The Human. :II: Nature. World Tour was a concert tour by the Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, in support of their ninth studio album, Human. :II: Nature.
It was the first tour in which Kai Hahto is an official member of the band, following original drummer Jukka Nevalainen's departure on July 15, 2019. It was also the first tour not to feature bassist Marko Hietala following his departure in January 2021, and the first to feature bassist Jukka Koskinen as a session bassist who later joined the band in August 2022. At the conclusion of the tour, the band began their touring hiatus which is set to last between 'two to three years' following the release of the band's tenth studio album, Yesterwynde.
Background
In promoting the tour and the album before its release, Troy Donockley and Floor Jansen were special guests on Planet Rock Radio, performing acoustic versions of "Nemo" and "How's the Heart?".
Following the postponement of the tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the band began the world tour on March 12, 2021 with an interactive livestream experience in a virtual reality built tavern which featured songs from the album on its setlist. The virtual livestream show was later postponed to May 2021. Upon the conclusion of the virtual performances, the shows had broken records with the first drawing 150,000 viewers and setting it as the most viewed virtual performance in Finland, with the box office exceeding one million in euros.
The band began the tour in Europe, South America, Asia and North America following the virtual performance, with their first show in Oulu played under the pseudonym "Nevski & the Prospects". The tour was originally scheduled to begin in spring 2020, but due to the pandemic, the band had postponed the tour. The European tour was postponed again to late 2021 on January 29, 2021, but had added a new date in Dublin, Ireland. The band returned to Hellfest in Clisson, France on July 25, 2022. Additional tour dates for North America were announced on October 12, 2021. European tour dates for November and December were later confirmed to go ahead for the band. Shows that were postponed in Europe that year were later rescheduled for the end of 2022. After the shows in Kitee and Vaasa in June 2023, the tour was concluded. Prior to the conclusion of the tour, the band issued a statement on April 6, 2023 that they would be going on a touring hiatus after the next studio album's release.
At the Oslo performance during their performance of "The Greatest Show on Earth", the band paid tribute to the late Alexi Laiho, a deceased member of the former Children of Bodom by displaying a picture of him on the video screen. The Pinkpop festival on June 17, 2022 had the band's set shortened, as Jansen had performed solo on the same day. During the Amsterdam show on November 27, 2022, Henk Poort joined on stage with Jansen to perform "The Phantom of the Opera", with the show being filmed for a future live release. Yannis Papadopoulos from Beast in Black later joined the band on stage at the Prague concert on December 21, 2022 to perform "Sahara".
Following Marko Hietala's departure from the band in January 2021, the band had announced in a statement that a temporary live member would fill in for bass. Before the first virtual performance that Jukka Koskinen was announced as the session bass player exclusively for the tour on May 28, 2021. However, the band later announced on August 21, 2022 that Jukka Koskinen would be the new permanent bass player in the band.
Shortly after the Latin American leg of the tour in October 2022, vocalist Floor Jansen underwent a successful breast cancer surgery. The band resumed its third European leg in November and December. It was then announced that Jansen's radiation therapy was moved from February to January 2023, resulting in the postponement of the band's Asian tour.
Reception
Natasha Scharf, a reviewer from Louder Sound, had given the virtual performances a positive review. She stated: "Despite the technological limitations, Nightwish genuinely look like they're having the best time ever and there's no hint of the concerns Tuomas Holopainen had about their future. It's been two and a half years since their last live show and they've clearly missed the stage. Tonight's set is tight and packed with material from Human. :II: Nature., fan favourites and some surprising additions, including Harvest, Bless the Child, and a lovely acoustic rendition of How's the Heart? The intimate setting also captures friendly gestures that might have otherwise been missed; the band frequently exchange grins and nods, and Jansen even gives Koskinen a heartfelt thumbs-up during Ghost Love Score."
Norway Rock Magazine gave the Oslo performance at the Spektrum a positive review. Opening their review, they acknowledged the impressive stage production and setlist, they stated that the band didn't disappoint their fans which gave the band a rapturous reception. Praising Floor Jansen on her flawless performance and powerful vocals as well as being mastering at connecting with the audience, they also praised the chemistry and dynamic stage presence from all of the other members, which made it clear the band missed performing in front of an adoring audience. Concluding their review, they said the band know how to put on a superb live show, they finished their review stating that the show really was the 'Greatest Show on Earth'.
Samantha Wu from The Spill Magazine opened her review, noting on the anticipation of fans who were eager to hear the tracks from the band's new album live, knowing what to expect: soaring orchestral music with hard, ripping guitars and Floor Jansen's complex voice, which Wu acknowledged as "ground-breaking" despite the difficulty some of the songs were to sing. Having acknowledged the departure of former member Marko Hietala, she also mentioned the soft and melodic vocals of Troy Donockley - taking notes on how he paired it with Jansen's vocals during an acoustic version of "How's the Heart?". Wu concluded their review stating that the band delivered a whirlwind of an experience and that it was the best return to live music anyone could ask for.
Set list The following set list was performed at the warm-up show of the tour at Club Teatria, and is not intended to represent all of the shows on tour. "Music" (intro tape) "Noise" "Planet Hell" "Tribal" "Élan" "Storytime" "How's the Heart?" "Harvest" "7 Days to the Wolves" "Dark Chest of Wonders" "I Want My Tears Back" "Ever Dream" "Nemo" "Sleeping Sun" "Shoemaker" "Last Ride of the Day" "Ghost Love Score" "The Greatest Show on Earth (Chapters I, II and III)" "Ad Astra" (outro tape; with Floor singing live)
Tour dates + List of 2021 concerts, showing date, city, country, venue and support acts Date City Country Venue Support actJuly 28, 2021OuluFinlandClub TeatriaAsim SearahJuly 30, 2021Kuusisaarirowspan="2" July 31, 2021KuopioVäinölänniemiNovember 14, 2021OsloNorwaySpektrum ArenaSonata Arctica
+ List of 2022 concerts, showing date, city, country, venue and support acts Date City Country Venue Support actApril 22, 2022TampereFinlandNokia ArenaLähiöbotoxApril 24, 2022HelsinkiIce HallMay 4, 2022TorontoCanadaHistoryBeast in BlackMay 6, 2022MontrealM TelusMay 7, 2022LowellUnited StatesTsongas CenterMay 8, 2022New York CityTerminal 5May 10, 2022Silver SpringThe FillmoreMay 12, 2022ChicagoRadius CenterMay 13, 2022Saint PaulThe FillmoreMay 15, 2022DenverMission BallroomMay 18, 2022San FranciscoWarfield TheatreMay 20, 2022Los AngelesWiltern TheatreMay 21, 2022June 2, 2022HyvinkääFinlandHyvinkää Airfieldrowspan="13" June 9, 2022SölvesborgSwedenNorje HavsbadJune 17, 2022LandgraafNetherlandsMegalandJune 25, 2022ClissonFranceVal de MoineJune 30, 2022Santa ColomaSpainParc de Can ZamJuly 2, 2022NîmesFranceArena of NîmesJuly 10, 2022VizoviceCzech RepublicAreál Likérky Rudolf JelínekJuly 15, 2022TallinnEstoniaPirita KloosterJuly 17, 2022JoensuuFinlandLaulurinneJuly 23, 2022CuxhavenGermanySeeflughafenJuly 30, 2022SzékesfehérvárHungaryÚj Váralja sorAugust 1, 2022BucharestRomaniaRomexpoAugust 12, 2022TurkuFinlandArtukaisten kenttäOctober 13, 2022Rio de JaneiroBrazilVivo RioBeast in BlackOctober 14, 2022São PauloEspaço das AméricasOctober 16, 2022Buenos AiresArgentinaEstadio Luna ParkOctober 19, 2022SantiagoChileTeatro CaupolicánOctober 22, 2022Mexico CityMexicoPalacio de los DeportesOctober 23, 2022GuadalajaraTeatro DianaNovember 20, 2022AntwerpBelgiumLotto ArenaTurmion KätilötAmorphisNovember 21, 2022LondonEnglandWembley ArenaNovember 22, 2022BirminghamResorts World ArenaNovember 23, 2022DublinIreland3ArenaNovember 25, 2022BerlinGermanyMax-Schmeling-HalleNovember 27, 2022AmsterdamNetherlandsZiggo DomeNovember 28, 2022November 30, 2022ParisFranceAccorHotels ArenaDecember 1, 2022DüsseldorfGermanyISS DomeDecember 2, 2022Esch-sur-AlzetteLuxembourgRockhalDecember 4, 2022ViennaAustriaWiener StadthalleDecember 5, 2022MunichGermanyOlympiahalleDecember 6, 2022MilanItalyFiera MilanoDecember 9, 2022FrankfurtGermanyFesthalleDecember 10, 2022BambergBrose ArenaDecember 12, 2022HamburgBarclays ArenaDecember 13, 2022LeipzigArena LeipzigDecember 14, 2022GliwicePolandGliwice ArenaDecember 16, 2022ZurichSwitzerlandHallenstadionDecember 18, 2022StuttgartGermanyHanns-Martin-Schleyer-HalleDecember 20, 2022BudapestHungarySports ArenaDecember 21, 2022PragueCzech RepublicO2 Arena
+ List of 2023 concerts, showing date, city, country, venue and support acts Date City Country Venue Support actJanuary 31, 2023BiminiThe BahamasMS Freedom of the Seasrowspan="9" February 2, 2023March 25, 2023OsakaJapanIntex OsakaMarch 26, 2023TokyoMakuhari MesseMarch 29, 2023Quezon CityPhilippinesSM SkydomeMarch 31, 2023TaipeiTaiwanZepp New HallJune 3, 2023StockholmSwedenEvenew ArenaJune 7, 2023AthensGreecePlateia NerouJune 10, 2023NickelsdorfAustriaPannonia Fields IIJune 12, 2023GelsenkirchenGermanyAmphitheaterHourglassJune 16, 2023KiteeFinlandKiteen RantakenttäSilent RainKlamydiaJune 17, 2023VaasaLemonsoft Stadion
Cancelled dates Date City Country Venue ReasonApril 15, 2020GuangzhouChinaGym-llCOVID-19 pandemicApril 17, 2020ShanghaiBandai Namco BaseApril 18, 2020May 2, 2020Mexico CityMexicoDomination FestivalJune 7, 2020TampereFinlandRockfestJune 11, 2020KrakowPolandMystic FestivalJune 11–13, 2020InterlakenSwitzerlandGreenfield FestivalDecember 16, 2020CardiffWalesMotorpoint ArenaAugust 14, 2021HelsinkiFinlandKaisaniemi ParkNovember 9, 2022Saint PetersburgRussiaYubileyny Sports Palace2022 Russian invasion of UkraineNovember 10, 2022MoscowCrocus City HallNovember 12, 2022KyivUkraineStereo PlazaNovember 13, 2022MinskBelarusFalcon ClubJanuary 3, 2023BeijingChinaExhibition TheaterFloor Jansen's radiation therapy following breast cancer surgery in October 2022January 5, 2023ShanghaiBandai Namco BaseJanuary 6, 2023January 8, 2023GuangzhouGym-llJanuary 11, 2023Hong KongStar HallJanuary 15, 2023JakartaIndonesiaIstora Gelora Bung KarnoJanuary 17, 2023SentosaSingaporeHard Rock ColiseumJanuary 23, 2023SeoulSouth KoreaKBS HallJanuary 25, 2023OsakaJapanNamba HatchJanuary 27, 2023TokyoEx Theater RoppongiJanuary 28, 2023June 9, 2023BerlinGermanyParkbühne WuhlheideLogistical issuesJune 22, 2023OsloNorwayTons of RockHealth issues
Personnel
Floor Jansen – lead vocals Tuomas Holopainen – keyboards Emppu Vuorinen – guitars Kai Hahto – drums, percussion Troy Donockley – uilleann pipes, tin whistle, bouzouki, male vocals, additional guitars Jukka Koskinen – bass
Guest musicians Henk Poort – guest vocals (Amsterdam, Europe 2022) Yannis Papadopoulos – guest vocals (Prague, Europe 2022)
Notes
References