Watch Nicko McBrain play final show with Iron Maiden as Bruce Dickinson pays tribute

nme.com:

Iron Maiden, after announcing his retirement from touring. Check out footage of the show below.The band’s longtime drummer confirmed over the weekend that the band’s show in Sao Paulo would be his last, as he looks to “take a step back from the grind of the extensive touring lifestyle”.He joined the line–up back in 1982, replacing Clive Burr, and played on all of their albums since 1983’s ‘Piece Of Mind’.

He did, however, suffer a minor stroke, or transient ischaemic attack, in January 2023 which left him partially paralysed on his right side from the shoulder down.Taking to the stage for the Sao Paulo show on Saturday (December 7), the percussionist ended his last show with the iconic metal band with a bang.

Earlier in the set, frontman Bruce Dickinson addressed McBrain’s departure with fans.“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 from playing live drums with Iron Maiden,” he said (via Loudwire).“For 42 years, Nicko’s been in this band.

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.