Delain, by Omar Cordy
The night was started off right by Delain from the Netherlands. This is also my 1st time seeing and hearing them and boy was I blown away. Charlotte Wessell’s voice is so soothing and the music is equally as catchy, they just got a new fan right here. When the lights turned down you knew who was coming up next by the massive chanting of “Sabaton! Sabaton!” Like an invasion they swarmed the stage and infected everyone with their barrage of Swedish power metal. This is one of the most in energetic, cardio-driven bands I’ve seen. It’s like watching four Bruce Dickinson-s running around on stage. Near the end of their set vocalist Joakim Brodén took a moment to call to attention a young kid in the front row. The 10 year old kid named Freddy was brought on stage received his own “Freddy!” chant. It was his second show and his parents allowed him to stay up on stage with them for their final song ‘Metal Crue’ while wearing Joakim’s trademark sunglasses. I think Freddy will be forever spoiled now!
Sabaton, by Omar Cordy
The stage at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York for Nightwish was covered in what looked liked ash figures and burned out trees. It was a visual site that added even more atmosphere to the set list that leaned heavy on seven songs from the new album Endless Forms Most Beautiful (Nuclear Blast). Opening ‘Shudder Before the Beautiful’, Floor Jansen had the crowd singing along to the new songs as if they were older ones. After a few newer ones they pulled out fan favorite, ‘Amaranth’. Tuomas Holopainen composes some of the best arrangements I’ve ever heard and watching Emppu Vuorinen play guitar makes you want to play too. They both bring nothing but smiles of joy. To make the show even more special, they brought out ‘Sleeping Sun’, which bassist Marco Hietala says they haven’t done ever live. The vocal harmonies between Floor, Marco and Troy are marvelous on ‘Elan’ and ‘My Walden’ were superb. It was also the first show with new/fill in drummer Kai Hahto of Wintersun and of course Rotten Sound fame. He was flawless and you can see why Jukka Nevalainen tapped him to help out.
Nightwish, by Omar Cordy
Nightwish, by Omar Cordy
The ending of the show was enormous ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’ and my personal favorite ‘Ghost Love Score’ felt so grand I was left in awe. The crowd just ate up the roller coast of emotions these songs gave off. Finally ending the seventeen song night was ‘The Last Ride of the Day’. You really wished they had time for another ten songs. Plus the whole set was book-ended by spoken word pieces from Richard Dawkins. If this show is the benchmark, then the rest of the country and the world are going to love this tour. Just remember, New York was here first.
Nightwish, by Omar Cordy
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WORDS AND PHOTOS BY OMAR CORDY