NIGHTWISH - Before The Tour [Blabbermouth Exclusive]

Friday morning (August 29th), prior to the kickoff gig at the Trocadero, BW&BK accompanied NIGHTWISH founder/keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen on a private tour of the Walt Whitman house, in Camden, NJ. The 19th Century poet is an inspiration for the Finn, having first learned of Whitman through the movie Dead Poets Society. Holopainen spent nearly 90 minutes at the quaint two-story structure, listening to a learned discourse on the man, his life and his works.

"I got shivers," the musician said of the experience, walking the halls, stepping foot into the rooms where the renown Whitman spent his final years, even getting to tryout the elderly writer's wlaking stick. Afterwards, Holopainen paid his respects at the poet's self-designed crypt at nearby Harleigh Cemetary.

In news related to the band, Holopainen claims, "We don't get a lot of time to practice, so unfortunately the set list will be pretty much the same as we've played all summer. I'm glad the festivals are over, I enjoy this kind of touring. I love being on the (tour) bus! Next year, we're going to switch the (song selection) up. After the US, we have one show in Moscow, then 4 weeks in South America. Then we have a long time off. We won't do any shows until March (2009)."

Might there be something in the meantime, to keep fans occupied? Like a DVD? "No, it's too soon. It's only been 3 years since End Of An Era (the swansong performance with former vocalist Tarja Turunen), but it's something we'll get around to."

BraveWords.com will have a pictorial from the first night's performance tomorrow.