harddraver (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} harddraver) wrote,@ 2008-05-12 10:06:00 |
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Nightwish
Nightwish is one of my favorite bands. Their music is difficult to describe. It is clearly a heavy-type band. Lots of noise, bass, and energy, but they have a tendency towards fantasy and myth, with lots of melodic bits, some acoustic, and a tendency towards theatrical soliloquies during the songs. Their original singer was going to school for opera during her stay with them. The singer wasn't a team player though, and they've a new one now. I actually like her better, as, her voice shows similar tone, and almost as good a range, it isn't so discongruent with the rock sound as the fine tones of the operatically-trained front.
Nightwish is probably the biggest band in Scandanavia, playing to arena-sized crowds. When I was in Sweden, almost all CD stores had displays of their albums and DVDs in the windows. One of their pieces was played almost continuously at the joust. They are trying to break into the North American market, however, so are playing a series of clubs, fully half of which are in Canada. Cowboy's in London hosted them last night.
TB and I had been planning to attend. We tried to convince JA, a new friend, to attend, but it was Mother's day, and she had other plans. We had been having trouble getting ahold of anyone at the bar, as I didn't really want to buy tickets online from a site I'd never heard of, so everything was up in the air up until I left.
I called TB an hour before I was planning on leaving, and he cancelled. I was pretty crushed, thinking that it was unlikely I'd go to the concert, having no tickets, when it was a 2 hour drive away. J talked me into going, and drew out a map for me while I was in the shower.
I went alone.
This band clearly was used to playing HUGE audiences. I was really lucky to see them in a venue that had probably 2 orders of magnitude less numbers than they were used to playing in Europe. I got to see them in a bar that held 2-300 people. The bar is 2 levels, with a balcony looking down onto the stage forming the second floor. That was the licensed area, and I was standing directly in front of the stage, behind the row of stools at the balcony rail. Less than 50 feet from the band.
There were cars from NJ in the parking lot, and the guys behind me in line had clear MI accents. People had come from all over. Talked to a bunch of folk - mostly a couple guys from Orangeville.
It was magnificent! They were very very good. I'm not used to seeing people so comfortable and proficient with their instruments up close. The drummer could flip his drumsticks in the air while playing. One of the keyboardist's boards were set up perpendicular to the ground - probably to take up less space on stage, and the lead guitarist played with his stance so wide that he was almost doing the splits. They looked like they were having a blast.
I am glad I went.
Nightwish is one of my favorite bands. Their music is difficult to describe. It is clearly a heavy-type band. Lots of noise, bass, and energy, but they have a tendency towards fantasy and myth, with lots of melodic bits, some acoustic, and a tendency towards theatrical soliloquies during the songs. Their original singer was going to school for opera during her stay with them. The singer wasn't a team player though, and they've a new one now. I actually like her better, as, her voice shows similar tone, and almost as good a range, it isn't so discongruent with the rock sound as the fine tones of the operatically-trained front.
Nightwish is probably the biggest band in Scandanavia, playing to arena-sized crowds. When I was in Sweden, almost all CD stores had displays of their albums and DVDs in the windows. One of their pieces was played almost continuously at the joust. They are trying to break into the North American market, however, so are playing a series of clubs, fully half of which are in Canada. Cowboy's in London hosted them last night.
TB and I had been planning to attend. We tried to convince JA, a new friend, to attend, but it was Mother's day, and she had other plans. We had been having trouble getting ahold of anyone at the bar, as I didn't really want to buy tickets online from a site I'd never heard of, so everything was up in the air up until I left.
I called TB an hour before I was planning on leaving, and he cancelled. I was pretty crushed, thinking that it was unlikely I'd go to the concert, having no tickets, when it was a 2 hour drive away. J talked me into going, and drew out a map for me while I was in the shower.
I went alone.
This band clearly was used to playing HUGE audiences. I was really lucky to see them in a venue that had probably 2 orders of magnitude less numbers than they were used to playing in Europe. I got to see them in a bar that held 2-300 people. The bar is 2 levels, with a balcony looking down onto the stage forming the second floor. That was the licensed area, and I was standing directly in front of the stage, behind the row of stools at the balcony rail. Less than 50 feet from the band.
There were cars from NJ in the parking lot, and the guys behind me in line had clear MI accents. People had come from all over. Talked to a bunch of folk - mostly a couple guys from Orangeville.
It was magnificent! They were very very good. I'm not used to seeing people so comfortable and proficient with their instruments up close. The drummer could flip his drumsticks in the air while playing. One of the keyboardist's boards were set up perpendicular to the ground - probably to take up less space on stage, and the lead guitarist played with his stance so wide that he was almost doing the splits. They looked like they were having a blast.
I am glad I went.
