Nightwish, Arch Enemy, Amorphis at Heineken Music Hall

By Dmitry Kann 7 min read
This post  in Russian

It’s now Movember (a.k.a. Musical November), which means — showtime!

And today’s report is about the Finnish symphonic metal legend Nightwish.

This Nightwish is on fire.
This Nightwish is on fire.

The lads were rocking the scene on the 19th and 20th of November at the Heineken Music Hall, in Amsterdam. They were supported by a couple of other big names: Amorphis and Arch Enemy.

So let’s start off.

As usual, one has to stand a long line before the show. We’ve arrived about an hour before the door opening, or two hours before the start of the gig, just to find a huge crowd of some five hundred fans, who must have stood there since the morning. And it took us quite a bit of patience.

In the meantime, the line behind us was growing fast.

The weather was typical for Holland in November: cold, damp, with an occasional drizzle. And next to that, the security was tightened because of the recent Paris explosions. People were not allowed to take big bags or backpacks inside, and everyone was searched at the entrance. Strangely enough, it was done exclusively by male staff, disregarding the gender of the visitor. Looks like the security company is being sexist facing a shortage of female workers.

Amorphis

Most of the spectators rushed to the stage as soon as they got in, which is fair enough since you don’t spend hours standing in line for nothing. But since the Heineken Music Hall is a big venue, we managed to land somewhere in the third row.

The stage before Amorphis.
The stage before Amorphis.

The first band Amorphis were from Finland, and being active since 1990, it’s older than the headliners. Genre: Progressive/Melodic Death Metal.

The vocalist Tomi Joutsen is fronting the band since 2005. Remarkable for his tattoos and a fancy microphone with an advanced hand grip system (suitable for a three-hander).

Amorphis, the vocalist Tomi Joutsen.
Amorphis, the vocalist Tomi Joutsen.

A good grip is apparently important to keep the mike stable under Tomi’s powerful vocal. The same goes for the gloves, I’m using them too when lifting weights.

The keyboardist Santeri Kallio is hiding somewhere at the back (I didn’t even spot him for a while), and further to the right you can see one of the founders of the band the lead guitarist Esa Holopainen:

Amorphis: Santeri Kallio, Tomi Joutsen, Esa Holopainen.
Amorphis: Santeri Kallio, Tomi Joutsen, Esa Holopainen.

Niclas Etelävuori on the bass and the drummer Jan Rechberger:

Amorphis: Niclas Etelävuori & Jan Rechberger.
Amorphis: Niclas Etelävuori & Jan Rechberger.

On the left there’s another veteran, Tomi Koivusaari, playing the rhythm guitar since the band’s first day:

Amorphis: Tomi Koivusaari, Niclas Etelävuori, Jan Rechberger.
Amorphis: Tomi Koivusaari, Niclas Etelävuori, Jan Rechberger.

Below is a video of Sacrifice:

Arch Enemy

The Swedish death metal band Arch Enemy are known much better than Amorphis. They are also much heavier and fancier-looking.

Its most prominent feature is undoubtedly the blue-haired Canadian vocalist Alissa White-Gluz.

Arch Enemy: Michael Amott and Alissa White-Gluz.
Arch Enemy: Michael Amott and Alissa White-Gluz.

So this sweet little girl appears on the stage and then begins this:

The purpose of the blue hair is, naturally, that:

Arch Enemy: a headbanging class by Alissa White-Gluz.
Arch Enemy: a headbanging class by Alissa White-Gluz.

This officially Swedish band consists of a Canadian vocalist (who loves to march with an Arch Enemy flag around the stage) and a couple of American guitarists Michael Amott and Jeff Loomis:

Arch Enemy: Michael Amott, Jeff Loomis and a girl with a flag.
Arch Enemy: Michael Amott, Jeff Loomis and a girl with a flag.

And only two Swedes: Sharlee D'Angelo on the bass and the drummer Daniel Erlandsson.

Arch Enemy: Left to right: Michael Amott, Sharlee D’Angelo, Alissa White-Gluz.
Arch Enemy: Left to right: Michael Amott, Sharlee D’Angelo, Alissa White-Gluz.

Don’t know why, but Amott is always looking like he’s either high or about to faint. Or both.

Arch Enemy: Michael Amott, drummer Daniel Erlandsson at the back.
Arch Enemy: Michael Amott, drummer Daniel Erlandsson at the back.

Alissa White-Gluz, apart from her hair colour and vocal, is remarkable for her love for the F-word (and its derivatives), which in her speech is about every other word.

F***ing Alissa White-Gluz!
F***ing Alissa White-Gluz!

The program was about fifty minutes long, with a traditional bow and a selfie with the audience in the end.

Arch Enemy: everyone’s got their own hairstyle.
Arch Enemy: everyone’s got their own hairstyle.

Another tradition, that involves throwing picks and drumsticks into the crowd, came as a surprise to the author of these lines. While I was diverted by something else, a drumstick launched by Mr. Erlandsson has landed on my head. I’ve been lucky to stay unhurt and have grabbed the heavily splintered piece of wood:

My dangerous haul by Daniel Erlandsson and 666 BPM.
My dangerous haul by Daniel Erlandsson and 666 BPM.

Nightwish

Right after Arch Enemy’s departure the curtain was lowered, and the preparations for Nightwish’s performance began. Nineteen years on, the Finnish band is massively popular worldwide, and their name is nowadays a synonym for ‘symphonic metal legend’. The hall was absolutely packed.

Nightwish: we’re down there, near the stage.
Nightwish: we’re down there, near the stage.

Wall displays were warning the audience about the ‘use of pyrotechnics and concussions’ during the show, but no one seemed to have paid attention. So the explosion that opened the show came as a big surprise for everyone.

The Dutch vocalist Floor Jansen is with the band since 2013. I should have seen here four years ago with Pagan’s Mind, but she didn’t show up then:

Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.

The founders of the band: the keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen and the funny looking guitarist Emppu Vuorinen:

Nightwish: Tuomas Holopainen and Emppu Vuorinen.
Nightwish: Tuomas Holopainen and Emppu Vuorinen.

The bassist Marco Hietala is also a singer. With his fishtail beard he looks a lot like a dwarf from a tale. He also loves face-pulling:

Nightwish: Marco Hietala and Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Marco Hietala and Floor Jansen.

He also plays a doubleneck guitar sometimes.

Nightwish: Marco Hietala and his doubleneck.
Nightwish: Marco Hietala and his doubleneck.

The stage’s entourage makes clear the magnitude of the band’s popularity. Synth and mike stands look like fantasy sculptures or branches of a tree:

Nightwish: Tuomas Holopainen.
Nightwish: Tuomas Holopainen.

By the way, the stand above is very practical in the sense it’s equipped with a wine bottle holder. Sir Tuomas would take a sip from that bottle every now and then, hiding behind the stand. Either to relieve the stress or for the inspiration, I guess.

Besides sculptures, the band had a huge screen as a backdrop:

Nightwish: screen backdrop.
Nightwish: screen backdrop.

Floor, who’s some six+ feet tall, is highly prominent on-stage. They look funny side-by-side with Emppu, who is only 1.65 meters:

Nightwish: Floor Jansen and Emppu Vuorinen.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen and Emppu Vuorinen.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.

The oldest member of the band, the British Troy Donockley (51), prefers to keep low profile. In his 35 year career he has played with a huge number of bands and musicians (including Arjen Lucassen’s Ayreon):

Nightwish: Troy Donockley.
Nightwish: Troy Donockley.

He’s best known for his playing of Uilleann pipes, which connects amazingly beautiful to the sound of Nightwish.

Nightwish: Floor Jansen and Troy Donockley.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen and Troy Donockley.

For instance, here’s I Want My Tears Back featuring his solo:

And, last but not least, the drummer Kai Hahto—I was really impressed by his performance:

Nightwish: Kai Hahto.
Nightwish: Kai Hahto.
Nightwish: Marco Hietala and Kai Hahto.
Nightwish: Marco Hietala and Kai Hahto.

The most impressive part was, of course, the fire-show. A lot of flamethrowers were producing streams of fire with the music.

Flamethrowers.
Flamethrowers.

At the place where we stood we could feel the heat produced by these flames:

Flamethrowers.
Flamethrowers.

There were also flamethrowers at the back of the stage. The firestreams they created were sometimes about thirty feet long:

A long-range flamethrower.
A long-range flamethrower.

Furthermore, there were also firework machines occasionally spitting out firecrackers.

Fireworks.
Fireworks.

At a certain moment the flames at the back turned red.

Nightwish: Floor and the red flame.
Nightwish: Floor and the red flame.

And at the very end there fell black and white confetti from above. It was collected from our clothes by other spectators.

All in all, the effects were great.

Nightwish: Tuomas Holopainen.
Nightwish: Tuomas Holopainen.

The closing piece was The Greatest Show On Earth (which is about 24 minutes long). The audience was ecstatic…

Nightwish: The Greatest Show On Earth.
Nightwish: The Greatest Show On Earth.

I’ve recorded its first part:

More photos of Nightwish:

Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Marco Hietala.
Nightwish: Marco Hietala.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.

It was the first “home performance” with Nightwish for Floor, by the way.

Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: I’m blue.
Nightwish: I’m blue.
Nightwish.
Nightwish.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Marco Hietala.
Nightwish: Marco Hietala.
Nightwish.
Nightwish.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Emppu Vuorinen and his favourite purple guitar.
Nightwish: Emppu Vuorinen and his favourite purple guitar.
Nightwish: Tuomas Holopainen without hat.
Nightwish: Tuomas Holopainen without hat.
Nightwish: Marco Hietala and Floor Jansen.
Nightwish: Marco Hietala and Floor Jansen.
We were here!
We were here!

The show was definitely a success. And perhaps the most impressive of all I’ve seen up to now!


All my videos of the concert are listed at the event page. ■

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