Bruce Dickinson : The Mandrake Project Live 2025 in Las Vegas HOB

Bruce Dickinson returned to the stage in Vegas for his first North American solo tour in almost 30 years, bringing his Mandrake Project Live 2025 to the fans. The 2024 Mandrake Project release (his first solo record in 20 years) was followed by his More Balls to Picasso release this year, a reimagined version of his second 1994 solo album featuring unreleased tracks, and we were ready to hear some of this new music live!

The set featured a bit from both both new releases, and also showcased almost his entire solo catalogue (with cuts from Balls to Picasso, Accident of Birth, The Chemical Wedding , Tyranny of Souls, The Mandrake Project, and More Balls to Picasso redux), and added some surprise extras, and the fans filled the House of Blues in Las Vegas for this much anticipated show.

Dickinson hit the stage swinging with ”Accident of Birth, with a spectacular backing band featuring Dave Moreno (drums), Mistheria (keyboards) and Tanya O’Callaghan (bass), and Swedish guitarist and producer Philip Näslund, and guitarist Chris Declercq. Dickinson gives 1000%, after decades his vocals still powerful and demanding, and he never stops moving on the stage, he is really a force to see. How band perfectly compliments him, a tenured group that adds to the high energy show, but the show really revolves around Dickinson’s dynamic presence and impressive vocals.

Opening up the show was supergroup Combustion 96, a band that features vocalist Jon Howard (Threat Signal), Chase Bryant (Warbringer), Yoyo Bianchi (Teravolt), Ben Lechuga, Niklas Rubensson, and Philip Näslund of Dickinson’s Mandrake crew, and The band started as a one man project and released multiple studio cuts, has evolved and changed members and collabs over the years and began touring live in 2023. Combustion is real hard rock and fire, and really set the tone for the night, and caught the attention of the Dickinson die hard fans. More on Combustion 96 HERE.

But the venue really came alive when Dickinson took the stage, his energy, charisma, and the VOICE... the voice that has been a power force through decades of Iron Maiden as well as his solo works, and still as potent as ever. The man just never slows down. A few songs in after an introduction to Mandrake with "Shadow of the Gods" , there was a nod to Maiden with "Flash of the Blade", that really got the fists in the air, then more Mandrake cuts with "Resurrection Men" and "Rain on the Grave".

Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein" was a blast, a real jam with Dickinson taking up some percussion, and finished up the set with "Road to Hell". The encore really was a treat, with a pumped up "Gods of War" with even more drums and percussion, and the show finale with a the anthem-y "The Tower" and a sea of cheers.

The Mandrake Project is not only a new conceptual album for Dickinson, it's narrative is carried over into a companion comic book. The record was written by Dickinson and producer Roy Z, and started from the comic concept that began a decade ago. The comic is a slow release, scripted by Tony Lee and illustrated by Staz Johnson for Z2 Comics, it will be released as 12 quarterly issues that will be collected into three annual graphic novels.

This leg of the Mandrake Project Tour 2025 has just begun, and will continue through August and September. For more on the tour, how to get the record and comic, and more, check out the website HERE.

AUGUST

Fri 22nd – House of Blues, Anaheim, CA, USA

Sat 23rd – House of Blues, Las Vegas, NV, USA

Mon 25th – Marquee Theatre, Phoenix, AZ, USA

Tue 26th – Revel, Albuquerque, NM, USA

Thu 28th – House of Blues, Houston, TX, USA

Fri 29th – House of Blues, Dallas, TX, USA

Sun 31st – Rocklahoma, Pryor, OK, USA * (Onsale now)

SEPTEMBER

Tue 2nd – House of Blues, New Orleans, LA, USA (Onsale March 14)

Thu 4th – Revolution, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA

Sun 7th – The Town, Sao Paulo, Brazil (Onsale now)