Once Upon a Tour

Once Upon a Tour was a concert tour by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, in 2004 and 2005, to promote the release of their fifth album, Once, released June 7, 2004. A new greatest hits compilation, Highest Hopes, was also released to tie in with the tour. The albums combined with the band's most expansive merchandise campaign by Nuclear Blast Records meant this tour was heralded as the band's most important in many years. Many of the band's songs had not been played in a long time.

Once Upon a Tour

Tour by Nightwish
Nightwish live at "Himos Festival" in Jämsä, Finland, on June 25, 2004
Location	Asia Europe Latin America North America Oceania
Associated album	Once Highest Hopes
Start date	May 22, 2004
End date	October 21, 2005
No. of shows	130
Nightwish concert chronology

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. Nightwish performed at the opening ceremony of the 2005 World Championships in Athletics held in Helsinki, highlighting the acclaim the band had recently gained.

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)

    Encore

15. "Dead Boy's Poem"
16. "Ghost Love Score"
17. "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"

    Encore

14. "Sleeping Sun"
15. "Ghost Love Score"
16. "Wish I Had an Angel"

Tour dates

List of 2004 concerts, showing date, city, country, venue and support act(s)

Date	City	Country	Venue	Support Act(s)
May 22, 2004	Kitee	Finland	Ice-Hall	—
May 29, 2004	Tallinn	Estonia	Von Krahl Theatre
May 30, 2004
June 6, 2004	Nijmegen	Netherlands	Dynamo Open Air
June 11, 2004	Tampere	Finland	Sauna Open Air
June 12, 2004	Sölvesborg	Sweden	Sweden Rock Festival
June 19, 2004	Glauchau	Germany	Woodstage Open Air
June 20, 2004	Athens	Greece	Rockwave Festival
July 10, 2004	Turku	Finland	Ruisrock
July 11, 2004	Pamplona	Spain	Carpa Rojilla Festival
July 13, 2004	Bradford	England	Bradford Rio
July 14, 2004	Nottingham		Rock City
July 16, 2004	London		Astoria	Brainstorm
July 17, 2004	Helsinki	Finland	Tuska Open Air Metal Festival	—
July 21, 2004	Oslo	Norway	Rockefeller Music Hall
August 20, 2004	Worcester	United States	Palladium	Lullacry
August 22, 2004	New York City		B.B. King's Blues Club
August 23, 2004	Cleveland		Phantasy Theater
August 24, 2004
August 25, 2004	Chicago		House of Blues
August 26, 2004	Minneapolis		Quest Club
August 28, 2004	Denver		Cervantes Club
August 30, 2004	Scottsdale		Cajun House
August 31, 2004	Anaheim		House of Blues
September 1, 2004	Los Angeles
September 3, 2004	San Francisco		Slim's
September 5, 2004	Seattle		Graceland Club
September 17, 2004	Tampere	Finland	Pakkahuone Theatre	—
September 18, 2004	Turku		Karibia Club	Twilightning
September 21, 2004	Helsinki		Nosturi Club	—
September 22, 2004
September 24, 2004	Oslo	Norway	Rockefeller Music Hall
September 25, 2004	Jyväskylä	Finland	Paviljonki Areena	Twilightning
September 29, 2004	Stockholm	Sweden	Stora Arenan	—
October 1, 2004	Gothenburg		Lisebergshallen
October 2, 2004	Malmö		Baltiska Hallen	Lordi
October 13, 2004	Hamburg	Germany	Color Line Arena	Sonata Arctica
October 15, 2004	Leipzig		Arena
October 16, 2004	Erfurt		Thüringenhalle
October 19, 2004	Cologne		Palladium
October 20, 2004	Berlin		Arena
October 22, 2004	Nuremberg		Arena
October 23, 2004	Munich		Zenith
October 25, 2004	Vienna	Austria	Gasometer
October 26, 2004	Budapest	Hungary	Petöfi Hall
October 28, 2004	Milan	Italy	PalaSharp
October 30, 2004	Basel	Switzerland	St. Jakob Arena
November 1, 2004	Lyon	France	Lé Transbordeur
November 4, 2004	Madrid	Spain	Aqualung Club
November 5, 2004	Barcelona		Razamatazz 1
November 7, 2004	Brussels	Belgium	Metal Female Voices Fest	—
November 8, 2004	Amsterdam	Netherlands	Paradiso Club	Sonata Arctica
November 19, 2004	Bucharest	Romania	Palace Hall
November 21, 2004	Paris	France	Le Zénith	Conscience
November 27, 2004	Buenos Aires	Argentina	Obras Arena	—
November 28, 2004	Campinas	Brazil	Usina Royal
November 30, 2004	Rio de Janeiro		Canecão
December 2, 2004	Porto Alegre		Opinião Club
December 3, 2004	Belo Horizonte		Chevrolet Hall
December 4, 2004	São Paulo		Via Funchal
December 8, 2004	Bogotá	Colombia	Gonzalo de Quesada Auditorium
December 10, 2004	Quito	Ecuador	Estadio del Aucas
December 12, 2004	Mexico City	Mexico	Circo Volador
December 13, 2004
December 15, 2004	Montreal	Canada	Métropolis	Heaven's Cry
December 16, 2004				—
December 18, 2004	Toronto		Opera House	Aesma Daeva
December 26, 2004	Helsinki	Finland	Ice-Hall	After Forever Kotipelto
December 28, 2004	Oberhausen	Germany	König-Pilsener Arena	After Forever Oomph! Angelzoom Apoptygma Berzerk Tiamat
December 29, 2004	Hamburg		Friedrichshafen Messehalle	After Forever Oomph! Angelzoom Apoptygma Berzerk Tiamat Secret Discovery

List of 2005 concerts, showing date, city, country, venue and support act(s)

Date	City	Country	Venue	Support Act(s)
February 9, 2005	Copenhagen	Denmark	Stora Vega	—
February 11, 2005	Amsterdam	Netherlands	Heineken Music Hall	After Forever Imperia
February 12, 2005	London	England	Astoria	Tristania
February 15, 2005	Birmingham		O2 Academy
February 16, 2005	Glasgow	Scotland	O2 Academy
February 18, 2005	Manchester	England	Academy Manchester
February 19, 2005	London		Astoria
February 21, 2005	Wieze	Belgium	Oktoberhallen
February 22, 2005	Trier	Germany	Arena
February 24, 2005	Braunschweig		Volkswagen Halle
February 26, 2005	Bayreuth		Oberfrankenhalle
February 27, 2005	Chur	Switzerland	Stadthalle
February 28, 2005	Stuttgart	Germany	Schleyerhalle
March 12, 2005	Osaka	Japan	Namba Hatch	Angra
March 13, 2005	Fukuoka		Zepp Fukuoka
March 16, 2005	Tokyo		Shibuya AX
March 17, 2005
March 18, 2005	Nagoya		Zepp Nagoya
March 21, 2005	Melbourne	Australia	Corner Hotel	—
March 22, 2005
March 23, 2005	Sydney		Metro Theatre	Dungeon
March 26, 2005	Brisbane		Arena	—
May 26, 2005	Budapest	Hungary	Petöfi Open Air
May 27, 2005	Madrid	Spain	Festimad
May 29, 2005	Chorzów	Poland	Mystic Festival
June 10, 2005	Oslo	Norway	Spektrum Arena
June 11, 2005	Nickelsdorf	Austria	Nova Rock Festival
June 12, 2005	Leicestershire	England	Download Festival
June 13, 2005	London		Astoria
June 17, 2005	Seinäjoki	Finland	Provinssirock
June 18, 2005	Frauenfeld	Switzerland	Frauenfeld Open Air
June 24, 2005	Jämsä	Finland	Himos Festival
July 15, 2005	Zlín	Czech Republic	Masters of Rock
July 16, 2005	Toscolano-Maderno	Italy	Evolution Festival
July 22, 2005	Erfurt	Germany	Earthshaker Festival
July 28, 2005	Porto	Portugal	Vilar de Mouros Festival
August 4, 2005	Wacken	Germany	Wacken Open Air
August 5, 2005	Dresden		Dresden Open Air
August 6, 2005	Helsinki	Finland	2005 World Championships in Athletics
August 7, 2005	Vantaa		Ankkarock
August 14, 2005	Rothenburg	Germany	Taubertal Open Air
August 19, 2005	Hasselt	Belgium	Pukkelpop
August 20, 2005	Biddinghuizen	Netherlands	Lowlands Festival
September 3, 2005	Hell	Norway	Hellodrome	Stonegard
September 5, 2005	Oslo		Rockefeller Music Hall	—
September 8, 2005	Stockholm	Sweden	Arenan
September 9, 2005	Gothenburg		Lisebergshallen	Nocturnal Rites
September 11, 2005	Umeå		SkyCom Arena	—
September 17, 2005	Žilina	Slovakia	Boräk Hall
September 19, 2005	Ljubljana	Slovenia	Krizance Hall
September 23, 2005	Copenhagen	Denmark	K.B. Hallen
September 25, 2005	London	England	HMV Hammersmith Apollo	Paradise Lost
September 30, 2005	Bucharest	Romania	Polivalenta Hall	—
October 1, 2005	Athens	Greece	Lycabettus Anfitheatre
October 8, 2005	Mexico City	Mexico	Live'N'Louder Festival
October 12, 2005	São Paulo	Brazil
October 15, 2005	Porto Alegre
October 21, 2005	Helsinki	Finland	Hartwall Areena	Sonata Arctica

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

References

Sources

• Ollila, Mape (2007). Once Upon a Nightwish. Deggael Communications. ISBN 978-952-99749-2-4.