Hurts So Good?

Okay, Hessians, here's a reason to be excited. Iron Maiden is returning to Orange County, and they're bringing more than 30 years of metal experience to shred your eardrums once more. They are the greatest heavy-metal band because a) they're from England, birthplace of Sabbath and Zeppelin (and NOT W.A.S.P., thank God); b) they've been around since 1975, which means they were one of the inventors of the genre; and c) they've got a decaying corpse, Eddie, as their mascot. Anyone want to argue with that? Sure, they don't have all their original members, but after three decades, that's a lot to ask . . . and frankly, they're a metal band. If they hadn't lost a few along the way, would you still take them seriously?
Fri., May 30, 8 p.m.; Sat., May 31, 8 p.m., 2008