Nightwish (the band) finally touring the US
 

Finally, Nightwish is touring the US. They've played a few isolated dates here in the past, but this is the first time they've embarked on a full US tour.

They'll be playing in Lawrence, KS on May 27th, and in Sauget, IL (St. Louis metro east) on the 28th. This is a must-see for fans of symphonic power metal.

they are going to be in lawrence. i got my eye black and spike collar ready

Bought 4 tix a couple months ago. My niece is coming in from Iowa for the show. Her first real show. Should be fun.

Who else is going tonight?

I don't know, Within Temptation is still the best of those styles of bands with the chick singers; best singer, best music, everything.

They're great, Sharon is a great performer and vocalist. Sadly, they don't appear in the area very often. Best of that genre we've seen around here in the last couple of years is Lacuna Coil.

WOW!
Best club show I've seen in the last year. Nightwish brought a huge amount of energy. Some of the best double-kick drumming I have ever seen. Annet Olzen had an incredible amount of energy, and did a great job helping those long-time Nightwish fans forget about Tarja.

I now know where Johnny Depp got his inspiration for Captain Jack Sparrow... Tuomas (Nightwish keyboardist and primary composer) was a dead ringer. Here's an old pic...

BTW, from the opening act, gotta share.

Sonic Syndicate from Sweden opened the show, and I'm kickin' it in the balcony, and I look up and there's this smallish person playing bass with an incredible enthusiasm... so I pay closer attention, and it's a chick.

I find out that the bass player's name is Karin Axelsson, and she appeared in Revolver's issue featuring the hottest chicks in metal... DAMN! I wish I had gotten closer to the stage!

Bought Oceanborn at Cargo Largo this weekend, on the strength of their cred here.
How does this disc measure in their discography?

Oceanborn was pretty good. I think Once was their best album with Tarja, but Dark Passion Play with Anette Olzen doing the vocals is pretty solid, but definitely a departure due to the vocal style change.

She is SMOKING hot.
How were Sonic Syndicate?

They were OK, but I could've done without their scrowling vocalist, but seeing how the band is 3 brothers (2 guitar, 1 vocalist) + 3 others, I doubt they'll ditch the scrowler.

And yes, Karin was rocking very hard. If he stage performance is any indicator, she's leaving a wake of broken men behind her in every town they perform in.

oceanborn is a great disc and so is wishmaster...... Century Child is the one I like best... The new one is good to but theres a few weak tracks....

Oceanborn is not their best, not their worst. Of course, their worst is better than most bands' best. It was probably the most progressive and most technical of all their albums, though. I'd put it about even with Angels Fall First and Once, slightly behind Wishmaster and Century Child (which are tied for my favorites of the Tarja era). As much as I like Tarja, though, Dark Passion Play is rapidly becoming my favorite Nightwish album. Yes, there are some weak tracks, but all of the albums have a weak track or two. The only song that I'd really consider weak off Dark Passion Play is "For the Heart I Once Had"), they just didn't flesh it out as well as they could have.