Home / Photography / Gallery: Nightwish at Starland Ballroom, Sayreville NJ 02.19.16

Gallery: Nightwish at Starland Ballroom, Sayreville NJ 02.19.16

Nightwish kicked off its North American tour this past Friday, February 19th in Sayreville, NJ. Accompanied by fellow metallers Delain and Sonata Arctica, the band is touring in support of their latest album Endless Forms Most Beautiful out now on Nuclear Blast.

It’s been less than a year since Nightwish last toured North America but dedicated fans packed in tight for a sold out night at Starland Ballroom. And while the first night of a tour is generally the testing grounds for the rest of the run, the band played a flawless 90+ minute set complete with a phenomenal light show and bombastic performance consisting of a nice balance of new and old songs (set list below).

Stepping onto a blackened stage to an intro of Hans Zimmer’s “Roll Tide” from the Crimson Tide score, Nightwish punched it straight into high gear with “Shudder Before the Beautiful” before rolling right into “Yours is an Empty House” both off Endless Forms Most Beautiful. The band delighted the crowd with other standout tracks like “Ghost Love Score,” “Élan,” “Nemo” and “Stargazers.”

Despite the various changes throughout its long history, Nightwish seems to have settled into a truly perfect lineup. This is a band that makes no illusions about how much they truly enjoy to play in front of an equally enthusiastic fanbase. Vocalist Floor Jansen, was a delight to watch – and listen to. Her vocal range is unmatched, allowing her to own every song on the band’s catalogue with ease. I’d even venture to say that Jansen’s live performance blows the studio recording out of the water. The band has a palpable energy on the stage that expands beyond the sweeping melodies and larger than life orchestral cues.

With such a stellar line up, symphonic metal fans will not want to skip out on this tour.

Setlist:
1. Shudder Before the Beautiful
2. Yours Is an Empty House
3. Ever Dream
4. She Is My Sin
5. My Walden
6. While Your Lips Are Still Red
7. Élan
8. Weak Fantasy
9. 7 Days to the Wolves
10. Storytime
11. I Want My Tears Back
12. Nemo
13. Stargazers
14. Ghost Love Score
15. Last Ride of the Day
16. The Greatest Show on Earth

About Ana Santos

Photographer, explorer, music lover, writer, coffee addict and slave to three cats.

Check Also

Gallery: Fall Out Boy, Jimmy Eat World, The Maine, and Daisy Grenade at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, TX (3.7.24)

Daisy Grenade The Maine Jimmy Eat World Fall Out Boy