Even within the wider context of heavy metal's famously guarded fanbases, it is lore that opening for Iron Maiden can be one of the most challenging jobs in the game. While it gives you the opportunity to see the world with metal's most celebrated band and witness one of the genre's greatest live shows first hand for nights on end, it also leaves you exposed to an audience that can be a little on the stubborn side.
From Trivium to Funeral For A Friend, rock music is littered with bands who have supported Maiden and struggled to fully win over their crowds, but few have had a baptism of fire like Orange County metalcore heavyweights Atreyu, who played with the British icons at two Mexico shows in 2009. While it was a dream come true for the band to share the stage with Maiden in such a cool and metal-passionate country, the reality was a little intimidating.
