Retired IRON MAIDEN drummer NICKO McBRAIN has announced a 17-date European spoken-word tour for autumn 2026, titled "An Evening With Nicko McBrain," tied to the October release of his autobiography, Hello Boys And Girls!
The 74-year-old drummer — who retired from IRON MAIDEN on December 7, 2024 after more than four decades behind the kit — will visit theatres across Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, beginning October 26 in Frankfurt.
The book, published October 22 via Harper Nonfiction, covers McBrain's extraordinary journey: his recruitment into IRON MAIDEN in 1982, life on the road across 14 studio albums, and the personal battles that tested him along the way — including a stroke in 2023, a battle with laryngeal cancer, and his later years as a born-again Christian.
McBrain joined IRON MAIDEN following the brief tenure of Clive Burr and became one of the most beloved drummers in heavy metal history. His powerful, expressive playing anchored some of the band's greatest recordings, from Piece of Mind (1983) through to Senjutsu (2021). He has been replaced in the band's live lineup by SIMON DAWSON.
The spoken-word evenings promise an unfiltered look at what it means to spend four decades as part of one of rock's most enduring institutions — told with the warmth, wit, and frankness that have always made McBrain one of metal's most approachable personalities.
Tour dates: Oct. 26 – Frankfurt, Germany (Alte Oper) · Oct. 27 – Cologne, Germany (Tanzbrunnen) · Oct. 29 – Berlin, Germany (Passionskirche) · Oct. 30 – Munich, Germany (Backstage) · Nov. 3 – Tilburg, Netherlands (013) · Nov. 8 – Helsinki, Finland (Savoy Theatre) · Nov. 9 – Oslo, Norway (Rockefeller) · Nov. 11 – Stockholm, Sweden (Gota Lejon) · Nov. 13 – Copenhagen, Denmark (DR Studio 2) · Nov. 15 – St. Julian's, Malta (Malta Metal Festival) · Nov. 18 – Dublin, Ireland (Ambassador) · Nov. 23 – Birmingham, UK (Glee Club) · Nov. 26 – London, UK (Bush Hall) · Nov. 28 – Cardiff, UK (The Gate) · Nov. 30 – Bath, UK (Komedia) · Dec. 1 – Manchester, UK (Academy 2) · Dec. 3 – Glasgow, UK (Oran Mor)