Fugazi

Charlotte Wessels released today a (creepy) video for her song 'Afkicken' -- it's sung in Dutch.

I don't know if you guys want to be spoilered, but in any case here goes -- the rest of the season 👀 Floor Jansen – Call You Home (Sing Meinen Song, Vol. 9) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5poW3TQiiqY original: Kelvin Jones - Call You Home Floor Jansen – Mauern (Sing Meinen Song, Vol. 9) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB-1_3HhB5k original: Lotte - Mauern Floor Jansen – Anfassen (Sing Meinen Song, Vol. 9) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgOwXeHNTCE original: Johannes Oerding - Anfassen The duets: SDP & Floor Jansen – Amaranth (Sing Meinen Song, Vol. 9) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv8vIUctpbo Floor Jansen & Kelvin Jones – Call You Home (Sing Meinen Song, Vol. 9) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcLMCt5qttQ The Nightwish/Northward/Floor covers: Lotte – Noise (Sing Meinen Song, Vol. 9) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBEHz6XemEk 🤘 Clueso – Sleeping Sun (Sing Meinen Song, Vol. 9) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHxNEoct_j4 🤔 Kelvin Jones – Storytime (Sing Meinen Song, Vol. 9) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s5oGYEdXFk ☮️ Elif – Fire (Sing Meinen Song, Vol. 9) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms4QoKD6ljM 🔥 Johannes Oerding – While Love Died (Sing Meinen Song, Vol. 9) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXEKOZO5_mc 🎹 SDP – Amaranth (Sing Meinen Song, Vol. 9) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8NKlLIPQ4M ⚒️ This and more available here: https://www.youtube.com/moschannelpop/videos

It's poll time! Which, in your opinion, is Nightwish' best show opener? I'm helping you by providing examples for each of them -- do let me know if I missed any? Elvenpath (1997-98, Angels Fall First Tour) Tavastia 1998 Given they had only one album to choose from, I think Elvenpath works well as a show opener. It was one of their more energetic songs at the time. Sacrament Of Wilderness (1999, Summer Of Wilderness Tour) Liperi 1999 Another fine choice to open a concert, it has a nice long and fast instrumental intro and it's pretty dynamic. Passion And The Opera (1999, Oceanborn Tour) Torino 1999 I like the song, but I'm not sure how well suited it is as a show opener. I don't know, maybe not enough music before Tarja starts singing? She Is My Sin (2000, Wishmaster World Tour) Mexico City 2000 I didn't think this one would work as an opening song, but listening to it I find it actually does! Kinslayer (2001, Over The Hills And Far Away Tour) Himos 2001 Kinslayer is among my least favourite NW songs, but I must admit it has the right loudness-speed to open a show. Bless The Child (2002-03, World Tour Of The Century/Summer Of Innocence Tour) Amsterdam 2002 Spoken parts generally work well in this context. Dark Chest Of Wonders (2004-05, Once World Tour) Bucharest 2004 This was also the opening song of the famous Wacken 2013 show. White Lands Of Empathica/Bye Bye Beautiful (2007-08, Dark Passion Play World Tour) Novi Sad 2008 This "bait-and-switch" with Poet And The Pendulum is a fun way to play with expectations, and Bye Bye Beautiful is such a catchy song to get a show started! 7 Days To The Wolves (2009, Dark Passion Play World Tour) Dessel 2009 I love this song, but I don't think it works so well as a show opener. Too long, too slow? Taikatalvi/Storytime (2012, Imaginaerum World Tour) Hamburg 2012 Marko singing behind the curtain, him throwing the rocking chair, Storytime starting with the curtain raised then the curtain drop, this is all so epic! Except when the curtain malfunctions! 😁 Unfortunately only big venues got the curtain drop, many shows started cold with Storytime -- which also works well enough by itself. Shudder Before The Beautiful (2015-16, Endless Forms Most Beautiful World Tour) Rio De Janeiro 2015 Among my favourite openers, such a dynamic, fast-paced song, and Floor and Marko singing together at the end is gold. Swanheart/End Of All Hope (2018, Decades World Tour) Pittsburgh 2018 Well... it's different. Swanheart instrumental at the end of the countdown is anticlimactic and very long. For festivals they skipped to End Of All Hope, which is more appropriate for the festival crowd. Music/Noise (2021-22, Human Nature World Tour) Lowell 2022 A slow build, and Noise is probably the only song from the new album they could use for opening the show.

Great interview indeed, thanks!

Here's what I have found from the latest: Silver Spring 2022-05-10: Full show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=So6LYgN7YVE Noise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92cxWmpcv4A Planet Hell https://youtu.be/92cxWmpcv4A?t=436 Tribal https://youtu.be/92cxWmpcv4A?t=705 Élan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMtFya8zYE0 Storytime https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm041G65ydk She Is My Sin Harvest 7 Days to the Wolves https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zysyL5Kym0c Dark Chest of Wonders I Want My Tears Back Ever Dream Nemo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z70eKCpF8v4 How's The Heart (acoustic) Shoemaker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvbyOk9_qzo Last Ride of the Day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlvc80qKoVM Ghost Love Score The Greatest Show on Earth Ad Astra Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaX-JP-lohRWLfAsHCdp8PMZe2R3lm2UB

Thanks! They all agreed it's a difficult song even for native speakers, those fast and long rapped lyrics. Looking forward to Elif singing Fire in a few weeks, but I would have liked her to sing a Nightwish song instead. 🙂

There you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiUMqWwfisg Funny song. 🤨 Kind of country-sounding.

Wow, I wasn't sure at first, a very wordy song and not very melodic, but the last minute was something else with Floor really showing off her range. 😮 I'm not sure I like Elif's original songs, but I love her voice and her covers are great, she is my favourite singer next to Floor so far -- but I'm not in love with her original material. Mind you, I've only watched 2 or 3 of her videos so maybe I just didn't pick her best hits. This one is the audio-only YouTube version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKyWb1BO0mQ

Here's the song Floor will be singing today. ELIF - Freunde: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g-PNLHThQo

Another interview on the Metal-Rules YouTube channel. I don't think there's anything really new, but it's a nice long interview anyway.

I'm glad you had a good time! 👍 Looking forward to your pics -- and now rest your vocal cords until Silver Spring! 😁

Now let's see what can be found on YouTube. The last five shows have followed the same setlist, starting with the one in Helsinki. Montréal 2022-05-06: Noise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8WCLSROWxw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlETuDjDiWA Planet Hell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNpllvFm8IQ Tribal Élan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHg-KldcpIM Storytime https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdOviq5UQjQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU_azvIGRNc She Is My Sin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chtm02IpK20 Harvest 7 Days to the Wolves Dark Chest of Wonders https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XOX0gWZi_s I Want My Tears Back https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nhEMbfBLiE Ever Dream Nemo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BT28AFIgtc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKv7hzf7QTg How's The Heart (acoustic) Shoemaker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNVXcgMUa4k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD1qSjRej5E Last Ride of the Day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9neB68DE7qo Ghost Love Score The Greatest Show on Earth Ad Astra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu6Nuls7rsA Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaX-JP-lohRVHQr1Vi4W8XNNK5lgYDWfT Lowell 2022-05-07: Complete show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP0WgNrWQ7I Noise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHl9_gsTIyo Planet Hell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wZoSQeIPgU Tribal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVuIMGCL4e8 Élan Storytime https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZpkBCgQsQk She Is My Sin Harvest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHAWstpqh1w 7 Days to the Wolves https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJNJtFRG-nU Dark Chest of Wonders https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcfjvTgHuPI I Want My Tears Back https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNtTDdl0gLk Ever Dream https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8bd2AFFpbs Nemo How's The Heart (acoustic) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pnBNxF0vw8 Shoemaker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wis6fHxk7IQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L09MeETBncw Last Ride of the Day Ghost Love Score https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJWmzOV2wrI The Greatest Show on Earth Ad Astra Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaX-JP-lohRVOURmbNjhnvAiCMfBlACXr New York City 2022-05-08: Partial show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRxlPmNcmss Noise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXgWh05o4aI Planet Hell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaIIdjEtOus Tribal Élan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKdO2Yh8JLo (funny goof) Storytime https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85I0LTp_7s0 She Is My Sin Harvest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha6Y-bXRPvc 7 Days to the Wolves https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-zP9GLlDFo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z37hzys5Jb0 Dark Chest of Wonders https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBtTwk1hbvo I Want My Tears Back Ever Dream https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMcBgVHOv6A Nemo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdr4D6RdZLI How's The Heart (acoustic) Shoemaker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw5thcZf4rI Last Ride of the Day Ghost Love Score https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGQSHF3gUEw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7k-NwIqa1U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhYVpOFaEOE (lots of background yelling on this one) The Greatest Show on Earth Ad Astra Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaX-JP-lohRWY6e6LhLR7DB9VjLcUunRR Work in progress...

Here's the poster I brought back from the show yesterday:

Before "How's The Heart", Floor (or was it Troy?) asked everyone to turn on their cellphone flashlights: Tuomas and Troy during "Four Point Six".

Where to start? Back home tonight, travel was uneventful. I'm going to post more pictures from the show but first I will downsize them as the files are needlessly large. Sorry for the average quality, no need to tell it's difficult to take good phone pictures of moving artists in a dark room. I didn't record any songs, I felt it would take me away from the enjoyment of the show. I'm sure I'll find everything I need on YouTube in a minute! 😁 Anyway, the venue was less than half-full for Beast In Black, many people waited for Nighwish before taking their seats but even then the Tsongas Arena wasn't packed full. They say concert seating capacity is about 7800, but by my calculations there were about 1500 people on the floor and some 1000+ in the stands. This was a concert with assigned seating, only the first row ticket holders were allowed to stand at the rail, and venue security was actively enforcing this rule by checking tickets. However everyone on the floor stood anyway -- at their seats -- during the whole Nightwish performance. Energy in the venue was high despite the assigned seating, and in the first row we had all the freedom in the world. Best ticket purchase ever! The band was amazing, and to think they're all in the same room as you are for a fleeting moment is weird and wonderful. And how can a 2-hour show already be over so fast! Shortest 2 hours of my life! 🤔 It was more than 2 hours actually, probably 2h10, they were slightly late but finished around 22:20. Some random comments: Noise is not my favourite opening song, but Ad Astra is IMO the best way they ever finished a show -- nothing I can think of in their history can top this. I'll never forget the goosebumps when I was watching the Virtual show live last year and seeing Floor return to the front and sing Ad Astra. A most unexpected and majestic ending, and as I said before way better than the jarring TGSOE-GLS-"We are going to die" combo on the Decades tour. What were they thinking? 😁 Everyone was all smiles during the show, they looked like they had great fun playing together after all this time. Even Jukka was interacting with the crowd, gesturing at us and thanking us for the support. Floor says that "7 Days To The Wolves" is one of her favourites, and I'm really stoked it returned to the set list for this tour. "Harvest" is a great live song. Anyone who is on the fence about it should watch it live. Which brings me to Troy's vocals. I don't know if it's the live mix at the venue or a conscious choice by the band, but Troy's vocals were much louder than I was used to, and it was a good thing IMO. He's no Marko, but with his voice more prominent in the mix I think it made for more balanced duets with Floor and a nicer experience overall. Everything seems so easy for Floor nowadays. She nailed Ever Dream, Shoemaker, How's The Heart, Ad Astra, and everything else like it was nothing to her. She's so good that she can deliver extremely challenging performances without making it appear like she's working at all. Also, Floor had no trouble at all saying "Massachusetts". 😆 Now for some pictures (next post):

Yes indeed! I'm back at the hotel, tired and happy! This was everything I had hoped for, a brilliant performance. Same set as the previous shows. I'll post more tomorrow, for now enjoy this:

BiB are great fun! Edit: Great energy, super thankful to the crowd, Yannis Papadopoulos has a great voice, great warm up band!

For starters...

In Lowell right now, grabbing some food before heading to the show. It's booked seats so no stress there. Already saw some NW T-shirts in the city! 😁

Ok I'm off to Boston in a couple of hours, so just leaving this here: Harvest in Montreal tonight, probably more recordings will appear shortly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vwd0w45dEzs I probably won't be able to post any significant updates until late on Sunday, but I will send news from Lowell tomorrow night! 🔥

Interview with Floor Jansen — “I found it very important to find something that fits me and realize that that’s a process.” By Laureline Tilkin - May 6, 2022 https://tuonelamagazine.com/interview-with-floor-jansen--i-found-it-very-important-to-find-something-that-fits-me-and-realize-that-thats-a-process/ A few quotes: [For the Tampere show] I got a B12 injection, a vitamin, it gives you this instant energy, which the day after is gone. It feels horrible, but it really worked for the show. So that’s really helped me. [...] this is my second studio album with the band, you know? This year, we can celebrate 10 years of me and NIGHTWISH but it’s the second album only, a studio album, and for Kai, it was the first, where he was a member [that] also played on [the album], so to make that goal [Platinum in Finland], that is special. I started working with Joost [Van den Broeck] and we’ve been really working on trying to find my sound. But him coming from metal and me coming from metal made it very hard to kind of make the step away from that. [...] And so the stuff that I’ve been doing with Joost probably will never actually make the album but he was an essential part of getting the ball rolling. So yeah, you need to write a lot of different kinds of songs with different people. So next to Joost, I also wrote with another Dutch songwriter. Some songs will make it, some will not. I want it to be less is more. I don’t want it to be rock. I don’t want it to be metal. I’m not going to be Miss Pop. I’m not going to be your metal Britney Spears. No metal barbies, so there was a lot of “no I don’t want to do this.” I don’t want to do that. But I want to be able to really use my voice without it becoming too much. I have been talking with all of this to Gordon Groothedde, the producer, and told him about those things I don’t want and what I would like to give or take. [...] He said, you know, after our talk, I had this song in my head that I wrote with and for somebody a while ago that I think could actually fit you. I’m going to check with her if I could play this for you. And so he did and I was like, yeah this… so we kind of formed it more towards my voice, recorded it, and that was the kickstart actually of what I consider my sound and from there, you can search and after that together, we wrote “Fire.” So yeah, it had to start somewhere and it was very cool that the lady who co-wrote it and was supposed to have it on her album said it’s better for your voice, you should definitely have it, so that’s super cool because you know songs are so personal. Beste Zangers did not only open a market for me but it also opened a market for NIGHTWISH, so even though our songs might not be played on the radio as easily as my pop song now does, it’s still something that gets much more airplay, gets much more attention, is more looked upon by the Dutch audience as something that is not directly “not for me” because it’s metal. [...] this is crazy I can do Pinkpop for both solo and the band on one day. I first had to check how long the sets were because I don’t want to overdo it. I don’t want to get tired on my solo show and then not be fit enough for NIGHTWISH, that would be unforgivable. But both are an hour and our regular NIGHTWISH shows are 2 hours, which should be fine. And the video interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52w1dbvoI14

🤣 Right, I think she's on it already! Wait a minute, she did an interview in Swedish on Finnish TV? Do most Finns understand Swedish? 🤔

Here's a more complete translation of the Unikat segment, with Floor talking about being different and bullied in her youth. https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8alipq

Gossip time! 😁 Marco Hietala in the whirlpool of baby rumors - this is how the rocker who left Nightwish responds Panu Hörkkö 06.05.2022 https://www.seiska.fi/Kotimaa/Marco-Hietala-vauvahuhujen-pyorteissa-nain-Nightwishin-jattanyt-rokkari-vastaa/1172218 For a long time, there have been hints at Seiska that musician Marco Hietala, 56, is becoming a father. According to sources, Marco's Brazilian wife Cami is expecting a couple from her firstborn. Seiska reached Marco on Monday to comment on persistent baby rumors. The musician who married Cam in Brazil in 2019 refused to confirm the news. - Or that kind of thing. Now I have to say hey hey, Marco inched and hung up. Marco has two sons from his divorce in 2016. Marco dropped a news bomb a year ago when he announced he had left Nightwish. He attributed the greed of the tour organizers to his own endurance, among other things.

From Dutch to Finnish to Swedish to German... What's next?!