Sonata Arctica, Delain, and Nightwish - 11 March 2016.
It is rare indeed when the Finnish operatic metal band Nightwish comes to the United States. Fans of symphonic metal (like most of us in this house), upon hearing that they would be within driving distance for the first time in many years sprinted, not ran to pick up tickets for this show the moment they went on sale. I can't really describe them to you so all I can really say is take two parts power metal, one part opera, and one part old-school swords and sorcery fantasy, throw into a blender, add a shot of sulfuric acid, and hit frappe'. If one is so inclined, one might say that it's a popular genre of metal in the game Shadowrun (I know that I'm going to be writing all of them into my next game...)
Ahem.
Anyway, opening for Nightwish that evening were Delain and Sonata Arctica. I'm sorry to say that we seem to have missed Delain opening for everyone due to travel time down to San Jose' in a downpour and we caught the last half to third of Sonata Arctica's show. Suffice it to say that, working backwards, we missed one hell of a first half of the night judging by the latter part of S-A-'s set and Nightwish bringing the house down that evening.
Anyway, I can't do the concert much more justice so here are the pictures I took from the back half of the concert hall.