NIGHTWISH: Spring 2009 U.S. Dates Announced

Finnish/Swedish symphonic metallers NIGHTWISH have announced a run of U.S. dates tour for May 2009. A combination of makeup concerts for previously cancelled shows mixed with fill-in gigs, these will be NIGHTWISH's final North American dates for at least two years.

Tickets are on sale now exclusively through EnterTheVault.com untill November 22, at which point they will go on sale through normal ticketing services.

Support is yet to be announced.

NIGHTWISH U.S. dates:

May 01 - Hartford, CT @ Webster Theater
May 02 - New York, NY @ Nokia Theater
May 03 - Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock
May 05 - Baltimore, MD @ Sonar
May 06 - Louisville, KY @ Club Oasis
May 08 - Sauget, IL @ Pops
May 09 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom
May 11 - Corpus, TX @ Pavillion at Concrete Street
May 12 - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
May 14 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade

NOTE: There will be no more shows added and this is the final schedule.

Robert Williams of Metal-Rules.com conducted an interview with NIGHTWISH bassist/vocalist Marco Hietala on September 20, 2008 during the Finnish/Swedish symphonic metal band's recent North American tour. Watch the 10-minute chat below.

NIGHTWISH cancelled the last four shows of its North American tour — September 23 in Knoxville, Tennessee; September 24 in Charlotte, North Carolina; September 26 in Baltimore, Maryland; and September 27 in New York City — due to singer Anette Olzon's "sudden severe illness," according to a posting on the band's web site. "This was one of the best tour legs we have ever done, and it's a pity it has to end this way, but there's no competing with the forces of nature," the group said. "There is nothing anybody can do about these things. We want to thank all the fans for all the sympathy, you guys have been so understanding, it's heartwarming. Thank you!"

NIGHTWISH released a digital-only collection of demos and B-sides titled "The Sound of Nightwish Reborn", on September 2. This release, which clocks in at nearly 70 minutes of music, retains "must-have" status for all NIGHTWISH diehards, since it includes a bevy of exclusive material, such as demo versions of songs from the "Dark Passion Play" sessions that were recorded prior to singer Anette Olzon joining the band and that feature Marco Tapani Hietala handling the vocals, as well as B-sides.