Derek Roddy played drums for Anthrax at the Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City on Friday 2 October, where the band supported Iron Maiden. He wrote afterwards: "Well, that was a rager. Haha. Thank you IRON MAIDEN, ANTHRAX, Charlie Benante, Scott Ian, Joey Belladonna, Jonathan M Donais, Frank Bello. Y'all rule. Epic!!!!! Thank you again."
It is the second Iron Maiden support slot in four days that Charlie Benante has missed, and no official reason has been given for either. On 29 September at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Mike Heller was called in with a few hours' notice, by Dirk Verbeuren of Megadeth, who were on the same bill.
Roddy is not a stranger to the stool. He filled in at Milwaukee Metal Fest in May 2023, and in January 2023 when Benante had an undisclosed operation, and his first show with the band was on 20 January 2023 in Vancouver. Before that his name was attached to Hate Eternal, Nile, Malevolent Creation and Today Is The Day.
Benante has been missing dates since around 2012 because of carpal tunnel syndrome, and more recently because of his commitments with the reformed Pantera. What is new here is the frequency: two stand ins in four days, on the biggest support run the band have.