Nightwish’s  Dark Passion Play tour sees the band still going strong; Anette Olzon proving she can be just as good as Turunen, if not better. It is true that she does not have the same vocal skills as that of the previous singer, but her voice is filled with such passion and emotion that it more than makes up the difference.  Each hauntingly epic song was spectacularly delivered, every member of the ban working in unison to ensure the greatest experience for their fans. Olzon built up a strong rapport with the audience, involving them as much as possible, whilst fellow band members Tuomas Holopainen and Emppu Vuorinen interacted with the audience as much as their playing would permit. Holopainen, with a figure of Capt. Jack Sparrow attached to the front of his keyboards, was seen pulling cheeky faces to the fans between songs and ‘posing’ for their camera phones.

The set list, although consisting of numerous tracks recorded with Olzon, also included some numbers originally recorded with former singer Tarja Turunen. These were performed commendably and a credit to Olzon and her predecessor. The appearance of Troy Donockley and his Uilleann Pipes for tracks The Islander and Last of the Wilds only added to the already highly charged atmosphere. The applause from the audience could be described as near euphoria. The hundreds of fans leaping manically and screaming can only show the passion they truly have for this band; and from the looks on the band members’ faces, they love every second of it. As such, each track was approached with vigor and delight, making them sound superb.

The support band, Swedish industrial group Pain, were a great choice for audience warm up. Although a completely different sub-genre to Nightwish, the two bands’ music worked well together, making the night as enjoyable as possible for everyone. Although starting their set half an hour before the allocated time on the door, what was seen of their set was creditable and the band appeared to enjoy every moment on stage – including their exceptionally hung-over drummer who was made fun of before leaving the stage.

The gig was everything it was expected it to be. The gig flowed smoothly (even if starting earlier than planned), the interchanging between bands and the change to the Nightwish set on the arrival of Donockley to the stage was done efficiently with everyone knowing exactly what it was they were doing. The acoustic set with Donockley, Hietala, Vuorinen and Holopainen proved to be more successful than first anticipated and as such added to the evening which was, according to many fans, absolutely unforgettable.