Nightwish & Sonata Artica Entertainment Art House of Blues Chicago, Il September 6, 2008

You know that the song "You're the Best" was featured in the classic cinematic adventures known as "The Karate Kid"? Well, that song has nothing on the uplifting anthems that Sonata Arctica produce. As they took the stage, the floor moved slowly beneath my feet from the crowd expressing their uplifted-ness by jumping up and down. It was an experience. The rest of the set consisted mostly of their slower anthems, but being that this was my first time seeing Sonata, I was impressed by the "live version." After a discussion with someone who had witnessed their last stop in Chicago, I learned that the set on that stop was the more fast song oriented of the two. This left me wishing I could have seen that set, but again, they played an impressive show nonetheless. Maybe next time I’ll catch the faster one.

In a world where Sonata Arctica scored "The Karate Kid", Nightwish probably would have scored a couple of the "Nightmare on Elm Street" flicks; only in that "Dream Warriors" kind of way though...and way more theatrical, operatic, intricate, diverse and well, just way fucking better. Whatever movie Nightwish would have scored in my imaginary world, they totally blew me away! I think it's pretty safe to say that the same goes for the rest of the crowd packed into the HOB that night. The ground again shook (even more noticeably this time) as they took the stage. They stormed through an assorted spectrum of songs, sure to leave any fan or curious onlooker walking out happy. The music was amazingly powerful on heavier selections, and equally as intense on the more acoustic and keyboard driven songs. Add on top of that the mesmerizing (and dead on precise) vocals of Anette Olzon, and you have a classic moment for everyone lucky enough to have been there.

It makes me wonder how often the ground shakes in Denmark, Sweden and Norway, because I know it's shaking in Finland!

Comments

Spot on Written by Guest on 2008-09-19 16:21:39 I saw them when they stopped in LA, and your description is everyhting i was thinking but unfortunately don't have a gift for writing it The two bands together are magical!! There was nothing close to what was experienced when i saw them last week! And like you I had never seen Sonata before and was in awe! Perfect review!

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