Nightwish...

[cramx3]

Out of the 63 concerts I saw last year, I rated Nightwish as my favorite. 

I do wish Floor would stop wearing these Xena Warrior Princess costumes on stage and wear something a little more akin to her normal everyday style.

I believe you are the only person in the world with this line of thought.   

Yeah, I think her recent outfits have been amazing.

[425]

I do wish Floor would stop wearing these Xena Warrior Princess costumes on stage and wear something a little more akin to her normal everyday style.

I believe you are the only person in the world with this line of thought.   

Yes, I love Floor's onstage style. In general, I think it would be cool if the men of metal would stop letting themselves get shown up so badly by the women. I'm not saying I want people coming out in full cosplay, but a little effort beyond "jeans and band t-shirt" would be cool to see more often.

[MirrorMask]

Well, it depends from band to band and also it's up down to the individual, I guess.

For example, I believe that Steve Harris is just comfortable wearing shorts and a shirt with no sleeves, and he doesn't do that just because it's the singer gets to be over the top with the costumes.

In Nightwish, Tuomas must be more comfortable with simpler clothes, and I believe Floor choses her own outfits as well, I can't imagine a marketing guy sitting with her to pick up clothes.

One band I find jarring is King Diamond. Ok, he's the guy with all the attention, but still seeing a guy with a full face paint surrounded by people in random clothes, including a guitarist with a baseball hat, kinda kills the whole atmosphere on stage. I don't say they should all use the corpse paint but at least fit a bit more with the imaginery of the band and the stage scenery....?

[Grappler]

Not sure where to put this, but Exit Eden is coming out with another new album.  They're a band with a few different female singers doing symphonic metal covers of pop songs.

They have Marco Hietala guesting on their first-ever original song and it's good to see him!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5p917OyAnI

[MirrorMask]

Saw the video just yesterday!

Oh, and in Nightwish related news.... Floor became a mother for the second time!!! 

[cramx3]

Not sure where to put this, but Exit Eden is coming out with another new album.  They're a band with a few different female singers doing symphonic metal covers of pop songs.

They have Marco Hietala guesting on their first-ever original song and it's good to see him!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5p917OyAnI

I saw Amanda Sommerville left the band too.

Saw the video just yesterday!

Oh, and in Nightwish related news.... Floor became a mother for the second time!!! 

Yup, congrats to Floor and Hannes

[ProfessorPeart]

Album is mixed and mastered.

https://bravewords.com/news/nightwish-our-10th-album-is-now-mixed-and-mastered

[MirrorMask]

I'm very curious about how it will sound.

Given that they won't tour for it, I half expect it to be like disc 2 of Human Nature but with lyrics, Tuomas going all the way with the symphonic folky mystical stuff.

Or maybe they're sitting on the next Nemo and I Want My Tears Back and rob themselves of the chance of hearing the wild crowd reaction in concerts 'cause they're weird that way 

[LithoJazzoSphere]

I think in a recent interview Kai Hahto said the album was supposed to be heavier.  Let's hope he's right.  Although I want more of Donockley's uilleann pipes as well, my rediscovery of that sound in the past year has made me appreciate the more recent songs that feature them much more. 

[gazinwales]

Tarja is on tour with Marco Hietela (special guest) and are performing several old Nightwish songs together.
Great to see them working together again, and Marco hints at a possible future collaboration
https://blabbermouth.net/news/marko-hietala-doesnt-rule-out-starting-new-band-with-tarja-turunen?fbclid=IwAR1LZbCRTf7Oc0vv4Dezc3z5nPwula-obDTK1EN6_4o7wV5UbUt5Zc01qyE

[cramx3]

Tarja is on tour with Marco Hietela (special guest) and are performing several old Nightwish songs together.
Great to see them working together again, and Marco hints at a possible future collaboration
https://blabbermouth.net/news/marko-hietala-doesnt-rule-out-starting-new-band-with-tarja-turunen?fbclid=IwAR1LZbCRTf7Oc0vv4Dezc3z5nPwula-obDTK1EN6_4o7wV5UbUt5Zc01qyE

Kind of wild to think those two are having fun together after all these years. I thought that Tarja show in NYC last year was pretty good, but adding Marco would have made it incredible.  I thought Marco wanted out of the business, I guess just out of Nightwish. And now Nightwish are the ones who are going on hiatus so maybe it wasn't a bad move to gain momentum somewhere else. I certainly still miss him in NW though.  Just so odd how things unfold over time.

[MirrorMask]

Yeah, it felt like he was going away "for good", but only one year later he came back so he most likely wanted out of Nightwish.

Good for his mental health, but a pity for Nightwish, since as I probably already said I don't think they really replaced him. Sure, they got a bassist but Marco was basically a second frontman and, no disrespect to him, Troy isn't just that. They just gave up having a strong lead male voice in their shows (and albums as well one has to assume).

[jingle.boy]

Hiatus??  This was posted on 2/29

Our 10th album is now mixed and mastered.
Thank you Tero, Mikko & Mika for more than 25 years of shared adventures, music & friendship.
We made it again!

[Adami]

Hiatus??  This was posted on 2/29

Our 10th album is now mixed and mastered.
Thank you Tero, Mikko & Mika for more than 25 years of shared adventures, music & friendship.
We made it again!

Indeed. But as far as I know, they won't be touring at all for this album.

[cramx3]

Hiatus??  This was posted on 2/29

Our 10th album is now mixed and mastered.
Thank you Tero, Mikko & Mika for more than 25 years of shared adventures, music & friendship.
We made it again!

Indeed. But as far as I know, they won't be touring at all for this album.

Yeah, their plan apparently has been to make the album and then disappear for a few years.  Kind of crazy if you ask me, but clearly the Nightwish touring life cycle takes a toll on them.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

I wonder if Tuomas has finally managed to procure some kind of film scoring gig. 

[Luoto]

Kind of wild to think those two are having fun together after all these years. I thought that Tarja show in NYC last year was pretty good, but adding Marco would have made it incredible.  I thought Marco wanted out of the business, I guess just out of Nightwish.

Marco actually got diagnosed with ADHD a couple years ago, which made many things make sense according to him. Significant changes like this can also bring a change of heart in some ways.

[countoftuscany42]

Colleague in the concert booking industry i spoke to recently doesn't think they'll tour the US again, at least not extensively.  Just too expensive and not bringing in the money to make the effort worth it. 

Personally I'd be amazed if they never returned to the US, and a short run hitting 5-10 major markets still feels like a lot of effort when there are plenty of fans in other markets who would love the chance to see them, so why not do a larger tour?  Maybe having a few years away will get enough people missing them that they can stage a comeback here, especially if the new album is strong and they have a solid touring package. 

All speculation, who really knows 

[kaos2900]

That would surprise and sadden me. While I understand the break from touring they're also going to lose a bunch of momentum. I was lucky to see them front and center with Sabaton and Delain and it was one of the best concerts I've ever seen. Who knows with them.

[ProfessorPeart]

Announced that they just signed a multi-album deal with Nuclear Blast.

Tuomas has a plan, he's just not sharing it with us.

[The Curious Orange]

But those albums are not necessarily new studio albums - they could be compilations, re-issues, etc. We just don't know.

[Adami]

I wonder if Nightwish are on their way out, but on their own terms.

Make an album, chill for a while, then either do one more album or just a huge farewell tour or something.

[MirrorMask]

I wonder if Nightwish are on their way out, but on their own terms.

Make an album, chill for a while, then either do one more album or just a huge farewell tour or something.

Wouldn't surprise me in the least.

Also, will they just skip the tour for this album and then do another one before a tour? it feels kinda..... odd, to not say commercially lame, to release an album in 2024 and tour for it in 2026, if not 2027.

[ariich]

But those albums are not necessarily new studio albums - they could be compilations, re-issues, etc. We just don't know.

While true, I wouldn't have thought they'd have made a big announcement about it in the terms they did if that's all they're planning.

Of course, they might be planning multiple studio albums but end up doing that, which is probably more what you were getting at.

[ZirconBlue]

Colleague in the concert booking industry i spoke to recently doesn't think they'll tour the US again, at least not extensively.  Just too expensive and not bringing in the money to make the effort worth it. 

If the venues they play in the US are all as small as where I saw them in Charlotte, I can understand why.  That whole building was probably smaller than the stages they perform on in Europe.

[cramx3]

Colleague in the concert booking industry i spoke to recently doesn't think they'll tour the US again, at least not extensively.  Just too expensive and not bringing in the money to make the effort worth it. 

If the venues they play in the US are all as small as where I saw them in Charlotte, I can understand why.  That whole building was probably smaller than the stages they perform on in Europe.

I dont understand how Nightwish touring the US is too expensive but plenty of other bands significantly smaller do it.  Maybe it doesn't make financial sense to only do a handful of shows like their last tour? 

Nightwish play the ~2k capacity venues.  Often the same ones as Dream Theater but last NYC show was in a 3k capacity venue and sold out. Playing that size venue should not make touring a money issue if the tickets are being sold, which they were the last couple times around as far as I could tell.  Even their tour before last tour had a great turnout. 

I do think, for whatever reason, life on the road is a struggle for this band. 

[ZirconBlue]

Colleague in the concert booking industry i spoke to recently doesn't think they'll tour the US again, at least not extensively.  Just too expensive and not bringing in the money to make the effort worth it. 

If the venues they play in the US are all as small as where I saw them in Charlotte, I can understand why.  That whole building was probably smaller than the stages they perform on in Europe.

I dont understand how Nightwish touring the US is too expensive but plenty of other bands significantly smaller do it.  Maybe it doesn't make financial sense to only do a handful of shows like their last tour? 

Nightwish play the ~2k capacity venues.  Often the same ones as Dream Theater but last NYC show was in a 3k capacity venue and sold out. Playing that size venue should not make touring a money issue if the tickets are being sold, which they were the last couple times around as far as I could tell.  Even their tour before last tour had a great turnout. 

I do think, for whatever reason, life on the road is a struggle for this band.

The show I saw was closer to 200 people than 2000, I think.  Maybe an anomaly.

[cramx3]

What show was that?

[Architeuthis]

Colleague in the concert booking industry i spoke to recently doesn't think they'll tour the US again, at least not extensively.  Just too expensive and not bringing in the money to make the effort worth it. 

If the venues they play in the US are all as small as where I saw them in Charlotte, I can understand why.  That whole building was probably smaller than the stages they perform on in Europe.

I do think, for whatever reason, life on the road is a struggle for this band.

Especially now that Floor has a family with two kids, one of them a newborn.

[MirrorMask]

Floor seems eager to play shows, and she played a show last December. Of course she's gonna take advantage of this downtime to enjoy her newborn child but I wouldn't be surprised at all if she'd play more solo shows this year.

[soupytwist]

I haven't really enjoyed either Floor Nightwish album, it's a shame as it should be a perfect match (and live it is).  So another album and no touring is kind off the opposite of what I'd like!

[cramx3]

Colleague in the concert booking industry i spoke to recently doesn't think they'll tour the US again, at least not extensively.  Just too expensive and not bringing in the money to make the effort worth it. 

If the venues they play in the US are all as small as where I saw them in Charlotte, I can understand why.  That whole building was probably smaller than the stages they perform on in Europe.

I do think, for whatever reason, life on the road is a struggle for this band.

Especially now that Floor has a family with two kids, one of them a newborn.

True.  And considering her husband is about to go on tour, yeah, it definitely plays a role.

Floor seems eager to play shows, and she played a show last December. Of course she's gonna take advantage of this downtime to enjoy her newborn child but I wouldn't be surprised at all if she'd play more solo shows this year.

Yeah, but she hasn't gone too far from her home base right?  My point, she can do those gigs and it's not a huge interrupt to her life like NW touring is. 

[The Curious Orange]

But those albums are not necessarily new studio albums - they could be compilations, re-issues, etc. We just don't know.

While true, I wouldn't have thought they'd have made a big announcement about it in the terms they did if that's all they're planning.

Of course, they might be planning multiple studio albums but end up doing that, which is probably more what you were getting at.

Splatter Vinyl editions of Once, Imaginaerum and EFMB just announced.

[gazinwales]

MARKO HIETALA - Left On Mars (feat. Tarja Turunen)
https://youtu.be/1TgQOj3rwzE?si=4JEKeJ69qLR_AYGY

[MirrorMask]

Seeing them getting along makes me wonder if time heals all wounds (next year it will be 2 decades since Tarja got fired), or if everyone else in Nightwish back then were truly 100% on board with kicking her out suddenly and in such a public way. Maybe some had their doubts but didn't want to risk their place. Maybe some agreed with the general basic idea of Tarja not working out in the long run, but didn't really think that the right way to address it was a letter saying "You're a diva bitch and your husband is an asshole, you're out. PS: we told the entire internet as well".

I remember it was Marko asking them to drop Bye Bye Beautiful from the set making the paragon of "the tongue going against a sore tooth that is no longer there" (AKA: It's done, she's gone, just let it go Tuomas). I think it's safe to say that the letter was 100% of Tuomas' idea and the others just have various degrees of agreement about the need (or not) to let Tarja go, and how to do it.