If you thought the Iron Maiden 50th-anniversary bash at Knebworth couldn’t get any bigger, think again. The band have just announced that former frontman Blaze Bayley will be headlining the Maidenville stage on Friday night. It’s a proper “once in a lifetime” job, with Blaze set to perform a set exclusively made up of songs from his era with the band.
Blaze, who fronted the legends from 1994 to 1999, will be digging deep into The X Factor and Virtual XI. Speaking about the slot, Blaze said he’s “chuffed” to be invited back to the hallowed grounds of Knebworth to celebrate the milestone. It’s a rare chance for fans to hear those 90s tracks live, many of which Blaze co-wrote with Steve Harris.
Speaking of Steve, the Maiden founder has been busy curating the Friday night line-up himself. Adding to the nostalgia, he’s invited Gypsy’s Kiss to the party. For those who don’t know their trivia, this was Steve’s very first band back in 1974. Seeing them on the same bill as the main event 50 years later is a cracking touch.
The weekend, dubbed Eddfest, is shaping up to be a right belter. Alongside the tunes, punters can check out the Infinite Dreams Museum Experience, which is packed with props and relics from the band’s history. There’s also an “Unfair Funfair” and the biggest version of Eddie’s Dive Bar we’ve seen yet. We caught the band on their last UK run and they were in world-class form, so this Knebworth weekend is going to be something else.
The full line-up for the weekend currently looks like this:
Friday Night (Maidenville Stage)
- Blaze Bayley
- Stray
- Maiden United
- Airforce
- Gypsy’s Kiss
- Tony Moore’s Awake
- Hair Metal Glamageddon
Saturday Night (Main Stage)
- Iron Maiden
- The Darkness
- The Hu
- Airbourne
- The Almighty
The festival takes place on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th July 2026. If you’re planning on going, don’t hang about – this is the last chance to see Maiden on UK soil until at least 2028. Tickets and camping passes are available now via the official festival site.
