracks from their 1980 eponymous debut to 1988's Seventh Son of a Seventh Son , as well as several live versions from Live After Death . In 2008–09 in Latin America the band played 27 concerts for about a million people in total, a record for a heavy rock performer. The tour continued with two legs in the US and Europe in the summer of 2008. The sole UK concert took place at Twickenham Stadium , marking

3255-576: A shack on top, the caption should read "Niagara Barrel". The Pike's first more traditional wooden roller coaster opened for business in June 1907. It was built by Fred Ingersoll and named the Figure 8 after the shape of the tracks. It was built on pilings that reached out over the water. According to a 1966 editorial in the High Tide , the newspaper of Redondo Union High School, a rider met tragedy when he disobeyed

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3410-548: A sign instructing riders not to stand up: "He apparently thought this would spoil his fun, so he proceeded to stand up. Unfortunately, his head was knocked off." Figure 8 was closed in 1914 and demolished to clear the way for new development. In 1914, the Pike Amusement Zone undertook several upgrades and a roller coaster named the Jack Rabbit Racer was opened in May 1915, becoming the second largest racing coaster in

3565-476: A simple beach access made of planks to a midway of concessions , it included The Plunge bathhouse (pictured), Sea Side Studio souvenir photography, the Looff carousel , McGruder salt water taffy , pitch and skill games, pony rides, goat carts, fortune teller, weight guesser and a variety of dark and thrill rides, amusements and attractions large and small. In the early 1920s, the first Long Beach Municipal Auditorium

3720-457: A steel monorail track and could swing freely. The cars traveled up an inclined lift track to the top of an expanding, spiral cone-shaped, steel tower. As they began their spiral descent, centrifugal force caused them to swing outward before returning to the station. This is commonly acknowledged as the first suspended roller coaster type ride. This tall steel tower figures prominently in early postcards of Long Beach Pier (Pine Ave., later to join

3875-593: A three-dimensional model and are looking to perhaps have it rebuilt in Southern California. The last remaining Cyclone Racer roller coaster car is located in the Pike Museum at 2500 Long Beach Blvd, Long Beach CA 90806. The Pike was frequently a location for filming television programs and movies. In the 1970s, the city of Long Beach began redevelopment of the area, expanding into the Pacific Ocean, eliminating

4030-540: A tribute to Gathers. The arena was also the site of the Big West Conference men's basketball tournament from 1989 to 1993. It was the home court for Long Beach State 's men's basketball team for several seasons in the 1970s and 1980s. Run–D.M.C. performed during their Raising Hell Tour on August 17, 1986, with Whodini , LL Cool J , The Beastie Boys and The Timex Social Club as their opening acts. The show made news worldwide when gang fights broke out between

4185-577: Is considered to be one of the most influential and revered heavy metal bands of all time. They have received multiple industry awards, including the Grammy and Brit Awards . The band have released 41 albums, including 17 studio albums, 13 live albums, four EPs and seven compilations . They have also released 47 singles and 20 video albums, and two video games. Iron Maiden's lyrics cover such topics as history, literature, war, mythology, dark fantasy, science fiction, society and religion. As of October 2019 ,

4340-470: Is set to be focused on the band's first nine studio albums. Iron Maiden have received numerous nominations, honours and awards including Grammy Awards and equivalents awards in many countries, Brit Awards , Ivor Novello Awards , and Juno Awards . They have ranked highly in many polls of the greatest metal artists of all time. In 2012 The Number of the Beast was voted as Best British Album Ever by

4495-438: The Billboard 200 and eventually number 1 in the UK. The band's fifth studio album sold over 4 million copies in its first year after the premiere. The tour following the album, called World Slavery Tour , was the band's largest to date with 193 shows in 28 countries over 13 months, playing to an estimated 3,500,000 people. Many shows were played back to back in the same city, such as in Long Beach, California, where

4650-629: The Classic Album series . Following their summer 2003 Give Me Ed... 'Til I'm Dead Tour , with 57 shows in Europe and North America and headlining large festivals such as Roskilde, Heineken Jammin' Festival, Rock am Ring and Rock im Park (combined attendance of 130,000) and the first Download Festival held at Donington Park ; a successor to Monsters of Rock, Iron Maiden released Dance of Death , their thirteenth studio album. It met with worldwide critical and commercial success, reaching number 2 on

4805-524: The Best Metal Performance award at the 2011 Grammy Awards , the band's first win after two previous nominations. On 15 March, a new compilation to accompany 2009's Somewhere Back in Time was announced. The double disc set covers the period 1990–2010 (the band's most recent eight studio albums). In 2012, the band announced a new live album and DVD release entitled En Vivo! , based on footage from

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4960-571: The Cavalcade of Magi 2021 in the Spanish city of Cadiz , next to dolls representing characters known from the world of pop culture, there was a huge, inflatable mummy inspired by the image of the Iron Maiden mascot from 1985. Iron Maiden's distinct logo has adorned all of the band's releases since their debut, 1979's The Soundhouse Tapes EP. The typeface originates with Vic Fair 's poster design for

5115-531: The IHL , WCHL and ECHL . The Ice Dogs ceased operations of the team in 2007. The Eagles performed during a benefit concert for California Senator Alan Cranston on July 31, 1980, on what has been described as "Long Night at Wrong Beach". Tempers boiled over as Glenn Frey and Don Felder spent the entire show telling each other about the beating each planned to administer backstage. "Only three more songs until I kick your ass, pal," Frey recalls Felder telling him near

5270-584: The Iron Curtain . The band's third official video, entitled Behind the Iron Curtain , was released in October 1984. The World Slavery Tour documentary brought footage of the band touring Eastern Europe in 1984, performing shows in the countries visited, Behind the Iron Curtain was the first documentary ever published by a Western artist that showed them touring the countries of Eastern Bloc . The documentary movie

5425-544: The Loyola Marymount Lions , an 11 seed, defeated New Mexico State and then trounced the 3 seed and defending champion Michigan Wolverines by 34 points on their way to an Elite 8 appearance, just days after the on-court death of their star player Hank Gathers in the West Coast Conference tournament . Teammate Bo Kimble (a right-handed player) famously shot his first free throw in each game left-handed as

5580-467: The Monsters of Rock festivals in seven European countries. Iron Maiden's second performance at Donington Park , for a sold-out audience of 75,000, was filmed for the audio and video release Live at Donington and featured a guest appearance by Adrian Smith, who joined the band to perform "Running Free". The tour also saw conflicts between Bruce Dickinson and rest of the band. In 1993, Dickinson left

5735-552: The Ocean Center Building containing Hollywood on the Pike cabaret and an amusement arcade , one could stroll west along the midway past storefront games, such as ball-pitch and shooting galleries , as well as outdoor amusement machines such as fortune predicting weight-scales, and several large indoor collections of coin-operated Electro-mechanical amusements - pinball, skill-prize merchandisers, penny-pitch, nickelodeon viewers, love and strength testers, fortune tellers,

5890-680: The Philadelphia Flyers , both expansion teams, played on October 14, 1967, the Kings won 4–2. The Kings played in Long Beach for the first half of their expansion season while The Forum was being completed. In the 1970s, the arena hosted several games of the Los Angeles Sharks , of the WHA and regular appearances of the Los Angeles Thunderbirds roller derby team. The Grateful Dead played

6045-557: The Queen Mary opened to the public in 1971 as a self-guided maritime museum tour on the upper decks and engine room, a hotel utilizing the former luxury staterooms of the mid-decks and Jacques Cousteau 's The Living Sea . Focus and attention was further diverted from Queens Park with Shoreline Village and Rainbow Harbor marina, serviced by Shoreline Drive, built to connect to the Long Beach Freeway on even more ocean landfill south of

6200-507: The RDS Stadium in Ireland on 31 August. At the end of 2005, Iron Maiden began work on A Matter of Life and Death , their fourteenth studio album, which was released in autumn 2006. War and religion are recurring themes in the lyrics and the cover artwork. The release was a critical and commercial success, marking the band's first top ten on the Billboard 200 and debuting at number one in

6355-455: The fencing competitions during the 1984 Summer Olympics. The convention center will again serve as an Olympic venue if sports climbing is an Olympic event at the 2028 Summer Olympics . The Long Beach Arena has been used to record part or all of several live concert albums and videos, including: [REDACTED] Media related to Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center at Wikimedia Commons The Pike#Rainbow Pier The Pike

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6510-443: The new wave of British heavy metal movement, Iron Maiden released a series of UK and US Platinum and Gold albums, including 1980's debut album , 1981's Killers , and 1982's The Number of the Beast – its first album with Bruce Dickinson , who in 1981 replaced Paul Di'Anno as lead singer. The addition of Dickinson was a turning point in their career, establishing them as one of heavy metal's most important bands. The Number of

6665-450: The volleyball events of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games . For trade shows, the arena features 46,000 square feet (4300 m) of space, with an additional 19,000 square feet (1800 m) of space in the lobby and 29,000 square feet (2700 m) in the concourse. Hanging from the arena's 77 foot (23 m) high ceiling is a center-hung scoreboard with four White Way "Mega Color" Animation Screens. There is an 11 by 15 foot SACO Smartvision LED Wall located on

6820-694: The 11-minute epic "Sign of the Cross", the band's longest song since "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", as well as the singles " Man on the Edge " (based on the film Falling Down ) and " Lord of the Flies ", based on the novel Lord of the Flies . The release is notable for its "dark" tone, inspired by Steve Harris' divorce. The band toured for the rest of 1995 and 1996, playing their first shows in Israel and South Africa as well as Malta, Bulgaria and Romania in Europe, before concluding in

6975-405: The 1950s, the area underwent another face-lift. Advertising with coupons appealing to families appeared in local newspapers. A Kiddieland collection of carnival flat rides, a "Bud" Hurlbut miniature train and petting zoo were installed on the silted-in new sand and public restrooms were built of concrete and cinder-block near a new picnic area, giving it a post-World War II modern look, and the park

7130-494: The 1973 British cult film The Wicker Man – and "Brave New World" – a title taken from the Aldous Huxley novel Brave New World . The album revisited the more progressive and melodic sound featured in some earlier recordings, along with elaborate song structures and keyboard orchestration. The album was a commercial and artistic success. The reunion world tour that followed had over 100 dates (including 31 shows of

7285-731: The 1976 science fiction film, The Man Who Fell to Earth , also used by Gordon Giltrap , although Steve Harris claims he designed it himself, using his training as an architectural draughtsman. Iron Maiden have influenced numerous artists and bands representing different genres of rock and metal music. Kiss co-founder Paul Stanley said Iron Maiden "have helped spawn an entire genre of music" and influenced literally thousands of other artists. According to Guitar World , Iron Maiden's music has "influenced generations of newer metal acts, from legends like Metallica to current stars like Avenged Sevenfold ." Metallica members Lars Ulrich , Kirk Hammett , and Jason Newsted have cited Iron Maiden as

7440-824: The 1999 tour), and culminated on 19 January 2001 in a show at the Rock in Rio festival in Brazil, where Iron Maiden played to an audience of over 250,000. While the performance was being produced for a CD and DVD release in March 2002, under the name Rock in Rio , the band took a year off from touring, although they played three consecutive shows at Brixton Academy to raise funds for former drummer Clive Burr , who had recently announced that he had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis . The band performed two further concerts for Burr's MS Trust Fund charity in 2005, and 2007, before his death in 2013. During

7595-478: The 2000–2002 tour, Iron Maiden played 91 shows for over two million people in 33 countries. In addition to their touring success, the band was nominated twice for the annual Grammy Awards and received the International Achievement Award at the 2001 Ivor Novello Awards . In November 2001, a documentary movie about the making of The Number of the Beast album was produced by BBC as a part of

7750-540: The Americas. The biggest show of the whole tour was a headline appearance for 60,000 people at the Monsters of Rock festival in São Paulo, Brazil. The X Factor sold 1.3 million copies, the lowest sales result since 1981. After the tour, Iron Maiden released a compilation album, Best of the Beast . The band's first compilation, it included a new single, " Virus ", in which the lyrics attack critics who had recently written off

7905-655: The Beast is among the most popular heavy metal albums of all time, having sold almost 20 million copies worldwide. After some turbulence in the 1990s, the return of lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith in 1999 saw the band undergo a resurgence in popularity, with a series of new albums and highly successful tours. Their three most recent albums — The Final Frontier (2010), The Book of Souls (2015), and Senjutsu (2021) — have all reached number 1 in more than 25 countries. Iron Maiden have sold over 130 million copies of their albums worldwide and have obtained over 600 certifications . The band

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8060-421: The Beast , is among the most popular heavy metal albums of all time and the most commercially successful release of the band, having sold almost 20 million copies worldwide. As of 2022 their releases have been certified silver, gold and platinum around 600 times worldwide. In 1979/1980, visual artist Derek Riggs created the macabre mascot named Eddie The Head. Since then, Eddie has been an integral part of

8215-706: The Beast: Live in Mexico City . The double concert album was recorded during three sold-out concerts in Mexico City 's Palacio de los Deportes for a combined audience of over 70,000 people. On 15 July 2021, Iron Maiden released a video for their first song in six years, " The Writing on the Wall ", which was directed by Nicos Livesey. Four days later, the band announced their seventeenth studio album, Senjutsu , would be released on 3 September 2021. Senjutsu eventually reached

8370-705: The British public as part of Elizabeth II 's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Iron Maiden have an exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , and Rock in Rio Wall of Fame . Iron Maiden were inducted into Hollywood RockWalk, BPI Hall of Fame and Kerrang! Hall of Fame. Band's mascot Eddie the Head is a part of the British Music Experience permanent exhibition. In April 2021, the band's former members (Paul Di'Anno, Blaze Bayley, and illustrator Derek Riggs) were inducted into

8525-433: The Chile concert. The DVD topped the music video charts around the world. In addition to the concert footage, the video release includes an 88-minute tour documentary, entitled Behind The Beast, containing interviews with the band and their crew. In December 2012, one song from the release ("Blood Brothers") was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance at the 2013 Grammy Awards . On 15 February,

8680-585: The Golden Summernights 1981 festivals at Zeppelinfeld in Nuremberg in front of 100,000 people. By 1981, Paul Di'Anno was demonstrating increasingly erratic behaviour, particularly due to his drug usage, about which Di'Anno comments, "It wasn't just that I was snorting a bit of coke, though; I was just going for it non-stop, 24 hours a day, every day ... the band had commitments piling up that went on for months, years, and I just couldn't see my way to

8835-619: The Hills ". The band embarked on a world tour, dubbed The Beast on the Road, with shows in North America, Japan, Australia and Europe, including a headline appearance for 40,000 people at the Reading Festival . Iron Maiden played 188 shows in 10 months. The Beast on the Road's US leg proved controversial when an American conservative political lobbying group claimed Iron Maiden were Satanic because of

8990-588: The House of Mirrors and more. Among the most popular coin-operated amusement machines and devices were the redemption games which dispensed tickets, such as skee-ball . Proximity to the Long Beach Naval Shipyard , and its many sailors on extended leave during retrofitting, supported an ink economy because of the tradition of sailor tattoos . The dense collection of tattoo shops made next-door and cross-street neighbors of many minor and world-renowned artists,

9145-623: The Kiss tour, Dennis Stratton was dismissed from the band as a result of creative and personal differences, and was replaced by Smith in October 1980. In December, the band played at the Rainbow Theatre in London, where their first live video was filmed. Live at the Rainbow was released in May 1981, and "Iron Maiden" and "Wrathchild" from this video received heavy rotation on MTV during its first hours on

9300-423: The Long Beach Pier eastward to Linden St. Because its shape resembled a rainbow, it was named Rainbow Pier. For a short time, the Long Beach Pier and Rainbow Pier both existed, sharing combined shore access at the Pine street incline. In the late 1940s, the City of Long Beach began filling in the water area enclosed by Rainbow Pier, creating Rainbow Lagoon and Wilmore Park, additional public trust lands upon which

9455-454: The Long Beach-based Insane Crips and the Los Angeles-based Rollin 60's Crips within the audience, with 42 reported injuries during the incident. Iron Maiden , Motörhead , Dio performed at Long Beach Arena on August 25, 2003. From 2009 to 2016, the FIRST Robotics Competition Los Angeles Regional was held at the Long Beach Arena. On July 1 and 2, 2017, the arena hosted New Japan Pro-Wrestling 's G1 Special in USA shows, which marked

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9610-511: The Magnolia Bridge in anticipation of the RMS Queen Mary 's imminent arrival (a connecting road which was later demolished when found unneeded, proving the Cyclone Racer was removed unnecessarily. ) The Cyclone Racer was the last remaining seaside dual-track roller coaster of its kind in the United States until it was disassembled and cataloged in September 1968 with the promise to Long Beach citizens that it would be rebuilt elsewhere. Enthusiasts seeking to re-create this roller coaster have made

9765-552: The Metal Hall of Fame. They have twice been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . In January 2023 Iron Maiden were honoured by Royal Mail UK with dedicated postal stamps and cards. Iron Maiden have sold over 130 million copies of their albums worldwide, despite little radio or television support. According to many sources all audio-visual catalogue of the band have sold in over 200 million copies worldwide, including regular albums, singles, compilations, and videos. Their third studio album, The Number of

9920-406: The Pike, Silver Spray Pier, was included along with additional parking in the post- World War II expansion; it was all renamed Nu-Pike via a contest winner's submission in the late 1950s, then renamed Queen's Park in the late 1960s in homage to the arrival of the Queen Mary ocean liner in Long Beach. 1979 was the year Long Beach city council refused to renew the land leases and demolished all of

10075-429: The Pike, as locals continued to call it. Planning for Shoreline Drive and a cloverleaf connection to the new Magnolia Bridge was the excuse to demolish the Cyclone Racer in 1968. Since 1975, the area has been a major portion of the Grand Prix of Long Beach route. In 1979, the Pike amusement zone was officially closed and demolished. By the time the lease with the city ended, The Pike had fallen into disrepair and most of

10230-415: The Pine St. incline of the Long Beach Pier west along the shoreline to The Plunge bath house . It gradually grew in length, was widened, and later poured in concrete and illuminated with strings of electric bulbs as The Walk of a Thousand Lights, the midway anchoring the widely dispersed attractions and The Pike changed context from the original wooden boardwalk to the entire amusement zone. As it grew from

10385-417: The Slaughter ", the band's first – and, to date, only – UK Singles Chart number 1, originally recorded by Dickinson's solo project for the soundtrack of A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child . Iron Maiden's eighth studio album debuted at number 2 on the UK albums chart and number 17 on the Billboard 200 . No Prayer for the Dying was a return to their musical roots, especially in

10540-613: The UK Albums Chart and number 18 on the Billboard 200 . Produced by Kevin Shirley, now the band's regular producer, many critics felt this release reached the standard of their earlier efforts. Historical and literary references were present, with "Montségur" focussing on the Cathar stronghold conquered in 1244, and "Paschendale" relating to the First World War battle . During the Dance of Death Tour 2003–04 , which began in September 2003, Iron Maiden played 53 shows across Europe, North America, Latin America and Japan. The band's performance at Westfalenhalle , in Dortmund, Germany,

10695-403: The UK Albums Chart, was a Top 10 hit in many other countries, and reached number 33 on the Billboard 200 . At the time, Dickinson was in the midst of legal difficulties with Samson's management and was not permitted to add his name to any of the songwriting credits, although he still made what he described as a "moral contribution" to "Children of the Damned", "The Prisoner", and " Run to

10850-407: The UK charts and reached number 12 on the Billboard 200 . During the following tour , the band headlined the Monsters of Rock festival at Donington Park on 20 August 1988, playing to the largest crowd in the festival's history (107,000). The tour concluded with several headline shows in the UK in November and December 1988, with the concerts at the NEC Arena , Birmingham, recorded for

11005-505: The United States. From low-brow seedy dives like Rudy's (cocktails) and open front liquor stores to upscale cabarets featuring suggestive girly-shows like Hollywood on the Pike, many an opportunity existed for visiting sailors and locals to get drunk. A variety of eating establishments ranged from snack stands with corn-dogs, cotton candy, popcorn and hot nuts, or one could sit at soda-pop fountains and counter service restaurants like Lee's Barbecue with menus of chicken, ribs and fish meals, to

11160-616: The air as the first metal videos ever. In 1981, Iron Maiden released their second studio album, Killers . Although many tracks were written prior to their debut release, it had two new songs: "Prodigal Son" and "Murders in the Rue Morgue" (the latter's title was taken from the short story by Edgar Allan Poe ). Unsatisfied with the production on their debut album, the band hired veteran producer Martin Birch , who would continue to work with Iron Maiden until his retirement in 1992. The record

11315-733: The album charts of 13 countries. The supporting tour saw mixed critical reception, but included the band's first performance in Dubai at the Dubai Desert Rock Festival for 25,000 people, followed by a concert in Bangalore Palace Grounds, the first of any heavy metal band in India. The band then played a string of European dates, including an appearance at Download Festival , their fourth headline performance at Donington Park , to approximately 80,000 people. On 5 September 2007,

11470-454: The album included other early favourites such as " Running Free ", "Transylvania", "Phantom of the Opera" and " Sanctuary " – which was not on the original UK release, but appeared on the US version and subsequent remasters. The band embarked on a headline tour of the UK , before opening for Kiss on their 1980 Unmasked Tour 's European leg as well as supporting Judas Priest on select dates . After

11625-592: The arena on December 15, 1972; the first of 13 concerts there through 1988. Elvis Presley performed two shows here on November 14 and 15, 1972. He returned for two more shows on April 25, 1976 (afternoon and evening). In 1980–81 , the arena was also home to the California Surf of the North American Soccer League for one season of indoor soccer . The arena was home to the former Long Beach Ice Dogs team, which played professional ice hockey in

11780-571: The band announced their Somewhere Back in Time World Tour , tying in with the DVD release of their Live After Death album. The setlist for the tour consisted of songs from the 1980s. They played their first concerts in Costa Rica and Colombia and their first shows in Australia and Puerto Rico since 1992. The tour led to the release of a new compilation album, entitled Somewhere Back in Time , which included

11935-636: The band announced their third retrospective Maiden England World Tour 2012–14, which was based around the video Maiden England . The tour commenced in North America in the summer of 2012 and was followed by further dates in 2013 and 2014, and included the band's fifth headline performance at Donington Park with 100,000 fans in attendance. Iron Maiden closed the tour in July 2014 at Sonisphere Festival , Knebworth , having undertaken 100 shows in 32 countries before an estimated audience of more than 2.7 million people. The band's 2015 album, The Book of Souls ,

12090-504: The band due to differences with Steve Harris regarding the direction the band should be taking. Smith disagreed with the "stripped down" style they were leaning towards. Janick Gers, having worked on Dickinson's solo project, was chosen to replace Smith and became the band's first new member in seven years. The album No Prayer for the Dying was released in October 1990. It contained the hit singles " Holy Smoke " and " Bring Your Daughter... to

12245-485: The band have played 2,500 live shows . For over 40 years the band have featured their signature mascot, " Eddie ", on the covers of almost all of their releases. Iron Maiden were formed on Christmas Day, 25 December 1975, by bassist Steve Harris shortly after he left his previous group, Smiler. Harris attributed the band's name to a film adaptation of The Man in the Iron Mask from the novel by Alexandre Dumas , as

12400-580: The band played four consecutive concerts at Long Beach Arena for a combined audience of 54,000 fans. Iron Maiden also made their debut appearance in South America, where they co-headlined the Rock in Rio festival with Queen for an audience estimated at 350,000–500,000 people. The tour started in August 1984 with five shows in Poland. Iron Maiden were the first Western artists to bring full-scale production behind

12555-523: The band to pursue his solo career, but agreed to remain for a farewell tour and two live albums (later re-released in one package ). The first, A Real Live One , was released in March 1993 and featured songs from 1986 to 1992, and the second, A Real Dead One , was released after Dickinson left the band and featured songs from 1980 to 1984. The tour did not go well, with Steve Harris claiming Dickinson would only perform properly for high-profile shows, and that at several concerts, he would only mumble into

12710-433: The band's 10-year recording anniversary, Iron Maiden released a compilation collection, The First Ten Years , a series of 10 CDs and double 12-inch singles . Between 24 February and 28 April 1990, the individual parts were released one by one, each containing two of Iron Maiden's singles, including the original B-sides. Iron Maiden then began work on a new studio record. During the pre-production stages, Adrian Smith left

12865-482: The band's fifteenth, was released on 16 August to critical acclaim. It was also the band's greatest commercial success to that point, reaching number 1 in twenty-eight countries worldwide, including a debut at number 4 on Billboard 200 . The album's supporting tour saw the band perform 101 shows across the globe to an estimated audience of over two and a half million, including their first visits to Singapore, Indonesia, and South Korea. " El Dorado " won

13020-416: The band's live keyboard player ever since, also performing on the band's four following albums. During a break in 1989, guitarist Adrian Smith released a solo album with his band ASAP , entitled Silver and Gold . Vocalist Bruce Dickinson also began work on a solo album with former Gillan guitarist Janick Gers , releasing Tattooed Millionaire in 1990, followed by a tour. At the same time, to mark

13175-595: The band's mascot . Not satisfied with the results from Harris' Barnyard Studios, located on his property in Essex, which had been used for the last four Iron Maiden studio albums, the band recorded the new release, Brave New World , at Guillaume Tell Studios in Paris, France in November 1999 with producer Kevin Shirley . Iron Maiden continued to find inspiration in movies and books, as shown in songs like " The Wicker Man " – based on

13330-416: The band. In 1998, Iron Maiden released Virtual XI , whose chart scores were the band's lowest to date. The album peaked at number 16 in the UK, the band's lowest for a new studio record. At the same time, Steve Harris assisted in remastering the band's entire discography, up to and including Live at Donington . Bayley's tenure in Iron Maiden ended in January 1999 when he was asked to leave during

13485-469: The benefit for his reelection. A live recording of the Joe Walsh song "All Night Long" from this show was included on their live album, entitled Eagles Live . This marked their final live performance as The Eagles for nearly 14 years, until April 25, 1994. Iron Maiden performed four consecutive shows during their World Slavery Tour on March 14–17, 1985. The show on the 15th was recorded and released as

13640-452: The best rock and metal band in the world and awarded at Public Choice International. Returning from their time off, the band added different musical elements to their 1986 studio album, Somewhere in Time . These focused on synthesised bass and guitars to add textures and layers to the sound. The release performed well across the world, particularly the single " Wasted Years ", but included no writing credits from Dickinson, whose material

13795-413: The body and asked the public to put a nickel in its mouth to see the corpse. A carnival runner turned up and claimed McCurdy was his long lost relative. It then made its way across carnivals and amusement parks until people forgot it was an actual mummy. The body was returned to Oklahoma, where it is buried. A grand bath-house was constructed at the shore and was scheduled to open on Independence Day, 1902,

13950-525: The businesses had already left. The City of Long Beach then removed the remaining structures. Various plans for development of the area took form over the next twenty years. In 1999, the California Coastal Commission approved a plan for the construction of The Pike at Rainbow Harbor commercial and entertainment complex in the downtown shoreline area. The name is only a nod in reference to the original amusement zone, bathing beach and boardwalk —

14105-695: The company's first independently promoted shows in the United States. In October 2018, PFL 9 , a mixed martial arts event was held at the arena. During the COVID-19 pandemic in California , the Arena was converted into a medical facility but was never utilized. The arena hosted the General Conference of the United Pentecostal Church International from October 1 to October 4, 2024. By September 23, over 13,000 people had registered for

14260-616: The construction and 2003 opening of The Pike at Rainbow Harbor , an entertainment-retail center that pays homage to its past as an amusement zone. The revised center spanned between the Long Beach Convention Center and the Aquarium of the Pacific . The tourist-oriented development had a large number of restaurants and a 14-theater megaplex Cinemark movie theater. There is a four-level, fee parking structure, metered street parking,

14415-484: The convention center was used as a mass vaccination site. Later in the pandemic, the convention center was used as an emergency shelter for migrant children. Long Beach Arena was the first building to be completed in the complex. Capacities are as follows: 12,500 for hockey , 14,000 for basketball and 10,500 - 14,500 for concerts , depending on the seating arrangement. The arena has hosted various entertainment and professional and college sporting events, most notably

14570-486: The cool ocean breeze and the Pacific Ocean chilled by the Aleutian current. With the surge of health-conscious new residents and the ease of access to a beach near the services of local merchants, Willmore City became a destination. In 1888, Long Beach Land and Water Company bought William E. Willmore's failed plat of Bixby's Rancho Los Cerritos and changed the name to Long Beach in 1892. The amusement zone began in 1902, as

14725-478: The country. It again was designed by Fred Ingersoll , with the help of John Miller . It was part of the Silver Spray Pier, which included several new rides and concessions. One could look down through the tracks and see the water. In the mid 1920s, several expansions were made to the area, and the Jack Rabbit Racer was remodeled, raising the ride's dips to a greater height and steepness. An elevated band shell

14880-547: The day on which the Pacific Electric Railroad established service connecting communities along the line to offices and shopping in Downtown Los Angeles and bringing bathers and families south to shoreline recreation. Admission was charged for use of the clear, 'vacuumed', indoor freshwater pool, changing-rooms, and waterslide, all of which lay beyond a colonnade and sundeck. An interior balcony surrounding

15035-514: The end of it. I knew I'd never last the whole tour. It was too much". Di'Anno was dismissed following the Killer World Tour with the band already having selected his replacement. After a meeting with Rod Smallwood at the Reading Festival , Bruce Dickinson , formerly of Samson , auditioned for Iron Maiden in September 1981 and was immediately hired. The following month, Dickinson went out on

15190-407: The end of the band's set. Felder recalls Frey making a similar threat to him during " Best of My Love ". "We're out there singing ‘Best of My Love', but inside both of us are thinking, 'As soon as this is over, I'm gonna kill him, ' " recalled Frey. The animosity purportedly developed as a result of Felder's response of "You're welcome – I guess" to Senator Cranston as he was thanking the band for doing

15345-574: The event. The Fox game show Game of Talents is filmed at the arena. The arena will also host handball during the 2028 Summer Olympics . Projects totaling $ 50 million are planned for the Convention Center. Along the exterior wall of the drum-shaped Arena is "Planet Ocean", one of environmental artist Wyland's Whaling Walls , which was dedicated on July 9, 1992, and covers 116,000 square feet (11,000 m). The mural depicts migratory gray whales and other aquatic life that can be found in

15500-446: The filming of The Six Million Dollar Man , someone spotted a mannequin in the corner on the ride Laff in the Dark. When he reached for the arm and it shockingly came off, it was then noticed that this was no dummy but a man. The man was later identified as Elmer McCurdy , an outlaw in the early 20th century who had been shot by police. McCurdy had no living relatives, so the undertaker took

15655-524: The first time the band would headline a stadium in their own country. The 2008 tour was the second highest-grossing tour of the year for a British artist. The final leg included the band's first appearances in Peru and Ecuador, as well as their return to Venezuela and New Zealand after 17 years. The band also played another show in India at the Rock in India festival to a crowd of 20,000. At their concert in São Paulo on 15 March, Dickinson announced on stage that it

15810-409: The first to go as, according to Harris, he lacked "energy or charisma on stage". He was replaced by Dennis Wilcock, a Kiss fan who used makeup and fake blood during live performances. Wilcock's friend, guitarist Dave Murray , was invited to join, much to the dismay of the band's guitarists Dave Sullivan and Terry Rance. Their frustration led Harris to temporarily disband Iron Maiden in 1976, though

15965-446: The genre is immeasurable, as they not only inspired subsequent generations of metal bands but also revolutionized live shows with their elaborate stage productions, further cementing their status as pioneers of heavy metal." Music journalist and the writer Neil Daniels said Iron Maiden "redefined the whole genre blending classic heavy rock influence with punky vibe, twin guitars attack and progressive approach which finally have created

16120-488: The group reformed soon after with Murray as the sole guitarist. Harris and Murray remain the band's longest-serving members and have performed on all of their releases. Iron Maiden recruited another guitarist in 1977, Bob Sawyer, who was sacked for embarrassing the band on stage by pretending to play guitar with his teeth. Tension ensued again, causing a rift between Murray and Wilcock, who convinced Harris to fire Murray, as well as original drummer Ron Matthews. A new line-up

16275-550: The history of the Pike, some of which can be seen on display at his relocated "Lite-a-Line". The cupola was removed with its crest of popcorn lighted orb and saved intact by Cincola in 2010, but the roof was dismantled, it remains the last surviving original structure of The Pike. According to its misnamed Queens Pike entry in the Roller Coaster DataBase, The Pike had the following roller coasters: Bisby's Spiral Airship, built in 1902, had cars that were suspended beneath

16430-497: The importance of the livery, which closed as the automotive culture of Southern California developed. It was converted into a skating rink in 1906, then a dance hall by 1911, named The Majestic, featuring big bands. In the 1950s, it changed hands and was renamed The Lido Ballroom. Long Beach downtown featured several theaters, many of which were along the Walk of 1000 Lights. Starting east of Pine Street with access at Ocean Blvd. and The Pike

16585-598: The inspiration for all the heavy metal bands we know today because they're an intrinsically heavy metal group. They're equally important for those who play power metal, speed, thrash, death, black, nu metal, metal core and hard rock – almost every genre." The journalist stated the band introduced a DIY approach to all rock music. According to Rock 'n Roll Fantasy Camp the style and attitude of Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain has inspired generations of heavy-metal drummers that followed. Music writer, heavy metal expert and radio broadcaster Scott Penfold stated band's "influence on

16740-420: The location of a former night club, hailed as a new retail anchor for the complex. Shortly after, it was announced that the center would be heavily revised - this time with a greater focus on retail shopping. Renamed The Pike Outlets , it includes several outlet stores such as Nike Factory Store, Forever 21 , H&M , and Gap Outlet. The Cinemark movie theater and most of the restaurants remained open during

16895-444: The microphone. Dickinson denied he was under-performing, saying it was impossible to "make like Mr. Happy Face if the vibe wasn't right", and that news of his exit from the band had prevented any chance of a good atmosphere during the tour. Bruce Dickinson played his farewell show with Iron Maiden on 28 August 1993. The show was filmed, broadcast by the BBC , MTV and released on video under

17050-473: The morning of July 4, 1902 – which established service connecting communities along the line to offices and shopping in downtown Los Angeles as well as bringing bathers and families south to Pacific Ocean shoreline recreation. Stretching Pine Avenue south from Ocean Avenue into the Pacific Ocean, the Long Beach Municipal Pier had an upper and lower deck to a service building on the end. Sheltered at

17205-484: The most famous being Bert Grimm's tattoo shop and tattoo artist Rick Walters . Grimm's work contributed to the development and popularity of the American Traditional tattoo style . Kari Barba purchased Grimm's shop in 2003, and it operates under the name Outer Limits Tattoo. Started in 1927, this shop is the last remaining business from the original Pike, and the oldest continuously-operating tattoo studio in

17360-469: The mouth of the Los Angeles River, the public pier served a range of purposes, primarily for trade and commerce, servicing freight and passenger shipping, but also served anglers fishing as well as pedestrian strolling. A simple wooden boardwalk was laid directly at the top of the sand west along the shoreline connecting the pier to the new bathhouse. Pike was the name of the wooden boardwalk connecting

17515-453: The name Raising Hell . In 1994, the title track from the Fear of the Dark album received a Grammy Awards nomination for "Best Metal Performance", a first for Iron Maiden. The band listened to the thousands of tapes sent in by vocalists before convincing Blaze Bayley , formerly of the band Wolfsbane , who had supported Iron Maiden in 1990, to audition for them. Harris' preferred choice from

17670-413: The new album's title track and "demonic" cover art, and a group of Christian activists destroyed Iron Maiden records in protest. Dickinson later said the band treated this as "silliness" and the demonstrations in fact gave them "loads of publicity". The Number of the Beast sold 2.5 million copies in its first year, 14 million by 2010, and 20 million by 2022. In December 1982, drummer Clive Burr

17825-451: The new coaster was built on pilings over the ocean, several hundred feet beyond the shore. Eventually the entire pier stood over sandy beach, not water, because of the sand deposition due to the slowing of water caused by the new harbor expansion and breakwater. Over 30 million riders rode on the Cyclone before it closed in 1968. It was removed to clear space for a Shoreline Drive cloverleaf to

17980-494: The new quality. [The] Band's influence on generations of rock and metal bands cannot be overstated. They elevated metal to an art form, proving that academic and musical inspirations can coexist." The band's profile by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame says "in the 1980s, Iron Maiden released seven high-octane albums that cemented them as one of the greatest rock bands – creating a blueprint for how heavy metal bands should look, sound and tour." According to Metal Hammer Iron Maiden

18135-505: The number 3 spot in the UK and number 14 on the Billboard 200 . Piece of Mind features the singles " The Trooper " and " Flight of Icarus ", the latter being one of the band's few songs to gain substantial airplay in the US. Iron Maiden played 147 concerts in Europe and North America as a part of the World Piece Tour. This was also their first major North American tour as headliners, selling out Madison Square Garden with

18290-467: The outdoor shopping mall bears no resemblance whatsoever to its historic predecessor. Concerns remained over the lack of a nearby recreational bathing beach, and solutions were sought for bringing back the excitement of the area’s heyday. With numerous debates over the area and its use as a portion of the track for the Long Beach Grand Prix , the main development of the area did not occur until

18445-558: The outset, Bayley had a different vocal style from his predecessor and ultimately received a mixed reception among fans. After a three-year hiatus – a record for the band at the time – Iron Maiden released their next studio album, The X Factor . The band had their lowest chart position since 1981 for an album in the UK – debuting at number 8, although it went on to win "Album of the Year" awards in France, Spain and Germany. The record included

18600-552: The pool and an outdoor one facing the beach offered people-watching on reclining lounges. The name was later changed to The Plunge. When it closed, it was converted to the Strand Theater. Until 1902, primary access to bathing was over unpaved roads by horse and buggy. A large livery and stables had been built to care for the animals of the bathers. Opening the Pacific Electric Big Red Car line to Long Beach diminished

18755-533: The recreational bathing beach by pouring landfill over it. The city had purchased the RMS Queen Mary in 1967 and permanently docked the ship in Long Beach across the mouth of the Los Angeles River from the shoreline area of the Nu-Pike where a new road circled the parking lot and Londontowne shopping-dining complex serviced by a London Double Deck omnibus to Downtown Long Beach. The Nu-Pike was renamed Queens Park when

18910-514: The redevelopment, which was completed by 2015. Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton , East London , in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris . Although fluid in the early years of the band, the line-up for most of the band's history has consisted of Harris, lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson , drummer Nicko McBrain , and guitarists Dave Murray , Adrian Smith and Janick Gers . As pioneers of

19065-525: The road with the band on a small headlining tour in Italy and a one-off show at the Rainbow Theatre in the UK. For the last show, and in anticipation of their forthcoming album, the band played "Children of the Damned" and "22 Acacia Avenue", introducing fans to their new material. In 1982, Iron Maiden released their third studio album, The Number of the Beast , which became the band's first number 1 record on

19220-418: The simplicity of composition. The No Prayer on the Road tour was booked for 120 shows in Europe, North America, and Japan. Thirty-three shows in continental Europe were sold out with a reported 530,000 fans attending. In total, Iron Maiden played for some two million fans. After another break, the band recorded their next studio album, Fear of the Dark , which was released in 1992. The title track became

19375-638: The south end of the arena. Shortly after its opening in 1962, in October, the arena became the home court for the Long Beach Chiefs (who had moved from Honolulu, where known as the Hawaii Chiefs) of the short-lived American Basketball League, though the ABL would fold on December 31 of that year. The arena was also the site of the first NHL game involving a 1967 expansion team, as the Los Angeles Kings and

19530-545: The stage and media image of the group. Originally a papier-mâché mask which would squirt fake blood during their live shows, the character featured on the band's debut album cover, also done by Derek Riggs. Eddie was painted exclusively by Riggs until 1992, at which point the band began using artwork from other artists, including Melvyn Grant . A large puppet version of Eddie has appeared many times during carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro and other South American cities. During

19685-429: The structures and attractions it could that weren't trucked away. The Pike museum is located in Looff's Lite-A-Line at 2500 Long Beach Blvd. The first major attraction to the seashore at Long Beach was recreational bathing, long before trains and cars, when the only roads were dusty rutted paths littered with horse manure. Residents of Southern California escaped the summer heat by crowding the shore and beaches to enjoy

19840-571: The title reminded him of the iron maiden torture device . They originally used the name Ash Mountain, but most of the band members preferred the name Iron Maiden. After months of rehearsal, Iron Maiden made their debut at St. Nicks Hall in Poplar on 1 May 1976, before taking up a semi-residency at the Cart and Horses Pub in Maryland , Stratford . The original line-up was short-lived, with vocalist Paul Day being

19995-591: The top of the best-seller lists in 27 countries, but it was the band's first album in fifteen years not to reach number one on the UK charts , although it did top the UK Rock & Metal Singles and Albums Charts . In total, Senjutsu reached the top three in 55 countries and the top five in 63 countries. On 1 February 2023, the band received their second nomination for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . The band started their 25th global tour, The Future Past World Tour , with

20150-408: The tour ended. In October 1985, Iron Maiden released the double live album and home video, Live After Death . A critical and commercial success, it peaked at number 19 on the Billboard 200 and number 2 in the UK. The album was recorded at Long Beach Arena and also features additional tracks from four nights at London's Hammersmith Apollo . In November 1985, Iron Maiden were named

20305-466: The waters off Long Beach. In celebration of Earth Day in 2009, Wyland touched up the existing Whaling Wall and added a large mural of the earth on the roof of the arena. There are two ballrooms: the 20,456 square foot (1900 m) Grand Ballroom (seating up to 2,100) and the 13,200 square foot (1300 m) Promenade Ballroom (seating up to 1,400) plus 34 meeting rooms totaling 82,823 square feet (7695 m). The convention center and theatre part served as host of

20460-407: The west side of Rainbow Pier.) Often confused – Many photos and postcards seen on the web are mis-captioned Bisby's Spiral Airship. If the structure has one long thin approach of steel to the top of a cylinder and camel-back return, that's Bisby's Spiral Airship. If the structure pictured is a thick wooden cone spiral slide, the entrance next-door east of Lee's Barbeque with a switchback stairway to

20615-480: Was Lowes, known for first-run major releases. Several small shop-front theaters, exhibiting side-shows and independent films, came and went along the Walk of a Thousand Lights, but one big (and very tall) one, the Virginia, was later converted into the dark ride Whispering River. The Strand Theater offered a double feature, after being converted to a picture house when The Plunge closed. A Pike attraction from 1909 to 1930

20770-413: Was also acquired by Rod Smallwood , who soon became the band's manager. As Iron Maiden's popularity increased, they released the demo on their own record label as The Soundhouse Tapes , named after the club. Featuring only three tracks (one song, "Strange World", was excluded as the band were unsatisfied with its production), all 5,000 copies sold out within weeks. In December 1979, the band secured

20925-544: Was an amusement zone in Long Beach, California . The Pike was founded in 1902 along the shoreline south of Ocean Boulevard with several independent arcades , food stands, gift shops, a variety of rides and a grand bath house. It was most noted for the Cyclone Racer (1930–1968), a large wooden dual-track roller coaster , built out on pilings over the water. The Pike operated under several names. The amusement zone surrounding

21080-575: Was at Dennis' and Thunderstick's last gig, and joined the band afterwards. Harris, Murray and Sampson spent the summer and autumn of 1978 rehearsing while they searched for a singer to complete the band's new line-up. A chance meeting at the Red Lion, a pub in Leytonstone , in November 1978 evolved into a successful audition for vocalist Paul Di'Anno . Steve Harris said, "There's sort of a quality in Paul's voice,

21235-405: Was broadcast by MTV and local TV stations around the world. The tour was physically gruelling for the band, who demanded six months off when it ended (although this was later reduced to four months). This was the first substantial touring break in the group's history, including the cancellation of a proposed supporting tour for the new live album, with Bruce Dickinson threatening to quit unless

21390-477: Was built into the coaster with track running right over it. Jack Rabbit Racer was removed in 1930. One of the best-known historic coasters, the Cyclone Racer was built in 1930 to replace the Jack Rabbit Racer. The Cyclone Racer was a dual-track (two trains could launch side by side at the same time), racing wooden roller coaster, the brain child of Fred Church and built by Harry Traver . To increase thrill,

21545-502: Was constructed nearby, and then the building was used as a gaming hall for Lite-a-Line bingo/pinball game and for many years was the last remaining building to survive the Pike demolition that began in 1979. The roof structure and cupola had been saved in the parking lot west of Pine Ave and the Ocean Center Building on Seaside Way was awaiting preservation by Mike Cincola, who married into the Looff family and has preserved much of

21700-433: Was constructed on 20 acres (81,000 m ) of tidal zone landfill located south of today's intersection of Ocean Boulevard and Long Beach Boulevard. After the construction of the auditorium, there were problems created by storms and coastal erosion in the area. In order to protect the auditorium from these problems, a horseshoe-shaped breakwater with a roadway along its crest was constructed around it, connecting Pine St. and

21855-503: Was fired from the band and replaced by Nicko McBrain , who previously played for Trust . Although Harris said the dismissal took place because his live performances were affected by offstage activities, Burr later claimed he was unfairly ousted from the band. The band then recorded the first of three consecutive albums at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas. In 1983, they released their fourth studio album, Piece of Mind , which reached

22010-597: Was followed by the band's first world tour with their debut performance in the United States opening for Judas Priest at The Aladdin Casino in Las Vegas. Killers marked the band's USA album charts debut, reaching number 78 on the Billboard 200 , and they booked 132 shows to promote the album, including their first concert in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. During the summer, Iron Maiden played several festivals in Europe, including at

22165-504: Was on the Metal for Muthas compilation (released on 15 February 1980) with two early versions of " Sanctuary " and "Wrathchild". The release led to a tour including several other bands linked with the new wave of British heavy metal movement. Iron Maiden released their self-titled album in 1980, which debuted at number 4 in the UK Albums Chart . In addition to the title track,

22320-549: Was put together, including future Cutting Crew member Tony Moore on keyboards, Terry Wapram on guitar and drummer Barry Purkis (better known today as Thunderstick). After a single gig with the band in January 1978, Moore was asked to leave as Harris decided keyboards did not suit the band's sound. Dave Murray rejoined in late March 1978, and when Terry Wapram disapproved he was sacked. A few weeks later, Dennis Wilcock decided to leave Iron Maiden to form his own band, V1, with Wapram, and drummer Barry Purkis also left. Doug Sampson

22475-579: Was re-released and went straight to number 3 on the UK Chart. The tour featured many headlining stadium and festival dates, including a performance at Ullevi Stadium in Sweden to an audience of almost 60,000. This concert was also broadcast live on satellite television across Europe to approximately 60 million viewers. The band completed the tour by headlining the Reading and Leeds Festivals on 26–28 August, and

22630-559: Was received very positively by fans and critics, spanning up to three years with 140 shows, performing to over 3.5 million fans. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the rescheduling of nearly one million tickets from 2020, first to 2021, and then to 2022. In October 2020, the band announced they would release a live album from the Legacy of the Beast World Tour called Nights of the Dead, Legacy of

22785-510: Was recorded and released in August 2005 as a live album and DVD entitled Death on the Road . In 2005, the band announced the Eddie Rips Up the World Tour , which, tying in with their 2004 DVD entitled The History of Iron Maiden – Part 1: The Early Days , only featured material from their first four albums. As part of this celebration of their earlier years, "The Number of the Beast" single

22940-545: Was recorded at Guillaume Tell Studios in late summer 2014; its closing song, " Empire of the Clouds ", penned by Dickinson, surpassed "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (from 1984's Powerslave ) as Iron Maiden's longest song, at 18 minutes in length. In February 2016, the band embarked on The Book of Souls World Tour , with shows in 35 countries across six continents, including their first performances in China, El Salvador, and Lithuania. It

23095-562: Was rejected by the rest of the band. The album was the band's biggest American chart success to date, reaching number 11 on the Billboard 200 and number 2 in the UK charts. The Somewhere on Tour was also a success. The band played 157 shows for over two and a half million fans, including eighty-one shows in North America. Once again, Iron Maiden visited Poland, Hungary and Yugoslavia to play for tens of thousands of fans in each country. The experimentation evident on Somewhere in Time continued on their next album, Seventh Son of

23250-433: Was released on 4 September. The band's first original studio album not to be issued by EMI outside North America, following Parlophone 's acquisition by Warner Music Group in 2013, it was a critical and commercial success, becoming the band's fifth UK number 1 album and hit number 4 on Billboard 200 in the US. The new release reached the number one position in the album charts of 43 countries. The new record

23405-400: Was renamed "Nu-Pike" as result of a write-in naming contest. In 1969, the name changed to Queen's Park, to coincide with the public opening of the historical ocean liner RMS Queen Mary , which the city had purchased as a combination tourist attraction and hotel. The park retained this name until closing and demolition (1979–1980). Most locals continued calling it The Pike. In 1976, during

23560-409: Was telephoned a few hours later. With Gers remaining, Iron Maiden now had a three-guitar line-up (nicknamed "The Three Amigos"), and embarked on a hugely successful reunion tour. Dubbed The Ed Hunter Tour, it tied in with the band's newly released greatest hits collection, Ed Hunter , whose track listing was decided by a poll on the group's website, and also contained a computer game starring Eddie,

23715-451: Was the Wall of Death. Reckless Ross Millman, among America's first motorcycle daredevils, built a motordrome near the Jack Rabbit Racer. The Long Beach Municipal Band played most Sundays and holidays. The band was led by Herbert L. Clarke, who had been a member of John Philip Sousa's Band. Beginning at the entrance to the Walk of a Thousand Lights through the arcade archway entrance of the last surviving building associated with The Pike,

23870-462: Was the band's biggest album tour since 1996. In total, Iron Maiden played 117 shows on six continents for well over two and a half million people. The band then launched the Legacy of the Beast World Tour in Europe in 2018, with North and South American shows following in 2019. The tour was inspired by the band's new mobile game and comic series released in 2017, entitled Legacy of the Beast . The tour

24025-495: Was the largest non-festival show of their career, with an overall attendance of 100,000 people. The final leg ended in Florida on 2 April after which the band took a break. Overall, the tour reportedly had an attendance of over two and a half million people worldwide over both years. At the 2009 Brit Awards , Iron Maiden won the award for best British live act. On 20 January 2009, the band announced they were planning to release

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