Led Zeppelin founder and iconic guitarist Jimmy Page recently posted a photo from twenty years ago on his Instagram account and recalled the time he had the opportunity to see Iron Maiden perform at the famous Rock in Rio festival.
As you probably know, Jimmy Page is one of the few old-school rock stars who enjoys actively using his social media. However, he does not use Instagram as a platform where he announces his latest projects or shares previews of his life. Instead, he likes to post photos from years ago and remember memories that he still holds dear.
In his recent Instagram post, Jimmy Page talked about the moment he had the opportunity to see Iron Maiden perform at one of the largest music festivals in modern history, the Rock in Rio festival. Iron Maiden had performed at the first Rock in Rio festival in 1985, but the main artists were famous bands like Queen, George Benson, Rod Stewart, AC / DC and Yes.
Some years later, at the 2001 Rock in Rio festival, Iron Maiden was one of the main artists, and therefore this was a big problem for the band. It turns out that Jimmy Page was also in Brazil and Iron Maiden invited him to attend his concert. Steve Harris, the lead bassist and songwriter for Iron Maiden, had previously said in an interview that he was heavily influenced by Led Zeppelin, Uriah Heep, Pink Floyd, Queen, and some other legendary games.
So it must have been a great honor for him to have Jimmy Page in the front row. Page recalled that day and said that Iron Maiden put on an incredible show with one of the best audiences in the world. He went on to say that Brazilians know how to have fun and that being there at a festival like that was an incredible experience.
Here’s what Jimmy Page had to say in the caption of his recent Instagram post:
“On this day in 2001, I saw Iron Maiden perform at Rock in Rio.
Because I was in Brazil, it gave me an opportunity to take up an invite to see Iron Maiden perform at Rock in Rio. Rob Halford, from Judas Priest, kindly gave me a lift to the site in the helicopter, and here is a photo of me backstage playing a guitar that I believe was signed for charity.
Iron Maiden filmed this show with one of the best audiences in the world. Always memorable, the Rock in Rio – Brazilian people know how to enjoy themselves at even the smallest party so you can imagine what they are like at a major festival!
Photo: Ross Halfin 2001″