A special surprise unfolded in London over the weekend as Bruce Dickinson made an unexpected guest appearance with Smith/Kotzen during their concert at O2 Shepherds Bush Empire on Saturday night (February 21).
The IRON MAIDEN frontman joined forces with guitarist Adrian Smith and THE WINERY DOGS frontman Richie Kotzen for a live rendition of the MAIDEN classic “Wasted Years,” sending the London crowd into a frenzy. Fan-filmed footage of the performance has since surfaced online, which can be seen below.
The appearance added another highlight to what has already been a strong touring cycle for the Smith/Kotzen project. Formed officially in 2021, the duo debuted with their self-titled album, which cracked the U.K. Top 20 and performed strongly across Europe as well as North and South America. Their blues-infused hard rock chemistry translated seamlessly to the stage, earning rave reviews on both sides of the Atlantic.
In 2024, Smith and Kotzen regrouped to record their sophomore full-length effort, Black Light / White Noise, which arrived in April 2025. The album’s release reignited global demand for live dates, leading to the current run of shows — including the London stop that featured Dickinson’s surprise cameo.
Supporting Smith and Kotzen on the road is a formidable backing lineup. Kotzen’s wife, internationally acclaimed bassist Julia Lage — formerly of the Latin Grammy-nominated Brazilian rock band BARRA DE SAIA and currently a member of VIXEN — anchors the low end. Over the years, Lage has shared stages with artists such as Pat Travers, Elliot Easton of THE CARS Nuno Bettencourt of EXTREME, and Mark McGrath of SUGAR RAY. Behind the kit, the duo has enlisted Bruno Valverde of ANGRA.
Between album releases, the project also issued the Better Days …And Nights EP in September 2022 via BMG. The collection featured five previously unreleased live tracks and, for the first time on CD, the four studio songs from the sold-out limited-edition 12-inch vinyl EP Better Days, originally released in conjunction with Record Store Day in November 2021.
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