Synopsis

Iron Maiden perform "Wrathchild" onstage at London's Rainbow Theatre, with Paul Di'Anno delivering the song's snarling vocal while Steve Harris, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, and Clive Burr drive the compact, aggressive arrangement. The footage captures the band at the height of its early New Wave of British Heavy Metal phase, surrounded by stark lighting, smoke, and the imposing Eddie backdrop. Rather than presenting a scripted storyline, the video works as a direct concert document, emphasizing the group's speed, chemistry, and raw stage power.

Factoids & Trivia

• The performance was filmed at the Rainbow Theatre in London on December 21, 1980, during the period between Iron Maiden's debut album and *Killers*.

• It was released in 1981 as part of the band's first concert video, *Live at the Rainbow*. The original release featured seven edited performances from the show.

• The lineup in the clip is Paul Di'Anno, Steve Harris, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, and Clive Burr. Adrian Smith had joined the group only a few months earlier, replacing Dennis Stratton.

• "Wrathchild" was the 35th video played when MTV launched in the United States on August 1, 1981. It was one of the first heavy metal performances broadcast by the channel and reportedly aired several times during its opening day.

• The song was written by Steve Harris and appeared on *Killers*, released on February 2, 1981. Its live-video exposure helped give the track visibility in the United States before Iron Maiden had established a major American audience.

• The recording has since been reissued as part of *The Early Days* DVD collection, keeping the early Di'Anno-era performance available after the original video cassette became difficult to find.