Iron Maiden has honored their iconic drummer, Nicko McBrain, with a heartfelt video tribute marking his final live performance with the legendary band. The five-minute clip, shared across their platforms, captures behind-the-scenes moments from McBrain’s last show, which took place at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil, over the weekend.
The 72-year-old drummer, born Michael Henry McBrain, made his retirement from touring announcement on Saturday, December 7. Through Iron Maiden’s website and social media, he confirmed that São Paulo would be his final stage appearance with the band he has powered for over four decades. While stepping back from live performances, McBrain reassured fans he is not leaving the band entirely.
During the show, Iron Maiden’s vocalist Bruce Dickinson took a moment to address the significance of the night. Before launching into “The Writing on the Wall,” Dickinson spoke directly to the audience: “Tonight is a very special night, as some of you, I think probably all of you, will know, because this morning we announced, Nicko announced that he was stepping back for playing live drums with Iron Maiden.“
“For 42 years Nicko’s been in this band,” Bruce continued. “He was a drummer before I was a singer, he was a pilot before I was a pilot, and now he’s not leaving the band, but he’s just not playing live with us anymore.”
Dickinson encouraged the crowd to celebrate McBrain’s legacy: “So, we have a lot more music to get to tonight, and I want the rest of the night to be a celebration of Nicko, a celebration of the joy that he’s brought to everybody around the world, not just here in Brazil. All right? And with that, on we go!”
