Three tribute bands packed The Forge in Joliet and the response from that audience spurred those groups to reunite for another evening of heavy metal.
“It was such a huge night for everybody involved,” said Maiden Chicago bassist Gary Ingram about the Jan. 21, 2023, concert.
“We couldn’t even imagine it being as successful as it was. It was close to a sold-out house, which is very rare for a group of tribute bands. (The Forge) usually (has) national acts there that do the same amount of people. It was very cool.”
The venue hosts Metallica tribute Blackened, Iron Maiden tribute Maiden Chicago and Slayer tribute Reign in Blood again for a Feb. 3 show presented by Crest Hill-based WRXQ-FM (100.7) aka Q Rock and FM Entertainment.
Ingram of Orland Park described the other two bands as “very high-energy.”
“They do tributes to Slayer and Metallica better than anyone I’ve ever seen,” said Ingram, a Maiden Chicago co-founder.
“Reign in Blood’s fairly new but Blackened have been doing it probably as long, if not longer, than Maiden Chicago. All these bands are highly professional. They bring it every time they play.”
Formed in 2010, Maiden Chicago includes Ingram as Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris, vocalist Taran de Pablos of North Riverside as Bruce Dickinson, guitarists Al Contreras of Frankfort as Adrian Smith and Vic Sabal of Downers Grove as Dave Murray, and drummer Dan Driskill of Bourbonnais as Nicko McBrain.
“I don’t think I could find a better group of people to play with. Everybody has got a skill set that’s hard to find on the local scene,” said Ingram, who cites “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” as his favorite Iron Maiden song to perform live.
“There’s a sense of community with us and a sense of family within the band. It’s hard to put a finger on but it definitely gets a lot of repeat people out to the crowds. I know a lot of people that come see us for years now.”
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Part of what draws repeat audience members to see Maiden Chicago is Iron Maiden’s deep catalog, which includes songs from 1982’s “The Number of the Beast,” 1983’s “Piece of Mind,” 1984’s “Powerslave,” 1986’s “Somewhere in Time,” and 1988’s “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.”
“We’re trying to do as much variety as possible as far as the set list goes to try to hit all the hits and some of the deep cuts people don’t hear too often,” said Ingram, who previously played bass in Iron Maiden tribute bands Powerslave and Revelations.
“We’re looking forward to playing and unleashing a few surprises.”
After discovering Iron Maiden on MTV, Ingram saw the band approximately 15 times starting with 1983’s World Piece Tour at Wisconsin’s Alpine Valley Music Theatre and most recently at 2022’s Legacy of the Beast World Tour at Chicago’s United Center after Maiden Chicago played a pre-party at Reggies Chicago.
“They were so theatrical and different than anybody else, especially Steve Harris. His fingers were flying all over the place and Bruce was running all over that stage,” Ingram said.
“They were so energetic. They’re still like that to this day.”
Blackened, Maiden Chicago and Reign in Blood
When: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3
Where: The Forge, 22 W. Cass St., Joliet
Tickets: $10
Information: 815-280-5246; theforgelive.com
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.