Somewhere on Tour was a concert tour by heavy metal band Iron Maiden, from 10 September 1986 to 21 May 1987, supporting their album Somewhere in Time. The band performed across the globe, in countries including Poland, Italy, the United States and England. The tour lasted 253 days, during which the band performed 151 shows. The tour commenced in Belgrade, Serbia (Yugoslavia at the time).
Background
The Somewhere on Tour production was the most ambitious to date. The band used seven or eight 45 foot articulated trucks packed with over 100 tons of equipment, three crowd buses for 60 people and two nightliners for five musicians. The band-owned customized Turbosound system was probably the biggest in the world used indoors. Total power (PA and stage monitors) was estimated at 180.000 watts. The vast and flexible lighting rig held over 1100 lamps hanged over futuristic stage set including flying space ships, inflatable props, laser guns, pyrotechnics, hydraulic stands, backdrops and monumental Eddie's appearance. The tour was a big success everywhere.
On 3 November, BBC's Jim'll Fix It filmed the Hammersmith concert documenting a wish from a 14-year-old fan named Dominic Lawson who went to become a roadie for the concert. He ended up receiving a gold disc record for helping the band and the staff for preparing the concert on that day.[1]
"Sanctuary" (from Iron Maiden, 1980) (Dropped after 18 December 1986)
Notes:
"Wrathchild" (from Killers, 1981) was performed in the UK, in cities where the band had two or more shows: the second nights in Manchester (11 October 1986), Edinburgh (28 October 1986) and Birmingham (31 October 1986). Also performed on all nights in Japan.
The guitar duet "Walking on Glass, was written and played (as a true guitar solo) by Adrian Smith the previous year when he and Nicko McBrain played two shows as The Entire Population of Hackney. Not played on the very last night in Japan.
First of seven tours in which the supported album's closing track wasn't played.
"The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner" was performed on the opening night in Belgrade for the first time, never again to appear on a Maiden setlist.
"Flight of Icarus" (from Piece of Mind, 1983) was performed on the first six nights, then it was replaced by "Phantom of the Opera". It was the last tour to include "Flight of Icarus" in the setlist until the Legacy of the Beast World Tour in 2018.