Iron Maiden Drummer Nicko McBrain Celebrates 61st Birthday Onstage

What better way to celebrate your 61st birthday than by doing what you love? That's just what Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain did on Wednesday, June 5. Maiden were playing in Paris, France when singer Bruce Dickinson led the crowd in a rousing rendition of 'Happy Birthday' for the skinsman!

Fan-shot video of the celebration is nearly eight minutes in length and includes a song performance, as well as Dickinson having a lengthy discussion with the crowd in its native French language. Skip to the minute-and-a-half mark, since that's when the crowd starts chanting McBrain's name and cheering for him on his big day.

While it was awesome to see the drummer's big time grin, it was even more impressive that Dickinson speaks such fluent French. He rocks, he flies, he speaks French. Is there anything this man can't or doesn't do? Il est étonnant, n'est-ce pas?

The birthday serenade starts at about 2:30 in. Then the band proceeds to perform 'Afraid to Shoot Strangers.'