Nightwish London Wembley & Birmingham with Beast In Black + Turmion Kätilöt

 

Fantastic to be seeing Nightwish again. Back to back concerts lined up in Wembley and Birmingham. As it is the same set list I will cover off both nights in the same review. 

It's a wet but mild night, as we arrive by train at the grand old St Pancras Station I can feel the excitement already as we walk past the Arch of the famous football station. I'm amazed at the development that has taken place since I was last in these parts. Mind you the band has also seen a few changes too over the years. I'm looking forward to seeing how new Bassist 'Jukka Koskinen' (Ex Wintersun) fills the huge role left by Marco. More importantly how will Floor be after her recent surgery? All to be revealed in the fullness of time. Before all of that we have two excellent support bands to enjoy. First up are fellow Finns 'Turmion Kätilöt'. They have been around for a while(2003) and put on quite a show. Think 'Slipknot', 'The Prodigy'. 'Dimmi Borgir' with a hint of Rammstein and WWF thrown in for good measure. They are great fun though, and do their job of getting the crowd going.

Beast in Black

The car journey to Birmingham is horrendous ... Roadworks mainly cause the delay. I'm never sure these days if it is still the NEC or not? The tickets say 'Resorts World' but then seems to change back inside the Arena. Unfortunately as a result we have missed Turmion Kätilöt this time. Thankfully we will get to see the excellent 'Beast in Black' again. No time to hang around though, as the change over is the quickest I've ever seen. We can't even find our allocated seats ... Not wishing to disturb anyone we perch ourselves at the end of a row stage level. An interesting view, seeing as much backstage as front!     

Beast in Black were very impressive and the crowd loved them. A fusion of Greek, Finnish and Hungarian Euro- Pop metal is what you get. The tunes are catchy though and before you know it you are singing along too. Singer 'Yiannis Papadoulous' is a bit of a 'Rob Halford (Judas Priest) lookalike. The vocals are not to dissimilar either. He likes to disapear off the stage too . I can report from our rear view nothing untoward was taking place.The band will back in the 'second city' next year on their own headlining tour. I think it will be well worth attending. The Nightwish banner comes down. We find our rightful seats and the tension mounts. Funnily enough the position is very similar to that last night at Wembley.

Floor Jansen

Delayed over a year, and a quarter of  a century in the making, expectations are high. Wembley is packed to the rafters and Birmingham isn't far off either. Drummer 'Kai Hahto' beats out a rhythm, the curtain lifts and the crowd roars. Sparks begin to fly as Floor Bounds onto the stage to the pounding beat of 'Noise' from the new album' 'Human :II: Nature'. A mighty explosion lifts me off my seat (again).. It's great to see Floor looking so well, after what must have been a traumatic few months for her. Tonight she looks in commanding mood, owning the stage. Close up views are available from the two huge side screens. The lighting is as good as I have ever seen, along with the back screen images. 'Storytime' from 'Imaginaerum' quickly follows.  

Tuomas Holopainen

It's great to see Keyboards Maestro Tuomas Holpainen  in an elevated centre stage position. To his left is the multi-Instrumentalist 'Troy Donockley'.  A master of the 'Uuilleann pipes', whistles and all sorts of other wind instruments. He has really added a new dimension to the band since becoming a permanent member. The flames and pyros keep on coming and  we can feel the heat up in the aisles. Part of me longs to be down at the front in the mosh pit. I console myself with the thought that the sound is probably better somewhere further back. 

Troy Donockley

As if  it were possible things crank up even more with the classic 'Dark Chest of Wonders.' I would love to see 'Wishmaster' too but that seems to have been retired since 2012 from the live shows. The current set list also has been cut short since the South American Tour earlier in the year. 'She is my Sin'  '7 Days to the Wolves' and 'Ever Dream' have been cut. I imagine in an effort to reduce the workload for Floor. The 'Northern Lights' backdrop and the blustery snow compliment 'Sleeping Sun' perfectly. We are treated to a fantastic version of ' I want my Tears Back'. A song that builds faster and faster to a great chorus and interplay between Troy and guitarist 'Emppu Vuorinen'.   

Emppu Vuorinen

No Nightwish show would be complete without the epic 'Nemo'. Just hearing that keyboard intro always gives me goosebumps. Things calm a little with the acoustic 'How's the Heart'. It is at his point in Birmingham I regretted having a pint of Lager during the interval... Sometimes you just have to go. Making my apologies I stumbled to the exit. At least I would enjoy the rest of the concert in comfort! What a remainder of the show it would prove to be as well. Starting with The fifth and final song and my favourite from the new album 'Shoemaker'

An homage to the shoe making heritage of my home town 'Northampton' perhaps? Sadly not the case, but something even more extraordinary. The American Astrogeologist  'Eugene Shoemaker'. Who spent much of his life discovering comets and impact craters all over the world. The only person to date whose Ashes are buried on the moon. The operatic ending to the song by Floor is just exquisite and takes your breathe away. Highlighting her amazing voice and range.

'And, when he shall die
Take him and cut him out in little stars
And he will make the face of heaven so fine'

The musical extravaganza culminates with two more heavyweight blockbusters. 'Ghost Love Score' and 'The Last Ride of the Day'. They illustrate perfectly how Nightwish can mix the light and the dark. Pulsating adrenaline rush heavy metal, interspersed with the subtle and delicate touches. Much loved by fans of all ages who never fail to turn out in force. It has been a wonderful couple of nights that will stay long in the memory of those attending. All band members at the top of their game. Most of all their is an obvious sense of fun and enjoyment emanating from the stage. 

The night ends fittingly with 'The Greatest show on Earth'. Which on tonight's evidence it most certainly was. 

The band leave the stage to 'All the Works of Nature which adorn the World VIII. Along with a standing ovation from everyone present.

 'We were There'.

 

My grateful thanks go to  Nigel Pearson and Bob Payne for sourcing the tickets. Also to Eddie Mallet for allowing me to use his 'close up' photographs. 
 
 Full Set List 

• Noise
• Storytime
• Tribal
• Elan
• Dark Chest of Wonders
• Sleeping Sun
• Harvest
• I want my Tears back
• Nemo
• How's the Heart
• Shoemaker
• Last Ride of the Day
• Ghost Love Score
• The Greatest show on Earth