Nicko McBrain has played his final show with Iron Maiden. The drummer, whose retirement from touring was announced earlier this weekend, performed his final show with the band as their 81-date Future Past tour came to an end at the Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil.
With the crowd chanting "Nicko! Nicko!" after Stranger In A Strange Land, the second song of the set, frontman Bruce Dickinson paused to pay tribute to the man who's occupied Iron Maiden's drum stool since replacing Clive Burr in 1982.
"Tonight is a very special night," Dickinson tells the 55,000-strong crowd. "As some of you – I think probably all of you – will know, this morning Nicko announced that he was stepping back from playing live drums with Iron Maiden.
"For 42 years Nicko has been in this band. He was a drummer before I was a singer, he was a pilot before I was a pilot [Dickinson was inspired to train after McBrain flew him from France to Jersey], and now he's not leaving the band, but he's just not playing live with us anymore."
Following Bruce's speech, the crowd continues to chant Nicko's name, and the drummer stands up to thank them for the tribute.
Announcing his retirement from touring, McBrain said, "After much consideration, it is with both sorrow and joy, I announce my decision to take a step back from the grind of the extensive touring lifestyle. Today, Sat, Dec 7th, Sao Paulo will be my final gig with Iron Maiden. I wish the band much success moving forward."
McBrain's replacement is Simon Dawson, who plays in British Lion, Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris's side project.
