Nightwish – “Showtime, Storytime” (2013)

Label: Nuclear Blast Records

Review by Tony Cannella

Floor Jansen is one of my favorite singers on the planet. Nightwish is one of my favorite bands on the planet. So for me, this is a match made in heaven, but sometimes things to do not live up to expectations – I’m happy to say this partnership so far has. When (ex-After Forever, current ReVamp vocalist) Floor Jansen joined Nightwish during their American tour when the band were out supporting “Imaginaerum” it caught a lot of people by surprise and many wondered if this was a temporary or permanent thing. Well, now it’s been made permanent, and after viewing the DVD and listening to the live stuff, I can say that the results are glorious.

This two CD/DVD package showcases the band performing live at the Wacken Open-Air from 2013. Nightwish perform some of their best songs old and new, songs like: “Dark Chest of Wonders”, “Wish I Had An Angel”, “Nemo” and “Ghost Love Score” go over great side-by-side with newer numbers like “Storytime”, “I Want My Tears Back”, “Amaranth” and “Last Ride of the Day”. Over on the DVD side of things, you get the phenomenal full concert as well the excellent documentary “Please Learn the Setlist in 48 Hours”. Here you get to see the events leading up to Anette Olzon’s departure and subsequent arrival of Floor Jansen. You also get to see footage of that infamous show in Colorado that saw Alissa White-Gluz (from The Agonist) and Elize Ryd (from Amaranthe) filling in on vocals for an ailing Anette.

Let me just say that I love the Tarja AND Anette stuff equally as much, in fact “Dark Passion Play” is right up there with “Once” as my favorite album by the band, but in Floor Jansen, Nightwish has enlisted a vocalist who can sing anything in the bands repertoire from the operatic Tarja stuff to the non operatic Anette material. This should bode well for future Nightwish material, but in the here and now, “Showtime, Storytime” is a thrilling, emotional, powerful journey for a band that has been re-invigorated.

Rating – 97/100

Tracklist

CD 1

1. Dark Chest of Wonders
2. Wish I Had An Angel
3. She Is My Sin
4. Ghost River
5. Ever Dream
6. Storytime
7. I Want My Tears Back
8. Nemo
9. Last of the Wilds

CD 2

1. Bless the Child
2. Romanticide
3. Amaranth
4. Ghost Love Score
5. Song of Myself
6. Last Ride of the Day
7. Outro: Imaginaerum

Line Up

• Floor Jansen – Vocals
• Emppu Vuorinen – Guitars
• Tuomas Holopainen – Keyboards
• Marco Hietala – Bass & Vocals
• Troy Donockley – Uillean Pipes, Low Whistles & Vocals
• Jukka Nevalainen – Drums

Links

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