Once Upon a Tour

Background

The success of the album allowed the band to perform in many countries they had never visited before: Colombia, Ecuador, Scotland, Estonia, Greece, Romania, Denmark, Japan, Australia, Portugal, and Slovenia. The band also played their first tour in the United States, with various sold-out concerts; the South American leg also sold out all its concerts. A second tour was planned in the US, but it was cancelled by Tarja Turunen, who also cancelled some concerts in Australia.

After touring in Europe and South America in late 2004, and some separate shows in December, the band had some time off in January 2005. In February, Nightwish won five Emma-Gala Awards (Finnish Grammy); among other awards, they won "The Band of the Year" and "The Best Selling Album of the Year". Tuomas Holopainen and Marko Hietala flew to Helsinki to receive the awards from touring in Europe. In March, Nightwish performed for the first time in Japan and Australia; in April and May, they had to have a break because of Turunen's other interests; but at the end of May, the band resumed the tour by playing with Iron Maiden in Poland and Mötley Crüe in Norway. During late 2005, Nightwish played several shows including a sold-out performance at the legendary Hammersmith Apollo in London. The last show on the European tour, in Stuttgart, Germany was up until then their biggest gig, with an audience of ten thousand.

The final concert was played on October 21 for 11,500 people in Hartwall Areena in Helsinki. The concert was also recorded to be released as an End of an Era live DVD and CD.

This was the last tour with Tarja Turunen; after the last concert the four other members of Nightwish decided it was best to continue Nightwish without Turunen, a feeling they expressed through an open letter Holopainen gave Turunen after the show, afterwards posted on the band's website. It was written by Holopainen but signed by the other band members. The main justification for Turunen's dismissal given in the letter was the band felt both her husband Marcelo Cabuli (an Argentine businessman) and commercial interests had changed her attitude towards the band. In May 2007, former Alyson Avenue frontwoman Anette Olzon was revealed as Turunen's replacement.

Set lists

2004

1. "Dark Chest of Wonders"
2. "Planet Hell"
3. "Deep Silent Complete"
4. "She Is My Sin"
5. "The Phantom of the Opera" (Andrew Lloyd Webber cover)
6. "Ever Dream"
7. "Symphony of Destruction" (Megadeth cover)
8. "Sleeping Sun"
9. "Bless the Child"
10. "The Trooper" ("Wishmaster" intro)
11. "Wishmaster"
12. "Nemo"
13. "Slaying the Dreamer"
14. "Over the Hills and Far Away" (Gary Moore cover)
15. ;Encore
16. "Dead Boy's Poem"
17. "Ghost Love Score"
18. "Wish I Had an Angel"

2005

1. "Dark Chest of Wonders"
2. "Ever Dream"
3. "Planet Hell"
4. "The Kinslayer"
5. "The Siren"
6. "The Phantom of the Opera" (Andrew Lloyd Webber cover)
7. "High Hopes" (Pink Floyd cover)
8. "The Trooper" ("Wishmaster" intro)
9. "Wishmaster"
10. "Bless the Child"
11. "Slaying the Dreamer"
12. "Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan"
13. "Nemo"
14. ;Encore
15. "Sleeping Sun"
16. "Ghost Love Score"
17. "Wish I Had an Angel"

Tour dates

Personnel

Main article: List of Nightwish band members

• Tarja Turunen – lead vocals
• Tuomas Holopainen – keyboards
• Emppu Vuorinen – guitar
• Jukka Nevalainen – drums
• Marko Hietala – bass, vocals

Additional musicians

• John Two-Hawks – vocals, flute

Footnotes

References

Sources

• {{cite book

References

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5. "Open letter to Tarja Turunen". Wikisource.
6. "BLABBERMOUTH.NET". NIGHTWISH Announces New Singer.
7. "Live: Past Shows (2004)". www.nightwish.com.
8. Charlie Farrel. "Nightwish/Brainstorm". Get Ready to Rock.
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16. Fernando Fuchs. (24 January 2005). "Tristania- Clipe e tour com Nightwish". Whiplash.net.
17. (4 December 2004). "NIGHTWISH Singer Falls Ill, Band Postpone Sao Paulo Concert". [[Blabbermouth.net]].
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19. "DUNGEON To Support MEGADETH In Australia". [[Blabbermouth.net]].
20. Silvia Deurwaarder. (13 October 2005). "Nightwish- London 2005". Reflections of Darkness.
21. Sato Reunanen. "LAST EVENING WITH TARJA; NIGHTWISH SAYS FAREWELL TO THEIR LEAD SINGER IN HARTWALL AREENA, HELSINKI, October 21st, 2005". Rock United.