According to blabbermouth.net. on December 17, Black Sabbath’s Bill Ward went on social media to send a supportive message to Iron Maiden’s longtime drummer Nicko McBrain retiring from touring: “Dear Nicko, In retiring to meet new horizons, I hope your journeys will be safe. I think it is so respectful and dignified that your drum chair will be available to you for any future Iron Maiden recordings, an idea that leads without fanfare, an idea that lays in tandem with any lick or rudiment, on any day Respectfully, Bill Ward.”

On December 7, McBrain announced his retirement in a statement on the band’s web site and social media pages. The British musician mentioned in the statement that the concert at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil would mark his final show with Iron Maiden. Despite the fact that he is stepping away from touring, McBrain said that he will remain closely connected to the band and continue to be involved in “a variety of projects,” while also focusing on personal ventures and his existing businesses.

On December 8, Iron Maiden announced Simon Dawson as the new touring drummer. Dawson is a former session drummer and the band’s bassist Steve Harris’s longtime bandmate in British Lion.