Nightwish
April 14, 2018
The Grove of Anaheim – Anaheim, CA
Nightwish are a symphonic metal band from Finland. They are the most successful Finnish band worldwide, selling more than 9 million records and receiving more than 60 gold and platinum awards, having released five number 1 albums and thirteen number 1 singles. On March 9, 2018 Nightwish released their newest 2CD compilation album Decades which contains remastered versions of the original material. With the release of the compilation album, Nightwish set out on a world tour with a very special setlist. This setlist would include almost all songs from the band’s early career with their original singer, Tarja Turunen. These songs are featured in the band’s first four albums and some haven’t been played in ten years or more. To make the show extra intimate, Nightwish would have no support for the tour and would make each show each night two hours. One of the stops on the tour was the Grove in Anaheim, California. Orange County has always shown lots of love to Nightwish so for sure it was set to be an amazing night. As Nightwish was preparing to start, the venue was packed to almost sold out.
Fifteen minutes to the band starting, an intro video would be seen on the screen. With the last minute of the intro, a one minute countdown clock started which got the fans excited. The fans counted down the last ten seconds, then the lights went out. Nightwish member Troy Donockley, who plays the Ullieann pipes, was first to come on stage. He would play the first minute of the song Swanheart which works perfectly for his pipes. The rest of the band would come out and start the show with End of All Hope. This is a song that the band has not played since 2004 so for many fans, it was surely the first time hearing the song live. The second song played was one of Nightwish‘s best songs, Wish I Had An Angel. It is their biggest US hit to date and fans were happily singing along to the song. The third song played was 10th Man Down. This song has also not been played since 2003 making it for a nice treat for fans that will most likely never hear this song live ever again. Singer Floor Jansen looked amazing rocking out with the band as she head banged to the music and gracefully danced. Nightwishcontinued to bring the old songs into play as they played old favorites from ten years ago or more which included Gethsemane, Sacrament of Wilderness, Dead Boy’s Poem, and Elvenpath. Hearing these old tracks being played for possibly the last time was an amazing feeling of nostalgia for long time fans. Jansen gave these song justice that would make Turunen proud. Up next was one of the band’s newer songs and live staple, I Want My Tears Back. This is perhaps the band’s most fun song to jump and dance to. During the middle of the song is when Donockley plays his pipes and makes everyone dance to the segment as Jansen has everyone jumping, clapping, and she herself is dancing on stage. Moments like this bring fans together showing there is no hate amongst them. Bassist Marco Hietala went on to talk to the audience and joke with them a bit before introducing another old song The Carpenter from their 1997 debut album Angels Fall First which hasn’t been played since 1998, most likely since their first tour ever way before they toured the USA for the first time. The Kinslayer was up next and this song hasn’t been played since 2005, most likely on the last tour featuring Turunen before being dismissed from the band that same year. This song was written about the victims of the Columbine High School massacre. Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean was next and is another old track that was last played in 1999. The familiar keyboards started and fans cheered as Nightwish played what is perhaps their most famous song, Nemo. Fans everywhere were seen singing along to the song and is always one of the best songs played live by the band. Slaying the Dreamer hasn’t been played since 2008 and is one of the heavier songs by the band and has Jansen rocking out on stage as well as the fans rocking out. Nearing the end of their two-hour set, Nightwish played the longest song in their catalog at 24 minutes, The Greatest Show on Earth from their newest album, Endless Forms Most Beautiful. The song is separated into five parts, but only parts 1-3 were played. The song has a beautiful piano intro then Jansen jumps in with her beautiful soprano voice and sings part one of the song. The rest of the song is played flawlessly for the seventeen minutes of parts 1-3. Sadly, it was time for the show to come to an end. Nightwish would perform their ten-minute symphonic metal masterpiece, Ghost Love Score. A beautifully performed song that made for a perfect ending. Nightwishfinished their show and got a standing ovation from the packed venue. It was truly one of Nightwish‘s best tours.
